In what’s shaping up to be an incredibly busy week for the Spider-Man spinoff, a suitably epic Japanese poster for Venom has clawed its way online. And this one looks as if it’s been ripped straight from the comics.

First spotted by CBM, this dark and vivid one-sheet is all about the titular symbiote and its immense, gaping jaw – Venom is essentially the human equivalent of a demonic anglerfish, after all – and makes for a nice follow-up act to yesterday’s somewhat divisive trailer reveal.

We say divisive because, while Venom‘s tone and style closely match the source material, hokey dialogue (“like a turd in the wind”) and questionable CGI have left some viewers feeling a little cold about Ruben Fleischer’s standalone movie – a movie that’s seemingly devoid of any real heroes.

To be fair, Hollywood has no shortage of straight-laced crusaders, so it’s about time a major studio devoted resources to a truly dark and gritty origin movie about one of the industry’s greatest anti-heroes. Indeed, not since Blade have we seen a comic book film with a morally questionable character at its core.

Venom's Japanese Poster Has Arrived With Added Bite

1 of 2

  

Click to skip

• MORE FROM THE WEB

Click to zoom 

Perhaps poorly-timed marketing is to blame for Venom‘s lukewarm reception? It’s no secret that Sony has already unveiled reams of footage for the Ruben Fleischer-directed spinoff, and one can’t help but wonder if there are any surprises left to reveal as we watch Eddie Brock descend into madness. Time will tell.

Like a turd in the wind, Venom swoops into U.S. theaters first on October 5th, before making its Japanese debut four weeks later. It’ll herald the beginning of a new era for Sony-backed superhero movies, too, what with Morbius, Silver & Black, Silk and Nightwatch all waiting in the wings.

After an insanely strong showing at San Diego Comic-Con last month – which saw the sinister symbiote feature drop a brand spanking new teaser, and reveal the secret identity of genius inventor Carlton Drake – laid the groundwork, it would appear all that’s left for Ruben Fleischer’s Venom to do is open, which it will soon enough, on October 5th later this year.

Before you go purchasing your ticket, though, we’ve got a delectable piece of fan art depicting the cantankerous Klyntar locked in battle with your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man that you simply must check out. After all, Tom Hardy did have a choice word or two for the portrayer of the titular web-head, Tom Holland, last month, and seeing as such a showdown as even been tease by Fleischer himself, it might just become a reality one day.

It's Tom Hardy's Venom Vs. Tom Holland's Spider-Man In Epic New Fan Art

1 of 2

  

Click to skip

• MORE FROM THE WEB

Click to zoom 

Considering the size difference here, and Venom’s ability to literally bite someone’s head off, I’m going to have to give the edge to my man Eddie Brock. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed Spider-Man: Homecoming and I’m really looking forward to Far From Home, especially now that Jake Gyllenhaal has come aboard, but truthfully speaking, in a no holds barred street fight – and not inside the wonderful world of Disney, which is crucial – Venom comes out on top ten times out of ten.

Thankfully, we’ll know what Ruben Fleischer and company have in store for us shortly. As I said earlier, Venom is scheduled for release on October 5th later this year, and barring any unforeseen disaster – which, apparently to some, does seem like a foregone conclusion – Sony and Disney have plenty more of the sinister symbiote lined up. Or at least, that’s according to the director himself. And who knows, maybe we’ll eventually get to see Holland vs. Hardy at some point? Fingers crossed!

What happens when you cross a human with an alien symbiote not of this world? A third, bipolar entity capable of biting a man’s head clean off his shoulders, that’s what.

Caught up between those two figures is British thesp Tom Hardy, who’s about to pull double duty on this year’s Venom movie. Pegged for release in October, the Ruben Fleischer-directed spinoff has been pitched as something of a franchise-starter for Sony, given the studio has already drawn up plans for multiple Spider-Man spinoffs that focus less on Peter Parker and more on his fearsome adversaries prowling the streets of New York City.

And it all kicks off with Venom. Indeed, the dark and brooding anti-hero pic has been garnering a ton of buzz ahead of its debut later this year, but on a more personal level, the titular role offered Tom Hardy another chance to play two very, very different characters simultaneously.

Here’s what he told EW (h/t ComicBook.com) about bringing Venom to life:

Actually, the sound boys, [Patrick Anderson on sound playback and production sound mixer Michael B. Koff], they worked relentlessly to trigger [it] — I’d have to lay down the vocal for Venom in the morning and then play Eddie opposite in my earpiece, and whoever was working in the scene with me, had to hear Venom at the same time but then ignore that they’d heard Venom.

