The symbiote Venom is reforming for a new showdown. Three-time Academy Award-winning cinematographer Robert Richardson has been hired to shoot the “Venom 2” sequel for director Andy Serkis and Sony Pictures. Serkis, known for his motion-capture movies and move from mo-cap actor to technology-savvy director, just signed on to the movie last week. Tom Hardy will reprise his role as the journalist/ anti-hero symbiote alien who takes out bad guys and sometimes eats them too. Kelly Marcel, who wrote the first film will return to script this one said to be shooting this fall.
READ MORE: ‘Venom 2’: Andy Serkis Confirmed As The Sequel’s Director
Richardson is coming off the acclaim of Sony’s Quentin Tarantino film, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” and is renowned for his work with Tarantino, Oliver Stone, and Martin Scorsese. Richardson has been Tarantino’s go-to DP for years lensing the “Kill Bill” movies, “Inglorious Basterds,” “Django Unchained” and “The Hateful Eight” on top of the latest feature.
READ MORE: Michelle Williams Is “Excited To Learn” From Director Andy Serkis During ‘Venom 2’
It’s a nice prestige coup for “Venom” which was critically maligned the first time around and seen by some as a joke. The film went on to be a worldwide hit regardless, thanks in part to China, but regardless, it’s one in need of a much better narrative, and a respected director and near-legendary DP added into the fold is a good start.
Richardson has been nominated for nine Academy Awards and won three times for Stone’s “JFK” in 1992, for Scorsese’s “The Aviator” in 2005 and once again for Marty’s 3D picture “Hugo” in 2012.
In July, false reports placed Richardson as the DP for Matt Reeves’ “The Batman” film, but those rumors proved to be incorrect.
Michelle Williams, who played Hardy’s love interest in the first movie expected to return, as is Woody Harrelson, who made a post-credits cameo at the end of the film as the classic Venom villain Cletus Kasady, aka Carnage. More casting will likely be revealed soon. [The Hollywood Reporter]