"Venom" lures writer-director Gary Ross

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Gary Ross, whose last film as a director was 2003's "Seabiscuit," is writing the "Spider-Man" spin-off "Venom" as a potential directing vehicle.

The Columbia Pictures project is based on one of the villains from "Spider-Man 3." Ross is already writing "Spider-Man 4" for the studio.

In the comics, Venom is a gooey alien parasite that bonds with Peter Parker and later his newsroom rival, among other people, becoming one of the more popular villains in "Spider-Man's" rogues' gallery.

Topher Grace portrayed the character in the 2007 movie, which ended with both the human and the alien symbiote apparently destroyed in an explosion.

The studio had no comment on Grace's involvement nor on Ross writing the project.

Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, who wrote "Zombieland," previously worked on the script, as did Jacob Estes.

Ross' screenwriting credits include "Big," "The Tale of Despereaux" and "Pleasantville," which he also directed.

(Editing by SheriLinden at Reuters)