Venom 2 from Sony is slowly coming together. The follow-up to superhero movie starring Tom Hardy (as Eddie Brock/Venom) is reportedly getting ready to film this November.
Screenwriter Kelly Marcel is returning to the production to pen Venom 2, which has a target release date of October 2020, as per Variety. Hardy and his co-star in the first movie, Michelle Williams, has also agreed to reprise her role as Anne Weying.
Reports say that Venom 2 will also feature the return of Woody Harrelson as Cletus Kasady/Carnage, a symbiote just like Brock's Venom. Viewers will recall that Brock was seen interviewing Kasady in prison during the end credits, where Kasady declared that "carnage" will happen once he gets out.
It is believed that the plot of Venom 2 will revolve around Venom versus Carnage. However, the film will likely bring a better understanding of what's going on with symbiotes.
"He's a tortured soul," producer Avi Arad said of Carnage in an interview with Collider. "It's not about what he does, because we never have to show the knife going from here to there, and the blood is pouring. What you have to show is, what is the motivation?"
Meanwhile, director Ruben Fleischer said while they were doing the first Venom that there will be no crossovers with the character of Spider-Man. This aim of their film is to introduce the viewers to this different side of the character, who was largely portrayed as the villain in the Spider-Man comic books.
But Fleischer dropped out of Venom 2 and as confirmed by Discussing Film. The director will be tied up with making Zombieland 2. Hence, the Venom production is currently looking for his replacement, but reports said that its scheduled production date for November hadn't been pushed.
Once a new director is on board, however, changes should happen in Venom 2. Will Spider-Man finally come aboard?
Reports also say that Venom 2 could launch an Avengers-style cinematic universe featuring Maximum Carnage. The studio wants to capitalize on the success of Venom at the box office. Hence there are plans at Sony to bring all of the villains together in one film with Venom, Carnage, Silver Sable, Kraven the Hunter and Black Cat.
Venom earned more than $822 million at the box office, making it the highest-grossing superhero film upon its release in October 2018. Aquaman eventually dislodged Venom from the top spot. However, it's still pretty clear to Sony that the villain-centric movie has been a big hit with viewers. Thus, Sony wasted no time greenlighting the sequel.
