LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - Sony Pictures is moving forward with Venom, a potential Spider-Man spinoff based on the villian from Spiderman 3.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the studio is developing the project in hopes that Venom could give some longevity to the aging Spider-Man franchise, much like Fox's X-Men franchise and the upcoming spinoff based on the character Wolverine.

Topher Grace played Venom in Spiderman 3, but his character was created by a parasite that attached itself to his body via a sticky substance, so the fact that Venom is a substance rather than a character gives Sony the option to cast a new actor for the role.

Sony is developing a fourth Spider-Man film for 2011, but wanted to do a spinoff with a new character in the meantime. The use of spinoffs based on other Spider-Man characters was a part of the licensing deal between Marvel and the studio.