Venom Animated Movie in the Works at Sony

Sony Pictures is charting a new course for its Venom franchise with the development of an animated feature film. This marks the first foray into animation for the popular Marvel character, following three live-action installments starring Tom Hardy.

A New Direction for the Symbiote

The studio has tapped Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein, the directors behind last year’s successful horror film Final Destination: Bloodlines, to helm the animated project. Amy Pascal, Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach, who were involved in the previous Venom movies, are likely to produce the feature, though details are still preliminary.

Did You Know? Venom was first introduced as a villain in 1988’s Amazing Spider-Man No. 300, before gaining popularity and a solo comic series in 1993.

Tom Hardy’s Potential Involvement

Tom Hardy, who starred as Eddie Brock in the live-action Venom films, is understood to be involved in some capacity. However, the nature of his participation – whether as a producer or potentially even reprising his voice role – remains unclear. The live-action films, 2018’s Venom ($856 million worldwide), 2021’s Venom: Let There Be Carnage ($506.8 million), and 2024’s Venom: The Last Dance ($478.9 million), saw a gradual decline in financial performance.

A Fresh Approach to a Familiar Character

Sony Pictures Animation is currently assembling a writers room to develop a script for the animated film. The move to animation is seen as a way to keep the Venom character relevant and capitalize on the success of Sony’s animated Spider-Verse movies. However, the animation process is lengthy, meaning a finished film is still years away.

Expert Insight: Shifting to animation allows Sony to explore new creative avenues with the Venom character and potentially reach a wider audience, while also providing a buffer between live-action installments and maintaining continued interest in the franchise.

Lipovsky and Stein have demonstrated an ability to revitalize established franchises, having recently reinvigorated the Final Destination series with Bloodlines, which grossed $315.0 million and received positive reviews. They are also currently working with Chris Columbus on Gremlins and developing the original thriller Long Lost.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who will direct the animated Venom movie?

Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein, the directors of Final Destination: Bloodlines, will direct the animated Venom movie.

Is Tom Hardy involved in the project?

Tom Hardy is understood to be involved in some capacity, but It’s unclear whether he will produce or return to voice Venom.

What is Sony’s animation arm doing to prepare for the film?

Sony Pictures Animation is opening up a writers room to develop a script for the animated Venom movie.

Will this animated adaptation breathe new life into the Venom franchise, or will it represent a significant departure from what fans have come to expect?