'Venom' Sequel Will Be Released Early
by EG
Sony is hoping that last week's success of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings will translate to all other comic book movies in theaters. The studi has decided to move up the release of its Venom 2 sequel, known officially as Venom: Let There Be Carnage by two weeks. It remains to be seen whether Shang-Chi was a fluke amid a surging pandemic, or whether superhero lovers are ready to head back to theaters in large numbers. Read on for details.
Carnage will be unleashed a little early next month. Sony has moved up Venom: Let There Be Carnage two weeks to Oct. 1, from its previous date of Oct. 15.
The move comes on the heels of the strong performance of fellow comic book film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, from Disney and Marvel Studios. That title, released exclusively in theaters this weekend, broke Labor Day records with $90 million in a win for the domestic box office still roiled by the delta variant and competition from studios sending titles day-and-date to streaming services.
Venom: Let There Be Carnage stars Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock, a journalist who has an alien symbiote living within him. Together, they are Venom. Woody Harrelson stars as killer Cletus Kasady, whom he played in the post-credits scene for the first Venom (2018). This time around, Harrelson’s Kasady transforms into Carnage, a villain known as Venom’s chief antagonist in the comics. The first Venom earned $850 million globally.
Andy Serkis directs Venom: Let There Be Carnage. The Columbia Pictures film (in association with Marvel and Tencent Pictures) also stars Michelle Williams, Reid Scott and Naomie Harris as the comic book villain Shriek. The film is produced by Avi Arad, Matt Tolmach, Amy Pascal and Hutch Parker.
Tickets for the new film will go on sale Wednesday, and it will be available in 3D, Imax and premium large format screens.
Get the rest of the story at The Hollywood Reporter.