Marvel Studios has been busy working on their Spider-Man threequel. Of course, Sony isn’t only banking on one franchise as they expanded other ones based on Spidey’s famous rogue’s gallery. Kraven the Hunter is getting a film in 2023, which has recently added former Quicksilver Aaron Taylor-Johnson in the titular role.
That is not all, as we have the live-action adaptation of Morbius heading our way and the highly-anticipated Venom sequel, Venom: Let There Be Carnage. We recently got our first look at the latter’s story that’ll see the introduction of Carnage. It looks like Eddie Brock himself, Tom Hardy, had a hand in conceptualizing the sequel. In an interview with Empire, Marcel revealed that:
This is new for him, to get credit but it’s not new for him to be this involved. He’s absolutely 100 per cent committed to everything that he does. He’s married to Venom. He loves this character. He’s very involved in what he thinks should happen.
She continues to get the screenplay credit, but she revealed that most of the story got mapped out alongside Hardy for months before she focused on the script for around three months. Most of their discussions took place over FaceTime, where they would brainstorm and test out ideas. It’s great to see him get this involved, as it also shows his enjoyment of bringing the symbiote to life. He won’t be the only one this time around, as Woody Harrelson will bring Cletus Cassady to life. He’ll become the host for Carnage, who will be the film’s main antagonist. There are rumors of a second trailer heading our way, which may offer more insight into the film’s story.
It looks like the iconic symbiote is heading in a new direction, as Marvel has just revealed the brand new creative team working on the next Venom run. In a blog post, they’ve announced that the masterminds behind IMMORTAL HULK, Al Ewing, and Ram V will bring their horror inspirations to the symbiote. They are planning a dramatic and dangerous new direction of the symbiote with Bryan Hitch lending his artistic talents to the new comic line. Ram V shared his enthusiasm about the chance to tackle such an iconic character and offer a new look at what it means to be possessed by a symbiote:
When my editors at Marvel reached out about taking on Venom alongside Al Ewing and Bryan Hitch, I was not prepared for the kind of creative thrill it has been ever since. This story is going to expand and push the symbiote narrative and lore in even more unexpected and fantastic directions. It is also an utter thrill having the sort of call and response mechanic I’ve had with a writer like Al and an artist of Bryan’s caliber. Fans and new readers, strap in—you ain’t seen nothin’ yet.
The team’s creative work on reimagining Hulk by exploring his horror roots offered a truly standout storyline in Marvel Comics’ historic line-up. The first artwork released for the 2021 entry in the franchise teases a space-focused storyline that is befitting the character’s roots. It also allows Al Ewing and Ram V to explore cosmic horrors in new and creative ways. It’ll be interesting to see how they continue the story that Donny Cates and Ryan Stegman explored into the King in Black crossover event. Whatever the future may hold, we’ll certainly get a lot more Venom-verse.
After a long wait, the first trailer for Venom: Let There Carnage hs finally dropped online. It continued where the original left off, as Tom Hardy‘s Eddie Brock lives his life alongside the symbiote. We also got a new look at Woody Harrelson as Cletus Kasady. The mad man would eventually combine with a symbiote to form Carnage. We got a few good looks at the symbiote throughout the trailer, but as they are still working on the effects, they have kept him in the shadow. It seemed as if they muted his classic red coloring, but the newly revealed Funko Pops may have given us the best look yet.
The trailer’s muted colors didn’t quite offer a great look at the newly formed symbiote. Luckily, the Funko Pops confirms that he will be mostly red with black tendrils mixed in. The design seems strongly inspired by his time in the Ultimate Spider-Man comics, where it was an artificial creature created by Dr. Curtis Conners with the help of Peter Parker’s DNA. Of course, in that run, the character wasn’t taken over by Cletus Kasady. The story that was hinted at seems to take a lot of inspiration from the Maximum Carnage run, as it also includes the character of Shriek.
Sony’s ever-expanding Spider-Man franchise is starting to expand. They have the cooperation with Marvel Studios, which allowed Tom Holland‘s version of the character to enter the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Into the Spider-Verse created its own animated universe with a multitude of webheads. Now, we also have the additional live-action Venom franchise, which seems far removed from the MCU even though Morbius‘ first trailer included a direct reference with the inclusion of Michael Keaton. So, we’ve been wondering if Sony and Marvel struck a deal that their expanded compendium will also be part of the franchise. Well, it seems that Venom: Let There Be Carnage director Andy Serkis offered some insight during a trailer breakdown for IGN.