Venom Bares Its Teeth On New Images For Sony's Anti-Hero Spinoff

1 of 3

  

Click to skip

• MORE FROM THE WEB

Click to zoom 

Embracing his inner demons, Hardy compared the dual role to a “Tetris puzzle” in that Venom‘s core cast had to make a mental note while filming that Eddie Brock’s alter-ego would be added in post-production.

And whenever I gave my cue line as Eddie Brock — this might not make any sense to anybody who’s not really techie and geeky about things like this like me — but Patrick would be under the stage queuing Venom accurately so I could cut across him and talk and argue with myself, and stuff like that. It’s a bit techie, it was fun. It was really, really good fun, and the sound boys, actually, to be fair, probably really play Venom. It’s my voice [laughs], but they play Venom.

Remember, the Venom we’ll see in October will be created entirely with CGI, and while some fans have expressed their concerns about said approach to the legendary Spider-Man villain, everything we’ve seen so far points to a fearsome and indeed faithful rendition of the Marvel Comics character.

It was more of the same stuff, when I did the Kray twins in Legend, that was again audio record of the brother who was gonna cause the most amount of damage in the room, so I would act the one who does the least amount of damage but then predict the damage that was coming, but the vocals had to be laid down before we set the scene.

He concluded:

Which means all the other actors had to know what the person in the room was gonna do, who wasn’t in the room when we filmed it, and then we put a double in there, so it’s a little bit like some kind of Tetris puzzle. It’s very geeky [laughs]. But I really enjoyed it, and no, it’s less complicated than it seems.

Venom makes a beeline for theaters the world over on October 5th, and it’ll light the fuse on Sony’s Spider-Man-less Spider-Man franchise. There has to be a better name for that, though…

Though some might have issues with what we’ve seen in the trailers so far, it’s fair to say that most fans are more pleased with Tom Hardy’s version of Eddie Brock from the upcoming Venom solo movie than the one we got from Spider-Man 3 just over a decade ago.

Topher Grace’s interpretation was never well received by Spidey lovers for the divergences from the classic comic book depiction of the villain, and it turns out this judgement that Hardy trumps Grace is actually supported by Grace himself, too. While talking to Inverse to promote his new movie, BlacKkKlansman, the star revealed that he thinks Hardy’s born to play Venom and is excited to get to watch him in action when the film arrives this October.

“To me — I truly mean this — I think Tom is the guy to play that role. I’m thrilled to watch it as a fan. I really mean that. I think he’s just the best dude.”

Grace went on to make it clear that he’s been a big fan of Venom since childhood and, due to this, he did have issues with the way his character went down in Spider-Man 3. However, he supports the version seen in Venom, as it feels much closer to the comics.

“I understand Sam’s interpretation, which was to do a dark version of Tobey [Maguire]’s character. I was thrilled because I was such a fan of the character, but I was aware of how it was different from what I had grown up reading. I thought it was cool, but I’m really excited to see [Tom Hardy’s version]. That’s the character I grew up with.”

Venom's Japanese Poster Has Arrived With Added Bite

1 of 2

  

Click to skip

• MORE FROM THE WEB

Click to zoom 

It’s good to know that Grace is so generous to Hardy’s portrayal and doesn’t appear to hold any ill will that the franchise has moved on without him. After all, there were plans for a Venom movie to follow Spider-Man 3 back in the day, but the project never got off the ground until recently.

It’s hard to disagree with his comments, though, as Hardy does look to be owning the role. That said, despite Grace’s belief that this is the Venom he grew up with, the movie will take a lot of liberties with the character, like removing his connections to Spider-Man for one. We’ll have to see if these changes are for the better when Venom crawls into cinemas on October 5th.

It seems Venom is merely the beginning of Tom Hardy’s dalliance in the Spider-Man universe.

It’s the actor’s first major comic book role since he brought grit and gravitas to Bane in The Dark Knight Rises, though anyone who’s seen Venom‘s mainline trailers will know that Eddie Brock is worlds apart from Gotham’s reckoning.

For one, Tom Hardy is actually playing the part of two characters – one ill-tempered reporter in Brock, and the alien symbiote that begins infecting his mind, whispering threats and nightmarish thoughts as two become one. And while a small corner of the Internet is convinced that Tom Holland’s Peter Parker will be swinging by for a cameo this October, it’s looking increasingly likely that Eddie Brock/Venom will take on a much larger role in proceedings, and “may well appear” in Sony’s other Spidey spinoffs.

Venom's Japanese Poster Has Arrived With Added Bite

1 of 2

  

Click to skip

• MORE FROM THE WEB

Click to zoom 

So far, the studio has committed to live-action renditions of Morbius, Silk, Silver & Black, Nightwatch and Kraven the Hunter, and while each individual project largely hinges on the success of Venom – or lack thereof – it looks increasingly likely that Sony is building towards a full-blown Sinister Six movie.

