Sony has ensnared a star and director for its Spider-Man offshoot, Venom. Tom Hardy, who was nominated for an Oscar for his work in The Revenant, is in final negotiations to star in Venom, while Ruben Fleischer, best known for directing Zombieland, is final negotiations to helm the movie project centering on one of Spider-Man’s signature villains. The project is one of Sony’s top priorities and the studio is not wasting time as the movie is set to open Oct. 5, 2018. Venom is to usher in a host of movies from Sony's Marvel and Spider-Man-based universe of characters. Sony is rebooting its Marvel-based slate with this summer’s Spider-Man: Homecoming and Venom is a key title in its slate. The studio is also developing a Silver Sable/Black Cat project among other characters from the Spider-Man stable. Venom has been one of Marvel’s top villains and a Spider-Man fixture since he was introduced in 1988, created by writer David Michelinie and artists Todd McFarlane and Mike Zeck. The character is an alien symbiote that needs a human host to survive. In return, the alien vests its victim with incredible powers. He made his first big-screen appearance in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 3 and was portrayed by Topher Grace. Scott Rosenberg and Jeff Pinkner, the latter of whom worked on 2014’s The Amazing Spider-Man 2, wrote the script for Venom. Plot details are being kept in the black but Hardy, who is said to be a Venom fan, will play Eddie Brock, the character who first became Venom. Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach are producing, along with Amy Pascal. Fleischer made a name for himself balancing comedy with action and horror elements and recently helmed episodes of the Drew Barrymore cannibal show Santa Clarita Diet and NBC’s Superstore. He is also a producer on Brie Larson’s directorial debut, Unicorn Store. The brooding Hardy has racked up acclaim for productions such as Locke and Legend and also starred in Mad Max: Fury Road. The actor has eschewed, for the most part, popcorn movies but did star as Batman villain Bane in 2012’s Dark Knight Rises. With Venom, the actor now switches from the DC side of comic book movie dimension to the Marvel zone. Hardy is repped by CAA, Sloane Offer and UK’s United Agents. Fleischer is repped by CAA, Management 360, and Sloane Offer. After the news broke, Sony shared a photo of Hardy getting in the Venom spirit:
Tom Hardy is Eddie Brock in #Venom, the upcoming film from Sony’s Marvel Universe releasing October 5, 2018 – production starts this fall.
Agent Coulson wrote: » Avi Arad and Amy Pascal
Slydice wrote: » A Sony film. Hope the story is good.
Ben Gadot wrote: » Not technically MCU (but could be if Sony were inclined) Tom Hardy has been cast as Venom in their solo venture. Not sure how I feel about Sony's insistence of developing this free of any commitments to the MCU Spiney, but Tom has to be almost fan casting for Eddie. Great shout.
Agent Coulson wrote: » Any I know if Sony can use Spidey still any version of him even if he is in the MCU? Do Sony have the rights to say Miles Morales and they will use him in these movies.
Doctor DooM wrote: » It's widely believed that Sony have the rights to pretty much do anything they like even while the MCU films were happening. It's also thought they have the rights to Morales. Bear in mind no one has ever actually seen the contracts between Marvel and Sony/ Fox/ Paramount so there's a certain amount of scuttlebutt/ rumour involved at every turn.
Nervous Wreck wrote: » Not sure we'll get Miles Morales anytime soon. I read somewhere that part of the Sony/Marvel deal was that Sony stipulated that he be a straight, white male. If they went so far as to insist on that, I think it kinda speaks to their intentions.
Ben Gadot wrote: » :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::D And people say WB are bad.
Doctor DooM wrote: » From the scuttle butt I've heard Sony NEED Spider-man to hit. ASM2 and Ghostbusters failing have left a huge gap where there summer tent post should be. Considering Pascal's tendency towards female/ colour centric leads (she did ghostbusters and wanted to do something similar with super heroes in a film called glass ceiling) that'd indicate they wanted the new Spider-Man to be super safe.
Doctor DooM wrote: » Considering Pascal's tendency towards female/ colour centric leads (she did ghostbusters and wanted to do something similar with super heroes in a film called glass ceiling)
Bacchus wrote: » Are they getting a cut of the box-office so? What's it to them if Marvel do a great job with Homecoming? Are we in some sort of catch-22 situation where if Homecoming is a hit, Sony will ride that wave (and likely crash it), but if it gets a lukewarm reception, they... plough on anyway to hold on to rights?
Penn wrote: » As subtle as the 'b' in 'subtle' 'brick'. As far as I've read, it seems Sony want to set up their own 'Spider-Verse' of films but likely separate from the MCU, including the MCU version of Spider-Man (because they can't cross their own films over with the MCU films). So they're likely going to do a bunch of films (Venom, Black Cat/Silver Sable, maybe try Sinister Six again) possibly with references to Spider-Man but without directly including him.
pjohnson wrote: » I think Eddie should be remembered as Topher Grace and forgotten. If Hardy was playing Flash Thompson I'd be far more excited.
Nervous Wreck wrote: » I dunno, feels like marketing double-speak to me. I don't think we'll see Venom in the MCU.
