What’s coming on with Covid-19, the pandemic, and movies? Well, given the proliferation of the Covid vaccine, movie theaters seem to be opening up again, and many have already started opening, granted at half capacity or less. So, while Disney insists movies like “Black Widow” are still coming out in May, perhaps other studios are being a bit more cautious. Sony has announced that “Venom: Let There Be Carnage,” originally scheduled for, June 25, 2021, is now moving to the fall. September 17, to be exact.
Consequently, the studio said it had taken “Man From Toronto,” an action movie starring Kevin Hart and Woody Harrelson, off the schedule and leaving it undated for now (the film originally had that September 17 date that “Venom 2” has now assumed.
It’s unclear if the studio is worried about theatrical COVID delays or simply needs more time to finish the movie, but it’s the second Sony Spiderverse movie delayed this year. While the first “Venom” movie was critically derided, it reached $800 million worldwide in October 2018, thanks to China.
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This makes for three Sony Spiderverse films within five months of each other. Sony’s Marvel-produced “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” which arrives December 17, 2021, and “Morbius” starring Jared Leto on January 21, 2022.
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“Venom 2” will star Tom Hardy, but the franchise film will feature a new director in Andy Serkis. Serkis’ previous directorial effort, the ‘Jungle Book’ reimagining, “Mowgli,” was relegated to Netflix instead of a big-screen debut, but still positioned the actor/director as a formidable filmmaker in the world of blockbuster VFX. However, there aren’t many projects out there that are higher profile than “Venom 2,” so the superhero sequel is a prime chance for Serkis to establish himself as a blockbuster filmmaker.
We’ll find out if “Venom 2” is worth the wait when it hits theaters on September 17, 2021.