Obviously, there are links between Venom and Spider-Man and the Marvel Universe and the Spider-Man story. We’re treating this very much as it’s his own world. The Venom story is his own world. There are nods and little moments [like the shot of the newspaper the Daily Bugle], of course, but on the whole, he’s unaware. They are unaware, at this point, of other characters like Spider-Man. So, that’s the way we’ve chosen to play this particular episode of the movie, but, well, we’ll wait and see. We’ll see what little things you can pick out of it.
In a way, he continues to keep the door open if Tom Hardy‘s Venom could eventually become part of the MCU. The referenced newspaper includes words that seem to spell out “Avengers” which is printed on a Sam Raimi era Daily Bugle newspaper. We’ve had this confusion before when Morbius included references to the MCU version of Spider-Man, but also included a mural of his 2002 film. “Murderer” sprayed over it would imply the film takes place after Spider-Man: Far From Home. For now, the connections remain vague until we get a clearer picture of where or if the franchise takes place in the wider MCU.
After a long wait, we finally got our first look at the Eternals in the latest trailer by Marvel Studios. It felt like an eternity since the film got announced, and the one-year delay didn’t help matters much. Now, we got our first taste of what is to come with some footage featuring the main cast of Chloé Zhao‘s upcoming film. There was, however, one noticeable absentee. Kit Harrington‘s Dane Whitman was missing, and even leaked merchandise doesn’t feature him. Yet, the question remains what role he may have in the series and moving forward. In a way, I believe the comics might offer a hint at how he and his iconic Ebony Blade might set up the story. In a way, it may even connect Eternals might help Gorr become the God Butcher in Thor: Love and Thunder.
In the comics, Dane Whitman is the wielder of the Ebony Blade. The cursed blade gives him immortality at the price of his sanity. It makes anyone wielding it become bloodthirsty and absorbs their negative emotions. At one point, we learn that it connects to Knull. Another one of his weapons ends up in the hands of Gorr the God Butcher. His All-Black the Necrosword is, in reality, the first symbiote ever created and formed into a weapon that was able to slay a Celestial, which eventually would become Guardians of the Galaxy‘s Knowhere.
We still don’t know what role Whitman will have outside of being part of a love triangle between him, Gemma Chan‘s Sersi, and Richard Madden‘s Ikaris. As he wants to protect his love, he may pull the blade from its slumber against the warnings of his ancestors. Now donning his Black Knight armor, Whitman joins the Eternals in their battle against the Deviants. He wants to prove that humanity is not as helpless as they think. The man fights tooth and nail to hold his own. As he falls to his knees due to exhaustion, the sword takes control and shows the brutality of man. The love triangle has left its scars deep within his heart that the Ebony Sword abused.
Sersi, in a last-ditch effort, manages to separate him from the sword as he fights the inner demon trying to take control. To prove that these words were meaningless, he stabs himself with the sword to loosen his grip before it is cast out into space as it cracks. It isn’t until eons later that the destruction of Asgard during the battle between Hela and Surtur that the blade would regain its original form. All-Black has finally been released from his prison and seeks the missing part. The creature combines with the Ebony Blade as he lands on a deserted planet to become his original form. Looking for a host, he finds Gorr and their fusion leads to the events of Thor: Love and Thunder.
Whitman survives his wounds with the help of Ajak. He is also given a parting gift by Angelina Jolie‘s Thena in the form of a cosmic-based blade, which we got a glimpse of in the trailer. It could be how they introduce the Photon Blade. The Knull connection offers a lot of curious ways to play on the franchise’s newly introduced mythology. Venom‘s film rights in Sony’s possession, he might not join the Marvel Cinematic Universe anytime soon. Still, they could retcon this connection at a later date to build upon it.
It looks like we won’t be getting a Sony streaming service shortly. According to IndieWire, Sony Pictures and Netflix have made a deal to turn Netflix into their exclusive streaming home as of 2022. Its upcoming films like Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Morbius, Uncharted, and Bullet Train will be heading directly to Netflix after they left theaters and are released physically. They’ve also inked a first-look deal. So, we will see more Netflix Originals produced by Sony. It’s another massive gain for the streaming service after crossing the 200M subscriber mark and purchasing the Knives Out sequels. Netflix’s Head of Global Films, Scott Stuber, gave the following statement:
Sony Pictures is a great partner and we are thrilled to expand our relationship through this forward-thinking agreement. This not only allows us to bring their impressive slate of beloved film franchises and new IP to Netflix in the U.S., but it also establishes a new source of first run films for Netflix movie lovers worldwide.
Now, there is one big question mark that hangs over everyone’s head, and that is how this will affect Sony’s relationship with Disney. The current live-action Spider-Man films are co-produced by the studios. Marvel Studios tackles the creative output so that it aligns with their Marvel Cinematic Universe. It may not directly affect their production, but it does mean that the latest adaptations won’t be available on Disney+ anytime soon. There is a chance that they might make an additional deal and share the rights, but anything is game in the current streaming wars. Deadline confirms that the Spider-Man installments are part of the deal. So, it doesn’t look like the wall-crawler will be available on Disney+ anytime soon for the foreseeable future.
