Venom Movie Trailer, Cast, Every Update You Need To Know

Venom brings the titular Marvel Comics character to the big screen for the first time since 2007's Spider-Man 3 and stars Tom Hardy as reporter Eddie Brock. Directed by Zombieland's Ruben Fleischer, it's being positioned as a launching pad for Sony's own Marvel franchise - and may or may not be connected to the MCU. We've collected everything you need to know about Venom, from its cast to story details.

Release Date: October 5, 2018
Cast: Tom Hardy, Riz Ahmed, Michelle Williams, Jenny Slate, Woody Harrelson
Director: Ruben Fleischer
Writer: Jeff Pinkner, Scott Rosenberg

Last Updated: July 31, 2018.

Venom Movie Cast Stars Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock

Eddie Brock facing away from someone while a Venom tendril extends out his back and stabs the man behind him.

After news broke that Sony were planning a Venom solo movie, talk quickly turned to which version of the character we would see and who would play him. Though many heroes and villains have worn the Venom Symbiote in the comics, Sony chose to go with Eddie Brock. The original Venom and the first to don the Symbiote after Spider-Man discarded it, Brock will be brought to life by venerable actor Tom Hardy (Inception, Dunkirk). The casting has already won praise from fans and assured many the film is on the right track.

Venom Movie Villain is The Life Foundation

Carlton Drake watches the symbiote test in Venom

Despite being the protagonist of the film, Venom walks the line between hero and villain. Though he’s certainly helped fight larger threats, he remains firmly in Spider-Man’s Rogues Gallery. As such, the foe he faces in his first film will need to be even more dangerous than he is. While famed antagonist Carnage has long been rumored, he will not be the main villain of Venom. That role falls to the ruthless Life Foundation, led by Riz Ahmed's Carlton Drake. The Life Foundation discovers the symbiote and conducts tests on people, and Eddie investigates them.

Venom Movie Features Riot

Venom was a key part of Sony's Hall H at San Diego Comic-Con 2018, where new footage was screened for attendees. The biggest revelation to come from the presentation is that the film will feature Riot, a symbiote that jumps from host to host. It is believed Riz Ahmed's character (who heads the Life Foundation) will become Riot at one point. Based on the footage, Riot is positioned as a villain for Venom to fight against.

Carnage Rumored to Be Played By Woody Harrelson

Just because Carnage isn't the main villain doesn't mean he won't be in the film at all. It's speculated Academy Award nominee Woody Harrelson will play Cletus Kasady in a bit part primarily to set up a sequel. This hasn't been confirmed yet, and likely won't be until the movie is released in the fall.

Venom Movie Story

While there isn't an official Venom synopsis, the recently-released trailer outlines the basic plot, giving fans an idea of what the film is about. Eddie Brock is a journalist who appears to be doing an investigative exposé on the Life Foundation, asking them questions about allegations concerning their amoral methods. Along the way, he encounters the symbiote and bonds with it, creating Venom. More specific details about the narrative are unknown at this point in time.

Venom Movie Trailer Has Been Released (And Has Venom!)

With the film's October release date right around the corner, Sony is gearing up for a big marketing push. After promoting Venom at San Diego Comic-Con 2018, a new trailer has been released. In stark contrast from the original teaser, this one shows plenty of the titular character in action, as he does battle against Riot and threatens to eat victims.

Tom Hardy's Venom Look

Whenever a comic book adaptation comes out, the costumes of the main characters are always put under intense fan scrutiny. Especially after Topher Grace's maligned iteration in Spider-Man 3, people are desperate to see Venom done "right" on the big screen. From the looks of it, Tom Hardy's version may be what they needed. Not everyone is overly impressed, but the shot of the character fully suited looks very comics accurate and the CGI is impressive.

Spider-Man is Not in The Venom Movie

One of the biggest questions about the Venom movie is how it will be made without featuring Spider-Man. Though we’ve heard Tom Holland is keen to work with Tom Hardy, we’ve learned definitively that Spider-Man will not appear in Venom. Considering the Symbiote, Venom’s origin, and Eddie Brock are all linked to Spidey, it’s unknown how the film will address this. On the one hand, Venom may skip the origin story and merely allude to the character’s comic backstory. Barring that, Sony may just rewrite Venom’s history altogether.

Venom Movie is Not in the MCU

For months, Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige and Venom producer Amy Pascal have been making statements about the Sony spinoff and its connection to the MCU. While Spider-Man exists in the same world as the Avengers, it seems that Venom doesn’t. We’ve heard it said that the two characters exist in the same reality, but not in the same cinematic universe. What this means exactly, only time will tell.

Venom Movie is Part of “Sony’s Marvel Universe”

Variants of Venom assemble in Venomverse comic book.

Though Venom isn’t part of the MCU, it will help to kickoff Sony’s own Marvel Universe. Along with the proposed Venom movie, word is the studio will also be pursuing other villain solo films. Silver & Black, focusing on Silver Sable and Black Cat, is already in the works. Meanwhile, word recently emerged that spinoffs featuring Kraven the Hunter and Mysterio are also on the horizon—hinting at the possibility of a Sinister Six movie in the future. With Sony owning the rights to a vast number of Spider-Man characters, there’s no limit to the amount of interesting films they could make.