Despite less than great reviews from fans and critics, Venom was a huge hit at the box office, raking in $856 million worldwide.
It’s no surprise, therefore, that Sony would be quick to line up a sequel. While some fans may cringe at the thought, others are hoping the sequel will give the studio a second chance to correct a few things and improve on the first film.
One of the major changes to reportedly happen is the introduction of a new director, and one who knows a thing or two about motion capture roles.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Lord of the Rings / The Hobbit / Planet of the Apes legend Andy Serkis is in talks with Sony to direct a Venom sequel.
While you might think Serkis would be perfect for getting in front of the camera as some sort of CGI villain in the Venom series, it seems he’s got his eyes on the director’s chair behind the camera instead.
Though it’s not a sure thing just yet, reports from Tinseltown say Serkis flew in to Los Angeles to meet with Sony’s team behind the project, who are said to be making their choices very carefully when it comes to the Venom followup.
Sony reportedly want production on the sequel to start in November this year, and are naturally keen for another $856 million performance at the box office. Ruben Fleischer directed the first film, though is said to not be returning for the sequel. While Kelly Marcel, who wrote the screenplays for Saving Mr. Banks, Fifty Shades of Grey and the first Venom film, among others, is penning the script for the sequel.
The first Venom film starred Tom Hardy as journalist Eddie Brock, who becomes the host of a symbiotic alien lifeform, which gives him super-human abilities.
Serkis is best known for his motion captures roles, such as Gollum in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Caesar in Planet of the Apes, and Supreme Leader Snoke in the recent Star Wars films The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi.
His most recent work as director was on the Netflix film Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle.
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Charlie Cocksedge is a journalist and sub-editor at UNILAD. He graduated from the University of Manchester with an MA in Creative Writing, where he learnt how to write in the third person, before getting his NCTJ. His work has also appeared in such places as The Guardian, PN Review and the bin.