It’s a project that has eluded the limelight for years, and though Esquire’s report hints at the possibility of Tom Hardy becoming the fixed anchor point of Sony’s Marvel Universe, the actor isn’t all that bothered, stating:

If the odds are stacked against Sony, that’s not my fucking business. It’s irrelevant.

To his credit, the British thesp is fully focused on Venom ahead of its theatrical release in October, and only then will we be able to get a better read on Sony’s franchise plans.

It was a confusing ride for a while there, but it seems like a fact now that Tom Holland won’t feature as Peter Parker in the upcoming Venom solo movie, meaning Sony’s string of Spider-Man-less spinoff movies won’t have any connections to the MCU. But that doesn’t necessarily mean we won’t see our friendly neighborhood hero in these films.

One optimistic fan has come up with a theory on Reddit, suggesting that Andrew Garfield from Sony’s The Amazing Spider-Man movies could return for Venom and beyond, turning up for the odd cameos to give the various spinoffs – including Silver & Black and Morbius – some connective tissue.

Here’s how user @Animation_Bat describes their idea:

The upcoming Venom movie is supposed to be the first film in Sony’s Marvel Universe. There has been rumors and speculation that it could be connected to the MCU. But I don’t see it ever being connected to the MCU.

The director said that Venom may be R-rated, which would make it the only R-rated MCU film. Sony also has movies starring Silver & Black, Silk, Kraven the Hunter, Mysterio, and Night Watch, all in various stages of development. Sony plans on making their own cinematic universe and there seems to be no way that it will be able to connect to the planned continuity of the MCU. Tom Hardy is 40, much older than Tom Holland who’s 22 and playing a teenage Spider-Man. Meanwhile Andrew Garfield is 34, and his Spider-Man seems to fit in better with the new Venom film.

Venom Bares Its Teeth On New Images For Sony's Anti-Hero Spinoff

1 of 3

  

Click to skip

• MORE FROM THE WEB

Click to zoom 

Andrew Garfield was under contract to play Spider-Man for multiple films through 2020. It’s unclear if Andrew Garfield was completely freed of his contract, or if he’s obligated to return if Sony asks him back. Venom takes place in San Francisco, so it would explain why Spider-Man isn’t there.

I could see Andrew Garfield showing up in cameos and supporting roles in Sony’s Marvel films. That way, the only movie staring Spider-Man would be the MCU films starring Tom Holland, while the Sony movies would put the focus on other characters, with an older Spider-Man played by Andrew Garfield showing up to serve as the link between the Sony films.

Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man would be similar to Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk. Showing up only in team up films and movies that star other characters.

As fun as this would be, we can’t really see it being the case, in all honesty. Though Garfield’s Spidey has a cult following, his duo of movies are not all that beloved, so Sony probably wouldn’t want to tie their new films in with those disappointing efforts. More pertinently, it could be a stipulation of Sony’s deal with Marvel Studios that they can’t actually use Spider-Man as a character. In theory, Marvel could have an issue with a rival webslinger crawling around.

That said, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse will feature a whole bunch of other Spider-Men, so who knows? The animated film will well and truly get moviegoers used to the concept of multiple Peter Parkers and could be a sneaky way for Sony to prepare fans for the return of Andrew Garfield. Like the fan theorist says, there’s little chance that the actor will appear in Venom, as we’d definitely know by now, but he could still turn up in the studio’s other Spidey-related projects.

Despite what some naysayers may have to offer, Venom has remained among my most anticipated comic book movies to drop in 2018. Sure, the studio may be foregoing any connection to Spider-Man, but that doesn’t detract from how the film looks positively badass in the slightest.

With that in mind, one must remember the first time that Sony brought Eddie Brock to the big screen, that being in 2007’s Spider-Man 3. Having been shoehorned into the script by the Powers That Be, it’s quite apparent that the character was superfluous, but who are we to question the infallible wisdom of Hollywood execs?

When it came to casting, it’s not like we had the Tom Hardy of today, but rather, Topher Grace, who’d been mostly known for comedic roles to that point. Funny enough, even Grace himself can express confusion in hindsight, doing just that during a recent appearance on Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum:

“I was a huge fan of the character of Venom when I was a kid when Todd McFarlane brought him into the comic. I was a huge fan of it. And I was surprised and a little bit like ‘Huh?’ when they wanted me to play it. So when I look at it now, at the movie that’s coming out, I go ‘That’s the guy.’ In terms of how I think the guy should be played and who should play it.”

