'Chronicle' director in line for 'Spider-Man' spin-off 'Venom'
Chronicle director Josh Trank is being lined up to direct Spider-Man spin-off Venom.
Tank, who impressed audiences with his found-footage superhero movie, is the latest director linked to the project since Hunger Games helmer Gary Ross turned down the job, according to the LA Times.
Venom is one of the most iconic characters in the Marvel universe, but his portrayal in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 3 was widely panned. He is an alien symbiote that attaches itself to human host Eddie Brock, and transforms him into an ooze-slinging supervillain with powers to equal Spidey himself.
Screenwriter Jacob Estes had previously turned in a script portraying Venom as an anti-hero rather than a villain, but Sony are apparently looking for a new script as well as a director and star.
There is no word yet on whether the film would tie in with the chronology of forthcoming reboot The Amazing Spider-Man, starring Andrew Garfield.
I think it's more about capitalizing on the connection to Spider-Man than any comic book success with the character. There's an existing fan base for the movie Spider-Man and this is just a way to exploit that connection.
Now that Sony has set Spider-Man on its rebooted path, the studio is setting its sights on other Spider-Man franchises. Case in point: Venom.
Sony has tapped Dante Harper to pen a script for Venom, something that is being envisioned as a franchise apart from and unrelated to the upcoming Spider-Man movie in the works with actor Tom Holland.
Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach, stewards of the Spider-Man properties, are producing and overseeing the project.
Venom is one of Marvel’s top villains and a Spider-Man fixture since he was introduced in 1988, created by writer David Michelinie and artists Todd McFarlane and Mike Zeck. The character is an alien symbiote that need a human host to survive. In return, the alien empowers its victim with incredible powers.
For the longest time, Venom was a villain but then morphed into an anti-hero and even (almost) good guy. In his current incarnation, Venom is paired with Flash Thompson, a Peter Parker bully-turned-close friend and now a government agent.
It is unclear which Venom incarnation is being used for the new project.
The character made its screen appearance in Spider-Man 3 and was played by Topher Grace. A spin-off has been in development in several incarnations, with Gary Ross and Josh Trank among the director coming and going, and writers such as Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese (Deadpool) and Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci penning versions.
This Venom is meant to not only stand on its own but to also launch its own franchise.
Palak Patel and Eric Fineman are overseeing Venom for Sony’s Columbia label.
Harper is an up-and-coming scribe who did rewrite work on Edge of Tomorrow, the time travel sci-fi movie that starred Tom Cruise. He also co-wrote Sleepless Night, the crime thriller that stars Jamie Foxx and Dermot Mulroney.
He is repped by CAA, Management 360, and Lichter, Grossman.
Venom, Columbia’s long-in-the-works Spider-Man spin-off, has a release date.
The studio has set October 5, 2018 as the release date of that comic book movie. The studio had previously announced its Girl with the Dragon Tattoo sequel, The Girl in the Spider’s Web, as opening on that date but then bumped it to October 19, 2018.
The setting of the release date happens the same day that Warner Bros. moved Aquaman off Oct. 5 to December 18, 2018.
Venom has no director yet, but does have a script: Scott Rosenberg and Jeff Pinkner, the latter who worked on 2014’s The Amazing Spider-Man 2, recently turned in a draft. (Dante Harper wrote a previous draft.)
Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach, among stewards of the Spider-Man properties, are producing and overseeing the project. Amy Pascal is also producing.
Venom is one of Marvel’s top villains and a Spider-Man fixture since he was introduced in 1988, created by writer David Michelinie and artists Todd McFarlane and Mike Zeck. The character is an alien symbiote that needs a human host to survive. In return, the alien empowers its victim with incredible powers. He made his first big-screen appearance in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 3 and was portrayed by Topher Grace.
The studio hopes to launch a franchise with Venom.
In his current incarnation, Venom is paired with Flash Thompson, a Peter Parker bully-turned-close friend and now a government agent.
Christ.
Yep, that's actually in the comic. The only thing that really surprised me was Josh Trank at the helm of the project, until I saw it was back in 2012. After The Fantastic Four mess I wouldn't want him anywhere near another Marvel movie.
_________________ I'm forever blowing bubbles,
pretty bubbles in the air,
they fly so high,
nearly reach the sky,
then like my dreams,
they fade and die.
Fortune's always hiding,
I've looked everywhere,
I'm forever blowing bubbles,
pretty bubbles in the air.
UNITED! UNITED!
West Ham United fight song.
Tom Hardy to Star in ‘Venom,’ Ruben Fleischer to Direct
While “Spider-Man: Homecoming” is still two months away from opening, Sony is acting quickly to build its extended universe, which starts with the “Venom” movie.
Although the studio has been meeting with directors for some time, the actor selection process sped up after Hardy exited J.C. Chandor’s action-thriller “Triple Frontier,” and Sony saw an opportunity to court an in-demand talent.
