The Lethal Protector

We don’t know how this would work in the absence of Spider-Man, but Venom could be presented as a Lethal Protector in the very first movie. The movie would take place in San Francisco rather than New York, with the Symbiote establishing itself as a violent vigilante. This could work, especially if we consider the fact that the alien exacerbates the negative impulses its host feels (insert dramatic back story for the host here).

In the comics, Venom leaves New York after reaching a truce with Spider-Man. If the movie had no connection to the MCU, that would be for the better, even though this part of the storyline would be kept out. That way, Sony could move forward with the rating everyone wanted.

Of course, things wouldn’t go according to plan, since Venom would have to face superpowered villains, summoned by the father of one of his victims. This type of plot does sound appealing, and it would also be an opportunity for Sony to introduce other characters to which it still holds the rights (we suspect).