Venom Bares Its Teeth On New Images For Sony's Anti-Hero Spinoff

1 of 3

  

Click to skip

• MORE FROM THE WEB

Click to zoom 

Obviously, Grace didn’t turn down the gig (who would?), but I have to agree with the general consensus in saying that I’d have chosen someone else. Don’t get me wrong, I loved him on That 70’s Show, but he just never said “Eddie Brock” to me. He’d have probably made a damn good Jimmy Olsen in a Superman flick, but that’s a discussion for another day.

If you’d like to see Tom Hardy step up to the plate, however, then be sure to catch Venom when it opens in theaters on October 5th.

It’s been a complicated road to understanding the relationship between Sony’s series of Spider-Man-less spinoff movies and the mainline Marvel Cinematic Universe. Way back when, Amy Pascal said that Venom and its ilk would take place in an “adjunct” to the MCU, but Kevin Feige then backtracked on this and said that there was no connection between the two studios on these projects.

Well, maybe things have changed since that statement was given, as that doesn’t seem to be the case anymore. Variety’s reporting that Sony and Marvel are closer than ever and the former is very happy to share its characters with the MCU and, the outlet assumes, vice versa.

Here’s how they put it:

“Sony is open to having other characters from its Spider-Man films pop up in Marvel movies that are produced under the Disney aegis, and would presumably also like to see an Avenger or two cameo in its own movies.”

Venom Bares Its Teeth On New Images For Sony's Anti-Hero Spinoff

1 of 3

  

Click to skip

• MORE FROM THE WEB

Click to zoom 

For ages, Marvel fans have had to get used to the disappointing fact that Tom Hardy’s Venom might never face off against Tom Holland’s Spidey. Which would be a big shame as both Toms are apparently very up for it. Miraculously, it looks like we might actually see that, after all. There were rumors of Holland showing up in Venom a few months back, but we’re pretty sure that’s not going to happen. That being said, if Marvel wanted to sneak Hardy into Spider-Man: Far From Home, they could be free to.

Still, it’s worth pointing out that Variety says Sony’s “open” to the idea of throwing all the action figures in one chest and is not necessarily planning on doing it. Then again, if you were Kevin Feige and were about to land the rights to the X-Men and the Fantastic Four, the temptation to bring all the various splinters of the Marvel universe under one roof must be pretty strong.

Though he spends his evenings decapitating hapless goons and rambling on about turds in the wind, Venom is unlikely to land that fabled R-rating come October.

Variety has the scoop, revealing that Sony and Ruben Fleischer are willing to settle for PG-13 despite the film’s horror leanings – John Carpenter and David Cronenberg are among the inspirations behind Eddie Brock’s on-screen metamorphosis.

Their reasoning is simple: shooting for a family-friendly rating allows Venom to cater to the same audience as Avengers: Infinity War, and while it certainly makes sense from a business perspective, this only adds yet more pressure on Venom‘s burly shoulders.

But first, Variety notes that “some members of Sony’s brain trust believe that the film should push the very limits of PG-13 without crossing over into a higher rating,” all the while lending the studio “greater leeway for future installments that will feature Spider-Man.”

Venom's Japanese Poster Has Arrived With Added Bite

1 of 2

  

Click to skip

• MORE FROM THE WEB

Click to zoom 

Again, we imagine Marvel Studios will gauge Venom‘s performance before agreeing to lease Tom Holland’s Web-Head for future installments – be it a direct sequel or any one of the numerous Spider-Man projects (Jackpot included) currently brewing over at Sony Pictures.

It’s just another ‘what if?’ to add to the growing collection, as Sony clearly has a lot riding on Venom as we approach its theatrical debut in October. There’s the “Sony Universe of Marvel Characters,” for one, not to mention the fact that Tom Hardy et. al will likely distance themselves from this fledgling universe if Venom is dead on arrival.

That’s the glass-half-empty scenario, of course, and only on October 5th will we be able to run the rule over Sony and Ruben Fleischer’s franchise-starter… for better or worse.

With so many comic book franchises flickering into life across the four corners of Hollywood, you’d be forgiven of losing track of who owns who.

Making matters worse is the fact that, when Marvel filed for bankruptcy back in the ’90s, the House of M sold many of its A-list characters (Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, the Hulk) to rival studios in a last-ditch attempt to stay above water. Fast forward to now, and Marvel Studios is a multi-billion dollar powerhouse that tends to rule over box office characters year in, year out.

And while Deadpool and the X-Men are homeward bound thanks to Disney’s pursuit of 20th Century Fox, Sony Pictures currently holds the film rights to “roughly 900 Marvel characters.” Nine hundred!

That’s a whole lot of potential brimming under the hood of Sony’s fledgling Marvel Universe (official name: Sony’s Universe of Marvel Characters), and it all kicks off with Venom this fall.