Despite having wrapped production prior to the pandemic, Sony’s follow-up to 2017’s Venom has yet to be seen and, yesterday, got just a little further away. After originally being set for an October 2020 release, Venom: Let There Be Carnage moved to June 2021 before recently getting pushed back to September 17, 2021. Now, the studio has slightly adjusted the date again, moving the Tom Hardy vehicle to September 24, 2021.
#Venom2 update: Sony pushes VENOM: LET THERE BE CARNAGE release date from Sept 17 to Sept 24, 2021.
The sequel is set to see Hardy reprise his role as Eddie Brock/Venom with Woody Harrelson back in an expanded role as serial killer Cletus Kasaday. The film was directed by Andy Serkis, who recently teased we might get a first look at the project sometime soon.
The first 2021 delays have arrived, which included Sony’s upcoming March release of Morbius until October. The pandemic hasn’t been kind to many film studios, as many 2020 releases got pushed back multiple times. Many films are already finished and just waiting to get released. The uncertainty has led to some companies embracing the streaming future, especially Warner Bros., who just outright mapped out every 2021 release to include a premiere on HBO Max simultaneously. It still has led to quite a few controversies, especially Wonder Woman 1984‘s Box Office, but these are uncertain times. Even Disney seems to be considering this option with Black Widow at this point. While everyone else is considering streaming services, why is Sony still delaying their films for many months?
Let’s take a look back at 2019. Rumors were about that Sony Pictures was getting sold. The New York Post revealed that investor Dan Loeb was pitching to Sony a sales plan that included their Sony Pictures division. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos seemed quite interested in the purchase and led to some discussions. It is interesting to note, that there are also rumors surrounding the Spider-Man franchise rights. It seems they would automatically return to Marvel if Sony decides to sell their film division. Of course, this put the entire sales process on everyone’s radar. Marvel was able to regain the rights to the X-Men and Fantastic Four after Disney purchased Fox. As such, the sale could indicate Marvel once again acquiring almost all the rights they sold to avoid bankruptcy back in 1999.
It seems that Sony needs the deal more than Marvel Studios does at times. Sony sold the merchandising rights to Spider-Man back in 2011, only a year before they rebooted with The Amazing Spider-Man. They even confessed that the sale was short-sighted before claiming that they won’t sell the division after a $1 billion write-down in 2017. Of course, it led to the deal to co-produce films alongside Marvel Studios, which seemed to work out in both companies’ favor. There was a falling out that led to the partnership suddenly getting discontinued in 2019. Luckily, it got amended to continue with the Tom Holland-led franchise, but it certainly left people wondering what led to that decision.
Why am I bringing all this up? Well, if Sony Pictures has been facing potential bankruptcy as frequently as it does, 2020’s pandemic could not have done them any favors. Now, they are continuously postponing their films without any streaming service of their own. Last May, they did make a $70 million deal for Tom Hanks‘ Greyhound on Apple+, but they didn’t see a reason to continue this business model. Their latest delay – most likely to be followed by many more – is most likely to lead them to re-explore new options. In the end, Marvel Studios and Disney may end up being the actual winner in this scenario. If they try to discuss streaming options with Apple for their streaming service, it may put them in a bind with their Marvel-Disney contract.
The logical conclusion would be to make a deal with Disney to add their family-friendly content on Disney+. Now, this dependency could give Marvel an advantage in future dealmaking for the character and every property surrounding him. The current situation may also lead to Sony Pictures re-evaluating the deals made to sell, especially if 2021 releases might not bring in the Box Office necessary to cover deficits from the constant delays. We will see how the next few months develop to see if Spider-Man may get his actual homecoming after all. This development is nothing more than speculation, but it does open up the question of what the future looks like for Sony Pictures in these uncertain times.
The announcement of Electro joining Spider-Man 3 had everyone theorizing. Is he the same character we meet in The Amazing Spider-Man 2? If so, why did he announce that he won’t be blue this time? There were a lot of hints pointing to this potentially being a live-action adaptation of the Spider-Verse. Yet, it could just be that they are reintroducing Electro with the same actor to build-up to the Sinister Six. Just yesterday, it could’ve gone anyway. Well, I did say that was what we thought yesterday. Now, we know that Benedict Cumberbatch will join the upcoming Spidey threequel. Now, it is hard to deny that there is some Multiverse aspect in play. I am not here to discuss the story implications, our very own Superhero Theorist will tackle that. In my case, I want to write about the reason this is happening. In my view, this storyline may be the result of Sony’s latest deal to keep the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man in Marvel Studios’ hands.
