'Venom' Animated Movie From Zach Lipovsky, Adam B. Stein In Works

Sony is reportedly in early development on an animated Venom movie, potentially expanding the popular franchise into new creative territory. The project is currently being eyed with Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein, the directing duo behind the recent Final Destination: Bloodlines, attached to helm the film.

A New Direction for the Venom Franchise

This potential animated installment represents a significant shift for the Venom series, which began with the live-action film directed by Ruben Fleischer in 2018. The character of Eddie Brock, an investigative journalist bonded with an alien symbiote, first appeared in Amazing Spider-Man No. 300 in 1988, created by writer David Michelinie and artist Todd McFarlane.

Did You Know? The first Venom film, released in 2018, grossed over $856 million worldwide.

The live-action Venom films – including Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021) and Venom: The Last Dance (2024) – have proven successful for Sony, establishing a standalone universe centered around Spider-Man villain characters. Tom Hardy, who starred in the previous live-action films, is expected to be involved in some capacity with the animated project.

The Directors’ Recent Success

Lipovsky and Stein are gaining momentum in Hollywood following the success of Final Destination: Bloodlines, which earned over $317 million globally and was the highest-grossing and best-reviewed film in the Final Destination series. They have also attached themselves to co-write a new Gremlins movie with Chris Columbus, and have other projects in development at Columbia Pictures, Universal, and Paramount.

Expert Insight: The choice to pursue an animated Venom film suggests Sony is exploring ways to broaden the franchise’s appeal and potentially reach new audiences, while also allowing for visual storytelling possibilities not easily achievable in live-action.

Producers Amy Pascal, Avi Arad, and Matt Tolmach, who were involved in the previous Venom films, are expected to return for this new venture. Currently, no writer has been attached to the project.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who created the Venom character?

The Venom character was created by writer David Michelinie and artist Todd McFarlane, and first appeared in Amazing Spider-Man No. 300 in 1988.

What is known about the plot of the animated film?

No word on the plot of the new film has been released.

Who is expected to return for the new film?

Amy Pascal, Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach are expected to return as producers, as is Tom Hardy in some capacity.

Will an animated format allow for a different exploration of the Venom story and character dynamics?

‘Venom’ Animated Movie From Zach Lipovsky, Adam B. Stein In Works