Venom Bares Its Teeth On New Images For Sony's Anti-Hero Spinoff

1 of 3

  

Click to skip

• MORE FROM THE WEB

Click to zoom 

A quick headcount reveals that Sony Pictures has already drafted up plans for six Spider-Man spinoffs – technically seven now that Silver & Black has evolved into two standalone films for Black Cat and Silver Sable – as the likes of Silk, Nightwatch, Morbius, Jackpot and Kraven the Hunter are all waiting in the wings.

The only one to land a big-name star is Morbius, which currently has Jared Leto attached to play the Living Vampire. But even that spinoff film is on hold until Venom scurries into theaters in October.

Because while Sony’s Spidey-less Spider-Man universe is bursting at the seams with potential, the onus is on Venom to get things off on the right foot – lest this franchise fall prey to the Dark Universe trap and fold after just one installment.

It’s been an awfully busy day for Sony and their Spidey-verse, now hasn’t it?

After learning that the studio’s preparing yet another spinoff – this time for Jackpot – while also being told that Venom will likely arrive in theaters with a PG-13 to allow for the chance of a potential MCU crossover somewhere down the line, we’re now receiving even more intel on the upcoming pic.

This time, it’s in the form of a rather terrifying photo, courtesy of Entertainment Weekly. Seen in the gallery down below, it depicts the titular anti-hero towering over his opponent – who’s clearly no match for him. Speaking to the outlet about the unique relationship between Venom and Eddie Brock, the human whose body the symbiote’s invaded, star Tom Hardy had this to share:

“They’re a bit lost in this world, and finding each other and negotiating an ethical framework is perhaps a gift and a burden for the two of them. They bring out the very best and the very worst in each other.”

Venom Towers Over His Opponent In Awesome New Photo

1 of 2

  

Click to skip

• MORE FROM THE WEB

Click to zoom 

While Venom‘s overall tone and style closely match the source material, the hokey dialogue (“like a turd in the wind”) and questionable CGI have left some fans feeling a little lukewarm about Ruben Fleischer’s standalone movie at the moment. And that’s got to be worrying for Sony.

After all, the studio clearly has a lot riding on the project. There’s the “Sony Universe of Marvel Characters,” for one, not to mention the fact that Tom Hardy et. al will likely distance themselves from this fledgling universe if Venom turns out to be dead on arrival.

That’s the glass-half-empty scenario, of course, and only on October 5th will we be able to run the rule over Sony and Ruben Fleischer’s franchise-starter… for better or worse.

You’ve heard of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Universal’s dormant Dark Universe, but what about the SUMC? For the record, that’s the formal name given to Sony’s Universe of Marvel Characters, which is due to kick-off this fall thanks to Venom.

Per Variety, we know Sony has already drawn up plans for Silk, Nightwatch, Morbius, Jackpot and Kraven the Hunter. Silver & Black are headed to the big screen, too, but they’ve since been redirected to individual solo movies. Couple this with the fact that Sony Pictures currently owns film rights to “roughly 900 Marvel characters” big and small, and it’s pretty clear that the SUMC is bursting at the seams with cinematic potential.

That’s assuming things get off to a good start this October, mind you, when all eyes in the industry will turn towards Ruben Fleischer’s standalone Venom movie and its A-list cast. Word is Sony wants to court Tom Hardy back for future installments, too, while there’s even been talk of a potential MCU crossover if everything goes according to plan.

Venom Towers Over His Opponent In Awesome New Photo

1 of 2

  

Click to skip

• MORE FROM THE WEB

Click to zoom 

That would, in theory, open up the door for Tom Holland’s Spider-Man to make a cameo appearance in the not-so-distant future, which would certainly please diehard fans of the Web-Head going forward. But like all those aforementioned spinoffs, Spider-Man’s possible cameo really hinges on the success of Venom, with Sony hoping to deliver a dark and grisly rendition of Marvel’s most famous anti-hero. Or as grisly as you can be without straying into R-rated territory.

Tethered with a PG-13 rating and more expectations than we can count, Venom officially slithers into theaters on October 5th, when Ruben Fleischer and Co. will light the fuse on Sony’s Universe of Marvel Characters.

We’re so close to the release of Venom that you can practically smell the toxicity in the air. And although we’ll undoubtedly get a live-action adaptation of the sinister symbiote worthy of the antagonistic moniker – due in large part to typically magnetic work from Tom Hardy – whether or not everyone’s favorite friendly neighborhood Spider-Man will be stopping by, does remain to be seen.

The latest intel on the situation, according to director Ruben Fleischer, is the titular web-head will not be apart of the cantankerous Klyntar’s first solo venture. Naturally, however, that hasn’t stopped the fandom from envisioning what Tom Hardy’s Eddie Brock locked in battle with various Spider-Men could look like.

