Venom 3: Release date, cast, latest news
Eddie Brock and Venom's next adventure has now been confirmed.
The year hasn't got off to the best start for Sony's Spider-Man Universe following the disastrous release of Madame Web – but fans can still expect another two new films from the franchise before 2024 is out.
August will see the release of Kraven the Hunter, which will see Aaron Taylor-Johnson debut as the titular villain, and after that we're being treated to a third film in the Venom series, which has just confirmed its release date and title.
Tom Hardy will reprise his lead role as Eddie Brock in Venom: The Last Dance and this time he's being joined by Ted Lasso's Juno Temple and Doctor Strange star Chiwetel Ejiofor, both of whom will star in as-yet-unannounced roles.
Meanwhile, nothing has come through the grapevine about whether or not characters from the previous two movies will make an appearance, such as the enigmatic detective Patrick Mulligan (Stephen Graham) or Brock's ex-girlfriend Anne Weying (Michelle Williams).
What we do know about the story is that it was partially penned by Hardy himself, along with director Kelly Marcel.
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This was revealed in an Instagram post shared by Hardy only eight months after the release of Let There Be Carnage. The post depicts the front cover of the document, with the title censored.
Marcel was involved in the prior two instalments of the Venom trilogy, acting as both writer and producer, and has also been attached to other projects such as Fifty Shades of Grey and Saving Mr Banks. Venom 3 marks her directorial debut.
Read on for everything you need to know about Venom 3,
Warning: Venom: Let There Be Carnage spoilers ahead
Venom 3 release date
Venom 3 is currently scheduled for release on Friday 25th October 2024, slightly earlier than the previously planned release on 8th November.
It had initially been set for a summer release, on 12th July, but this was delayed as a result of the SAG-AFTRA strikes last year.
Previously, Hardy confirmed that the Sony sequel had begun pre-production back in February 2023.
He 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."
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Venom 3 cast rumours: Who could star alongside Tom Hardy?
Tom Hardy, of course, will be returning, while actress Juno Temple will also appear in a mysterious role.
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 variation of 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, and 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’s 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 plot speculation: What could happen?
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.
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.
Venom 2 director Andy Serkis alluded to the fabled crossover movie with Spider-Man and Venom, but in an interview Screen Rant with, 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," he explained.
"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.
Venom 3 is scheduled to be released on Friday 25th October 2024. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on tonight.
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