Fleischer showcased his ability to bring together dark themes and humor in “Zombieland,” and according to sources, Hardy is a huge fan of Venom. Hardy’s only previous film in the superhero genre is 2012’s “The Dark Knight Rises,” in which he played another baddie, Bane.
Scott Rosenberg (“Jumanji”) and Jeff Pinkner (“The Dark Tower”) will write the script for “Venom,” with Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach producing the movie, along with Amy Pascal. Palak Patel and Eric Fineman are overseeing the project for Columbia Pictures.
“Venom” is set to hit theaters on Oct. 5, 2018.
Since its inception in 1988, Venom has been one of “Spider-Man’s” most popular characters, making it a top priority for the studio to get a movie off the ground. The character is an alien symbiote that needs a human host to survive. The alien vests its victim with incredible powers. Venom made his first big-screen appearance in Sam Raimi’s “Spider-Man 3,” where he was portrayed by Topher Grace.
Throughout the history of Marvel Comics, Venom has appeared alongside Spider-Man, Iron Man, Deadpool, Hulk, and other Marvel Comics characters.
Hardy most recently starred in the FX series “Taboo” and can be seen next in Christopher Nolan’s World War II epic “Dunkirk.” He is repped by CAA and United Agents.
The film marks Fleischer’s first major tentpole since signing with CAA last year. He has primarily been working in the TV world, specifically on Netflix’s “Santa Clarita Diet.” He is also currently developing a sequel to “Zombieland.”
Fleischer is also repped by Management 360.
Hardy posted a photo of himself in a Venom T-shirt to celebrate the announcement.
The Rogue One: A Star Wars Story star is in talks to join Sony's Venom, the studio's first spinoff in a shared universe based on Spider-Man characters. Ahmed's character is being kept under wraps, but insiders say he would not be playing the villain Carnage, which Sony has been looking to cast. Sources say the actor was considered for the role before script changes were made.
Tom Hardy is starring in Venom as the title character, who in the comic books is a photographer named Eddie Brock who, when bonded with an alien symbiote, becomes Venom. He's been both a nemesis of Spider-Man as well as an antihero and protector of the innocent.
Ruben Fleischer (Zombieland) is directing Venom, which Sony hopes will be the the first in a series of films based on Spider-Man characters. It is also developing the Silver Sable/Black Cat movie Silver & Black from director Gina Prince-Bythewood.
The studio is riding high when it comes to Spidey following Spider-Man: Homecoming, Sony's collaboration with Marvel Studios, which received a strong response and has grossed more than $675 million worldwide since opening last month.
Ahmed, who performs music under the name Riz MC, recently starred in the acclaimed HBO drama The Night Of, which earned him a Golden Globe nomination.
Michelle Williams in Talks to Join Tom Hardy in 'Venom'
Michelle Williams is in talks to joins Tom Hardy in Venom, Sony’s movie project centering on one of Spider-Man’s signature characters.
Riz Ahmed is also on the call sheet for Sony’s movie set in its Spider-Man-centric universe of Marvel characters that is being directed by Ruben Fleischer.
The project is one of Sony’s top priorities and the studio has set an Oct. 5, 2018, release date.
Scott Rosenberg and Jeff Pinkner wrote the script.
Character details were not revealed.
If a deal should make, it will mark a change of pace for Williams, who is a four-time Oscar nominees for dramas such as Manchester by the Sea, My Week With Marilyn, Blue Valentine and Brokeback Mountain.
She tends to eschew big-budget, visual effects-heavy fare but did co-star with Rachel Weisz and James Franco in Disney’s Wizard of Oz prequel Oz the Great and Powerful, directed by Sam Raimi.
She will next be seen in Todd Haynes’ drama Wonderstruck, which opens in October and is seen as a possible awards contender. Williams also appears in Fox’s circus-themed Hugh Jackman musical The Greatest Showman.
Scott Haze, who appears this month with Miles Teller in the war drama Thank You for Your Service, has joined the project, which is part of Sony’s universe of Marvel-licensed characters.
Tom Hardy is starring as the Marvel antihero with Riz Ahmed, Michelle Williams and Jenny Slate also on the roll call. Ruben Fleischer (Zombieland) is directing.
Character details for Haze are being kept in, um, a haze.
Carnage is the villain in this piece, and although rumors had Ahmed in the role, the studio has said that is not so.
Avi Arad, Matt Tolmach, and Amy Pascal are producing Venom, which is set to open Oct. 5, 2018.
Haze is an actor, writer and director who broke out with the 2014 adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's Child of God, directed by James Franco. He also appeared in Midnight Special with Michael Shannon. In addition to Thank You for Your Service, Haze can also be seen opposite Josh Brolin in Sony’s Only the Brave, which bows Friday.
Haze, who also directed the documentary Mully, released by Fathom earlier this month, is repped by CAA, Thruline Entertainment and Jackoway Tyerman.
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