After all, Hardy did have a choice word or two for the current portrayer of the eponymous web-slinger, Tom Holland, last month at SDCC, and seeing as such a showdown has even been teased by Fleischer himself, it might just become a reality one day. Until then, though, we’ll have to make due with this awesome concept trailer.

For those of you who don’t know, a new fan theory is doing the rounds and is suggesting that none other than Andrew Garfield could reprise his role as Peter Parker and make a cameo appearance in Ruben Fleischer’s Venom. While it’s certainly sparked some serious debate online, Stryder HD has taken the concept one step further now and compiled footage from The Amazing Spider-Man, Venom, Spider-Man 3 and Resident Evil: The Final Chapter into a trailer where such an encounter’s envisaged.

If you ask us, we wouldn’t count on seeing any version of Spidey show up in the film, but either way, it won’t be long now until all is revealed. And that’s because Venom – starring Tom Hardy, Riz Ahmed, Michelle Williams and Woody Harrelson – is scheduled to invade your local multiplex on October 5th, later this year.

Unfortunately, whether or not Spider-Man will indeed be swinging by Ruben Fleischer’s Venom is as up in the air as ever. That said, even if the eponymous web-head does unexpectedly drop in, it likely won’t be the “friendly neighborhood” version we’re all used to. After all, Holland’s twenty-something web-slinger just doesn’t fit the bill. Nevertheless, that hasn’t stopped the fandom from envisioning what Tom Hardy’s Eddie Brock locked in battle with the current portrayer of Peter Parker could look like.

At the beginning of the month, a delectable piece of fan art – or so it would appear to Venom – depicting the cantankerous Klyntar administering a chokehold onto the Iron Spider exploded online. Far-fetched, if nothing else, the image spurred on a new fan theory in which a Redditor theorized that Andrew Garfield could feasibly reprise his role as Peter Parker, seeing as the thirty-four-year-old actor would fit in much “better with the new Venom film.”

Regardless, apparently feasibility isn’t something the Holland fanbase is concerned with, as you’ll see below. Instagram user Spdrmnkyxxiii posted an updated version of his piece of fan art in which the iconic white encrusted spider symbol is applied to the back of Hardy’s symbiote, and Holland’s Spider-Man has taken the proverbial place of the “turd in the wind.”

New Venom Fan Art Gives The Sinister Symbiote A Classic Look

1 of 2

  

Click to skip

• MORE FROM THE WEB

Click to zoom 

The latest intel on the situation, at least according to director Ruben Fleischer, is that the titular web-head will not be apart of Venom. Although, seeing as Tom Hardy did give Holland quite a tongue lashing at SDCC last month, I suppose anything’s possible. Hell, even Fleischer himself has teased that it might just become a reality one day.

Until then, though, we’ll just have to make due with creative fan art. Which, by the way, is totally fine with us.

With the sinister symbiote slated to infest your local multiplex in less than two months’ time, we’ve finally received word of just how much damage we can expect Ruben Fleischer’s Venom to inflict upon the ticket booth once it’s released. Initially believed to fall somewhere between $30 and $50 million, the film, starring Tom Hardy as the cantankerous Klyntar, is currently tracking towards a much more monstrous debut. At least, that’s according to Box Office Pro.

Scheduled to bow stateside on October 5th later this year, Venom‘s said to be presently eyeing a $55-$85 million opening weekend which, if gauged correctly, would see the Marvel Entertainment production shatter yet another box office record.

As it stands, the record holder for the largest domestic opening weekend in October is Alfonso Cuarón’s seven-time Academy Award-winning picture Gravity, at an out of this world $55.7 million. However, if analysts’ estimations hold true, Venom should be able to trounce that figure with the utmost of ease.

Venom Bares Its Teeth On New Images For Sony's Anti-Hero Spinoff

1 of 3

  

Click to skip

• MORE FROM THE WEB

Click to zoom 

Indisputably, 2018’s been an epoch-making year at the box office, and not just for the highest grossing film franchise of all-time: the MCU. Granted, Avengers: Infinity War became only the fourth motion picture ever to conquer the $2 billion plateau and yes, Black Panther did surpass $700 million at the domestic box office, making the Ryan Coogler-directed feature the third film ever to top that mark. But Marvel isn’t the only studio taking advantage of the superhero craze.

Deadpool 2, released way back on May 18th, went on to eclipse $700 million worldwide and Incredibles 2 opened to a gargantuan $182 million, so it isn’t all that surprising that Venom‘s destined for box office lore now, too. That said, tracking’s not to be trusted. I mean, just look at what happened to Solo: A Star Wars Story.

