Almost A Year On, I Still Can’t Believe How Badly Sony Messed Up Spider-Man’s First Ever Supervillain

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Sony’s history with Marvel adaptations is a bit uneven. While Sam Raimi’s initial *Spider-Man* films started strong, it became clear the studio prioritized spectacle over substance with its villains. *Spider-Man 3*’s version of Venom didn’t live up to the comic book’s terrifying portrayal, and New Goblin felt like a misstep. After Raimi left, the films—including *The Amazing Spider-Man* series and the *Venom* movies—continued to struggle with uninspired villains who didn’t measure up to iconic characters like Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin.

But that’s just the beginning. Sony’s newer movies have even stranger moments. In *Morbius*, the villain Milo does a hilariously awkward dance, and in *Madame Web*, Ezekiel Sims struggles to speak clearly. However, both of those pale in comparison to another character—Spider-Man’s very first foe—who takes things to a whole new level of oddity.

Sony Doesn’t Do Right By Spider-Man’s First Villain

Following his first appearance in *Amazing Fantasy*, Peter Parker stars in his own comic book, *The Amazing Spider-Man*. Recognizing that a hero needs strong villains, creators Stan Lee and Steve Ditko quickly introduce the Chameleon – also known as Dmitri Smerdyakov – as one of Spider-Man’s early foes. The Chameleon has the power to disguise himself as anyone. Later stories reveal the Chameleon is the half-brother of Kraven the Hunter, and the two become recurring enemies of Spider-Man. Their family connection is significant enough that they even appeared together in a movie, without Spider-Man being involved.

Similar to films like *Venom* and *Morbius*, *Kraven the Hunter* tries to portray its main character as someone who walks the line between hero and villain. Kraven’s goal is simply to bring criminals to justice, but his father creates problems by getting involved in crime. Kraven and his brother, Dimitri, work together to stop their father, but Dimitri’s newfound shape-shifting powers lead him down a different path. In a bizarre and confusing scene near the end of the movie, Dimitri starts performing at a club, revealing to Kraven that he’s changed. This ending leaves audiences with a negative impression that feels difficult for the Marvel Cinematic Universe to overcome.

Chameleon Has Already Been Wasted in the MCU

If Sony creates a character that doesn’t quite succeed, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) offers a way to revive them. Spider-Man, for example, is now a key hero within the MCU, which is why he appears in Marvel Studios’ films instead of Sony’s. While villains like Kraven and Carnage haven’t made the jump to the MCU yet, many expect it to happen eventually. Chameleon is a bit different, though – he’s already technically part of the MCU, having had a brief appearance in *Spider-Man: Far From Home*.

Dimitri is an agent sent by Talos, disguised as Nick Fury, to protect Peter during his trip to Europe. The movie doesn’t reveal if Dimitri has any special abilities or a superhero name, but it hints that he might. Although there’s a chance he could become a villain later on, *Far From Home* doesn’t develop his character at all, suggesting Marvel Studios isn’t planning much for him. It’s disappointing that Spider-Man’s initial foe isn’t getting the attention he deserves, especially considering the many other characters competing for screen time.

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2025-10-19 18:43