Loads of movies that were expected to be released this year got pushed back following the widespread coronavirus pandemic. The entertainment industry at large was forced to find new ways to release movies — some have gone straight to streaming services while others have been put on hold for the time being.

The sequel to Venom was among the films slated for a 2020 release but it has now been put on hold, Variety reports. The film’s October 2nd release date has been pushed back until the summer of 2021 – – June 25th, 2021, to be exact. Interestingly enough, June 25th was previously the date set for Robert Pattinson’s debut as Batman which has now been pushed back until October 1st, 2021. It’s not all bad news, though. Sony did unveil the title for the sequel to Venom which is now officially titled, Venom: Let There Be Carnage. 

Tom Hardy will, again, take on the role of Venom with Andy Serkis serving as the film’s director. Woody Harrelson will be taking on the role of Carnage in the upcoming film, as revealed in the ending of the first film. Tom Holland might also make an appearance. But what’s possibly even more telling about Venom: Let There Be Carnage is the possibility that it might follow in the footsteps of Joker and aim for an R-rating.

We’ll keep you updated on Venom: Let There Be Carnage. 

While the Tom Hardy-led Venom flick wasn’t exactly a critical darling, it certainly proved to be a hit with the fans — especially those who stuck around to catch the post-credits scene. As you might know, said scene featured a glimpse of the upcoming sequel’s main antagonist and Marvel’s favorite psychopath Cletus Kasady, better known as the red and black symbiote-clad Carnage. Now, with production of Venom 2 well underway, Tom Hardy took to Instagram to share a behind-the-scenes look at Harrelson in character. 

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Unfortunately, the powers that be quickly swooped in and purged Hardy’s page of all things Cletus. Yet it was too late. The picture was already spreading across the internet, not entirely different from a symbiote itself. While the image isn’t exactly Carnage as you might recognize him, it still points to an intriguing direction for the character: at once flashy, imposing, and slightly mischevious.

Check out the image below, which finds Harrelson decked in a red and yellow Hawaiin shirt complete with a black jacket. Thus completing the iconic color palette without slamming us over the head with a symbiote hammer. Given that Woody Harrelson boasts some seriously slept on acting chops, it’s likely that he’s going to knock this one out of the park. Are you excited to see Venom 2 later this year when it drops on October 2nd?

Though Spider-Man’s cinematic ownership has been, to be frank, a pain in the ass at times, it would appear harmonious ground has been reached. With Sony and Marvel having recently secured shared rights to use Spidey in their respective films, many have speculated that Tom Holland would be swinging his way into Tom Hardy’s ongoing Venom series. After all, Spider-Man and Venom go hand-in-hand, and seeing them separated by studio politics would be a damn shame. Luckily, it would appear that cooler heads are in the process of prevailing, and the gap between the MCU and the Venom-verse may very well be bridged in the near future.

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According to a report from Hypebeast, who in turn caught the scoop from Screenrant, Tom Holland is currently in talks to cameo in the upcoming Venom 2. The keyword, of course, being cameo, which speaks to something along the lines of Woody Harrelson’s post-credits scene in the first Venom. Still, should it come to manifest, it would certainly bode well for future Sony films. Remember that Sony owns a bushel of Spidey villains rights, and it would certainly be strange to see them wreak havoc unimpeded by Spidey’s pesky heroism.

Of course, it’s entirely possible this whole thing simply falls apart, and Venom is forced to play the role of a more straightforward hero. Either way, the Andy Serkis-directed movie will rake in the dough. Especially if it gets hit with that coveted R-Rating. 

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