Either way, though, we’ll continue to bring you the latest numbers as they roll in, so be sure to stay tuned.

Aside from each successive trailer for Venom looking even more badass than the one to have preceded it, one thing about the film that’s reassured my confidence in the final product is that of Tom Hardy’s casting. In my view, he always brings something special to his performances, and I still feel his turn as Bane in The Dark Knight Rises was one of the best things about that particular movie.

Conversely, I was one among many who had misgivings regarding Topher Grace being hired to play Eddie Brock over a decade ago in Spider-Man 3. Though I loved him on That 70’s Show, it was quite difficult picturing him as the iconic villain (or anti-hero, depending on how he’s portrayed). Ultimately, the concluding chapter in Sam Raimi’s trilogy fell flat for a number of reasons, so it’s unfair to pin everything on a single actor.

Having fun with these markedly different versions of the character is YouTuber Darth Blender, who’s done a fine job of cutting together a Venom trailer utilizing footage of Grace taken from the aforementioned Spider-Man 3 and some scenes from Raimi’s other two offerings to smooth out some edges.

As you can see, some of the lip syncing is less than perfect, but the editing is on point for the most part. To make it contemporary, audio from one of the trailers promoting Hardy’s film was used, so you don’t have to worry about reliving atrocious dialogue such as “I like being bad. It makes me happy.”

Oddly enough, Grace himself was also perplexed by Sony’s decision to hire him as Brock, which he admitted in a recent interview:

“I was a huge fan of the character of Venom when I was a kid when Todd McFarlane brought him into the comic. I was a huge fan of it. And I was surprised and a little bit like ‘Huh?’ when they wanted me to play it. So when I look at it now, at the movie that’s coming out, I go ‘That’s the guy.’ In terms of how I think the guy should be played and who should play it.”

Venom – starring Tom Hardy, mind you – opens in theaters on October 5th.

We are, at the time of writing, little over six weeks out from the theatrical release of Venom, Sony and Ruben Fleischer’s standalone comic book film that looks set to take Spider-Man out of the equation and place the focus squarely on his sworn enemy.

That’s the approach to Sony’s entire Marvel Universe, which will soon feature numerous spinoffs about some of Peter Parker’s greatest foes – think Silk, Nightwatch, Morbius, Jackpot and Kraven the Hunter. Of course, that’s assuming everything goes according to plan, as without a solid box office performance from Venom, the SUMC (yes, that is the official title) will be dead on arrival.

But in the interest of remaining positive, today we draw your attention not to Spider-Man or Peter Parker, but to one of his greatest enemies – Eddie Brock/Venom. Both characters will be brought to life by Tom Hardy, and the latest issue of Total Film (h/t CBM) does a pretty stand-up job of highlighting the duality of Marvel’s alien menace.

Tom Hardy's Venom Slithers Onto The Cover Of Total Film

1 of 2

  

Click to skip

• MORE FROM THE WEB

Click to zoom 

It’s admittedly a cool and sinister close-up of Tom Hardy’s second comic book mega-villain – Bane being the first – but it’s nothing we haven’t seen before.

And while it’s fair to say that Sony is banking on Venom to be a success, the lull in Hollywood comic book movies ought to work in the film’s favor. Not only has Marvel Studios ignored the November corridor for the first time in three years, but Fox’s cosmic epic X-Men: Dark Phoenix was recently delayed out of 2017, allowing Venom a clear shot at box office glory. Or so we hope…

All will be revealed when Venom lights the fuse on Sony’s Spider-Man-less Spider-Man universe on October 5th.

Is there another comic book movie quite like Venom?

Even if you haven’t been sold by Sony’s dubious marketing push (“like a turd in the wind”), Ruben Fleischer’s Spider-Man spinoff hopes to stand out from the pack with its darker tone, inky-black visuals and that dual performance from Tom Hardy.

At the outset, Hardy is limited to down-on-his-luck reporter Eddie Brock, who begins investigating a shady organization known as the Life Foundation for its cruel and at times horrific human experiments. He soon falls down the rabbit hole of mutated symbiotes and dangerous alien parasites though, ultimately leading to the moment when two become one – on one fateful night, Brock is infected by Venom, and the rest is history.

On paper, it makes for a fascinating character dynamic, as the monstrous Venom – the id, if you will – is directly at odds with Eddie Brock, and previous trailers have already hinted at the inner conflict brewing within Tom Hardy. For this particular photo reveal, though, it’s the alien symbiote who comes out on top:

Venom Flashes A Wicked Grin In Latest Action Shot

1 of 2

  

Click to skip

• MORE FROM THE WEB

Click to zoom 

This demonic close-up comes to us as part of USA Today’s ongoing fall preview, which brought forth a sneak peek at the battle-ready Laurie Strode (Halloween) earlier this afternoon.

