Prepare for the return of washed-up journalist Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) and his symbiote bestie on the big screen: Venom 3 is hurtling towards a 2024 release date.
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Alongside Hardy, Ted Lasso star Juno Temple will star in a yet-to-be-revealed role, while Marvel alum Chiwetel Ejiofor, who played Mordo in the Doctor Strange films, has also joined the cast, according to Deadline, though there are no details on his role as yet either.
There's also no word yet on whether other characters such as mysterious detective Patrick Mulligan (Stephen Graham) or Brock's ex-girfriend Anne Weying (Michelle Williams) will appear in the sequel, but watch this space!
Hardy previously shared a screenshot of the document's front cover to his Instagram page in June 2022, just eight months on from the release of Let There Be Carnage.
The image revealed that the story has been devised by Hardy himself, working alongside Kelly Marcel, who is taking on directing duties.
Marcel has worked on both previous Venom films, where she shared a screenwriting credit with other collaborators, as well as a range of other projects - from Disney's Cruella to risqué drama Fifty Shades of Grey.
Read on to find out everything you need to know about Venom 3’s cast, plot, release date rumours, and more.
Warning: Venom: Let There Be Carnage spoilers ahead
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Venom 3 release date speculation
Sony Pictures is yet to release an official release date.
However, according to Variety, the movie had its script written before the Writers Guild of America strike, meaning it won't be delayed like many film and television projects have been in the US – and is expected to release in October 2024.
It’s not known exactly when filming will kick off but, speaking to the publication at a recent Ted Lasso event, Temple revealed that she was due to begin filming "very, very soon".
Hardy confirmed that the Sony sequel had begun pre-production back in February 2023.
Previously, Hardy told Digital Spy: "These things [usually] come in threes. If there's going to be a new one – and they depend heavily on the success of each individual one, so you can't count on them ever happening again – every one has got to be as if it was the last one.
"But I think it's really important, if you go into something, thinking that one, two and three are the same... the same story, the same film. So that you don't surprise yourself by being caught out by suddenly having to do a third from nowhere.
He added: "There's got to be some continuity into a third and fourth and fifth, and if somebody says 'no', that's fine. Let it go, and you move on to something else."
Venom 3 cast rumours: Who could star alongside Tom Hardy?
Considering Venom 3 is still very much in its early stages, locking down the movie’s cast is a hard one. Tom Hardy, of course, will be returning, while actress Temple will also appear in a mysterious role.
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As detailed above, Marvel alum Chiwetel Ejiofor, who played Mordo in the Doctor Strange films, will also star in a yet-to-be-confirmed role, according to Deadline.
Elsewhere, it’s about time Venom gives Michelle Williams her time to shine as She-Venom. The star had little more than a cameo in Let There Be Carnage, but back when the first movie released, she said she’d love to explore more of Anne Weying’s alter ego as the equally unhinged She-Venom.
The other major player tipped for a comeback is Stephen Graham’s Patrick Mulligan. The downtrodden detective was another of the movie’s sob stories, however his finale teased a bigger part in Venom 3. But more on that later.
Things look to be at an end for Woody Harrelson’s Carnage and Naomie Harris’ Shriek - unless there’s an ingenious way to get around having your head bitten off and being crushed by a church bell (respectively). New A-list additions could easily play symbiotes like Maniac and Scream, while comic book fans are sure to be asking where is symbiote creator, Knull?
Finally, there are calls for Joe Manganiello to reprise his role from the Raimi-Verse as Flash Thompson. In the comics, Thompson is another unfortunate soul caught up in the symbiote drama - and had the OG Venom bond with him as a new creation. Tony Revolori plays Flash in the MCU, but with him seemingly being too young for the role, Manganiello would be the perfect tie back to the madness of the multiverse.
Venom 3 story speculation
Despite its flaws, Let There Be Carnage was a faithful retelling of the fan-favourite Maximum Carnage storyline. With Carnage and Shriek bested before the final credits rolled, the end of the movie teased Mulligan's evolution into Toxin. It was a typically well-acted performance from Graham, and although he’s not officially listed as Toxin in the credits, Mulligan takes on that mantle in the comics. The last we saw of Mulligan, his eyes flashed blue and he was raving about monsters - hello Toxin for Venom 3.
Even though it remains to be seen where the story goes next, Serkis has teased that he’ll be back for more. When asked if the tease of Toxin and the other stories are leading to something more, he told ComicBook.com: “A hundred per cent. I mean, I think there's so much potential in the Venomverse for really interesting journeys before kind of the inevitable happens.”
It’s also too tempting not to have a showdown between Venom and Spider-Man/Spider-Men. Whether it’s Holland, Maguire, or Garfield, any of these three could easily face off against Venom in a third solo outing. By the looks of the post-credit scene, the symbiote hive mind is at least aware of who Holland’s wall-crawling hero is.
Serkis alluded toward the fabled crossover movie with Spider-Man and Venom, but in an interview with Screen Rant, he mentioned a return to the Ravencroft Institute. The director reiterated he wants to tackle the villains of the Spider-Verse before Web-Head himself:
“I know everyone is desperate for Venom to meet Spider-Man. I know that. But I think there's real mileage in some of the other supervillains that reside in Ravencroft. There's such fertile ground to be uncovered there. That would be the sandbox I'd be really interested in playing in. Who's lurking in there that could break out?"
Finally, instead of being caught up in the multiverse, some suggest Eddie and Venom being transported to the MCU could have something to do with Knull. Fully leaning into the wacky of the comics, Venom 3 could definitely up the action if it adapted 2020’s ‘King in Black’ arc where Knull invaded Earth with an army of symbiote dragons.
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