Let’s return to last year when the world was less chaotic. In a sudden twist, Sony announced they will not renew their contract with Marvel Studios. Marvel Studios’ president Kevin Feige would only remain as a consulting producer rather than have full control. Negotiations fell through, and it seemed like Sony Pictures was taking back their creative rights. Luckily, they managed to come to an agreement that would let Marvel Studios finish the trilogy. It even includes an additional cameo. For now, there are no more plans for Spider-Man within the MCU. This could very well be his last appearance for some time if no new contract is finalized. Funn enough, Kevin Feige may have already hinted at the character’s development last year.
He also happens to be the only hero with the superpower to cross cinematic universes, so as Sony continues to develop their own Spidey-verse you never know what surprises the future might hold.
Doctor Strange’s involvement in the unnamed Spider-Man sequel may have strong ties to this contract. Today’s news would also confirm that the additional cameo will be in Doctor Strange In the Multiverse of Madness. If no new deal is reached for the character’s return tot he MCU, it is a risk for Marvel Studios to set up future appearances and sequels. They might be trying to set-up a storyline that could keep the door open for a future return. If there is no new deal, Spidey’s absence makes sense in-universe. As such, they aren’t closing the door on a future contract but are wary of it potentially falling apart again. As Feige mentions, he can cross cinematic universes, so he is not ruling out a return in some form.
Why does this matter? Well, Sony wants to develop its franchise surrounding Spidey’s expansive cast of character. They’ve already started with a Venom film that already has a sequel underway. It is noticeable that this film did not have any references to Spider-Man or his larger universe. It wasn’t until the Morbius trailer that we got any connections. It revealed a short sequence that features Michael Keaton‘s Vulture. There was also an image of Spider-Man graffiti with Murderer painted over it. At face value, this is an obvious connection to the ending of Spider-Man: Far From Home. Yet, someone chose an image with the costume from the original Sam Raimi trilogy. It wasn’t even from the film but ripped straight out of PlayStation’s Spider-Man game.
There is one more thing that adds to the confusion. Spider-Woman director Olivia Wilde let slip that she is in contact with Kevin Feige while developing the film. So, it seems like some cooperation is happening behind the scenes. The way it’s mentioned, it sounds like a consulting position. It seems odd he is her first reference point. There is a chance that we could see some of Sony’s characters officially being part of the MCU as they expand the contract beyond just the titular web-head. I doubt we will see Morbius in Blade, but there seems to be some kind of connection. The Strange reveal today would lean on this being an alternative universe with similar set-ups just without the Avengers. Whatever it may be, this storyline seems to be the result of that contract and the uncertainty of the future. Feige wants the character’s trilogy to end on a high-note while keeping the potential of sequels open. Hopefully, they will find some agreement as the franchises continue to grow.
Filming on Ruben Fleischer’s Venom has moved to San Francisco for the time being, but during its time in Atlanta we were fortunate to get a look at some photos and videos taken on location. Among the photos were several looks at star Tom Hardy, a handful of co-star Scott Haze (including one of the two men fighting, seen below) and a couple of Jenny Slate (also seen below).
The photo of Slate was reportedly taken outside the American Cancer Center, which is being used as one of the locations of the Life Foundation, an organization crucial to the plot of Venom. We can confirm that Slate’s role in the film will find her working as a scientist named Dora Skirth who works for the Life Foundation. There had been some speculation online that Slate might be playing Dr. Ashley Kafka, the founder of the best spider vein removal los angeles Institute for the Criminally Insane where Cletus Kasady was once kept. As far as we can tell, Skirth is an original character developed for the film, though she turn out to be an amalgamation of several minor characters.
Scott Haze‘s role has also been subject to much speculation with many originally believing he might be portraying Casady. As it turns out, Haze’s character will also be a part of the Life Foundation, though his character is much more firmly rooted in the comics. Haze will portray Roland Treece, the founder of Treece International and a member of the Life Foundation’s Board of Directors along with Carlton Drake, played by Riz Ahmed. Additionally, we can expect to see other Life Foundation members lifted from the pages of Lethal Protector in Dr. Collins and Dr. Emerson. This confirms speculation first made by The Venom Vlog based on set pics and video they were able to find online.
Oh and here’s a first look at Michelle Wiliams‘ Anne Weying!
Weirdly enough, there’s zero word yet on who exactly is supposed to be playing Carnage, the purported villain of the movie for several months now. But with more than 50 days into production, it’ll only be a matter of time until we learn who has the honor of playing Spider-Man’s most violent baddie. Venom, featuring Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock and Michelle Williams as Anne Weying, will be in theaters October 5th!
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