When it comes to Venom, though, writer-director Ruben Fleischer offered yet more insight into that fundamental clash between human and symbiote.

In the classic Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde thing, he’s the real Hyde. He’ll rip somebody’s head off and eat their brains. There’s this forbidden-fruit quality of this guy who will just do whatever he wants.

Can it spark the next big superhero universe at Sony? That’s one of the many questions Venom will have to answer on October 5th.

If the cliché movie demons tend to manifest themselves as depression and substance abuse (among many other horrible tragedies), Venom flips the tables by summoning a real inky-black monster from within the unsuspecting Eddie Brock.

The latter is a down-on-his-luck reporter hoping to catch a break by investigating the Life Foundation and its seedy human experiments, while Venom is… the sinister symbiote, a being so big and ugly it’s capable of ripping off a man’s head using only its teeth.

Imagine the classic Jekyll and Hyde combo, albeit with a Marvel Comics twist, and you’ll arrive at something pretty similar to Venom, Sony and Ruben Fleischer’s franchise-starter that was recently elected Total Film cover star. And we have a new action shot to prove it.

But first, here’s what Fleischer had to say about the unique, dual nature of Tom Hardy’s performance, and why it’s “really impressive and fun to watch.”

Tom brings so much complexity, and I would say danger, to the roles and characters he plays. Those are two inherent qualities of Eddie Brock and Venom, the complexity and the menace. So getting to watch Tom live between these two characters who are sharing a body and having to navigate these two forces simultaneously was really impressive and fun to watch.

Eddie Brock Channels His Inner Demon In This All-New Venom Photo

1 of 2

  

Click to skip

• MORE FROM THE WEB

Click to zoom 

From the looks of things, Eddie Brock is defending his apartment from a team of armed goons, who have presumably been sent from the Life Foundation in order to contain the symbiote threat before things get out of hand. Yeah, good luck with that…

Echoing his director’s comments, Tom Hardy then went on to admit that Venom‘s character set-up was part of the reason he was attracted to the Sony-backed project in the first place.

For me, it was the multiple personalities, because to play that, on a kind of epic level, a superhero level, that was the big draw. I was like, ‘This is a great character, because he’s a diverse antihero. He’s not a good guy, and he’s not a bad guy.’ He’s connected to this alien who’s not from this planet. They’ve got to figure out an ethical framework between the two of them, and neither of them are run-of-the-mill types. There’s this kind of Odd Couple [relationship] between the two of them. I enjoyed the Jekyll and Hyde nature of that, in a superhero world.

Set for release on October 5th, Venom has the weight of a fledgling superhero universe resting on its giant, inky-black shoulders. But will it be able to deliver the goods? We’ll find out in six weeks’ time.

Venom‘s horror credentials recently took a bit of a whack when the film was revealed to be targeting a PG-13 rating. Word is that the pic originally aimed for an R (which fits with the gory reports of the footage screened at Comic-Con), but Sony executives decided that their nascent cinematic universe would be better served by a more kid-friendly release. Undoubtedly, this is a disappointment to horror fans who were hoping that the brain-munching alien symbiote might mark a rare horror-themed adult entry into the busy superhero genre.

That means it’s a slight relief to see director Ruben Fleischer listing some of the inspirations he had in mind while making Venom. First and foremost is John Landis’ stone-cold 1981 classic An American Werewolf in London. That film’s a perfectly pitched mix of horror and comedy, both understanding the ridiculousness of a tourist cursed with a lycanthropic transformation in the middle of London and unafraid to get genuinely terrifying and morose.

Given the transformational elements of Venom, I suspect that American Werewolf‘s most famous scene played a big part in Fleischer’s thinking. This is the iconic Rick Baker transformation scene, which remains to this day a hugely impressive achievement in makeup and practical effects. If you haven’t seen it, check it out right now!

Venom's Japanese Poster Has Arrived With Added Bite

1 of 2

  

Click to skip

• MORE FROM THE WEB

Click to zoom 

The second influence he mentions is a bit more obvious: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. It should be pretty clear what relevance a guy turning into a monstrous version of himself who can realize his darkest and most violent impulses has on the character of Venom. But in case you haven’t caught on, Fleischer lays it out as so.

 “He’s the real Hyde, he’ll rip somebody’s head off and eat their brains. There’s this forbidden-fruit quality of this guy who will just do whatever he wants.”

While I can’t deny I’m a bit bummed out that Venom won’t be R-rated, at least Fleischer seems to have his influences in all the right places. And anyways, there’ll definitely be an uncut version on the Blu-ray/DVD, right?