Andy Serkis is bringing his talents to Sony studios after agreeing to direct Venom 2.
Well, Sony is not mucking about with the surprise 2018 hit Venom which raked in over $800 million on a $100 million budget. So, to strike while the iron is hot, Sony is moving fast to hire a director for the return of Venom to the big screen.
Watch: The trailer for Venom
Andy Serkis was just confirmed as the new director of the symbiote infected antihero/villain Venom for the sequel which currently doesn’t hold a release date. The movie is based on the Spider-Man villain which Sony currently maintains control of and the first movie was a success at the box office with Tom Hardy set to come back as the 'Eddie Brock/Venom'.
The hiring comes after a July 22 meeting taken by the heads of Sony movies and Andy where he was among a shortlist of directors who were on Sony’s radar. This will be the third directorial venture for the actor turned directors, 'Venom 2' follows the 2017 drama Breathe and the 2018 adaptation of The Jungle Book which was moved from Warner Bros. to Netflix.
Andy Serkis is not a newbie to Hollywood; he is motion capture pioneer who’s acted as 'Gollum' in the critically acclaimed series ‘Lord of the Rings’ as well as 'Caesar' in another critically acclaimed franchise ‘Planet of the Apes.’ The first directing gig he received was through Peter Jackson where he was allowed to do some second unit directing in the 'Hobbit' trilogy.
Andy is also a veteran of the comic book world; he recently worked in Avengers: Age of Ultron as well as the bad guy in the Black Panther movie as 'Klaw'. He is also familiar with rabid fanbases; he recently starred in Star Wars: The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi. So, this directorial gig doesn’t seem to come from the left field.
Watch: Andy Serkis as Klaw in Black Panther
Andy Serkis is an excellent choice for the director’s chair because the original movie director Ruben Fleischer wasn’t a much strong-handed director who puts his imprint in movies. Andy also is without a particular stamp or style so it will be an interesting watch, how he manages to tread these choppy waters.
The other thing which makes this a good hire is because of the added fan base Andy brings. He is a beloved figure among film nerds and his presence in the director’s chair is sure to calm some nerves of people who are a fan of Venom.
Watch: Andy Serkis as Caesar in Planet of the Apes
Since, the tone of the movie is already set by the producer of the film, Avi Arad, who said the movie wouldn’t be R rated. The studio is going the PG-13 route which will be tricky for directors but not for Serkis who’s managed to walk the line of the horrific and mild scare.
Also Read: Why Was There No Hulk-Thanos Rematch In Avengers: Endgame?
Spider-Man’s presence in the movie is not known as of yet but the way MCU is going, it is an unlikely scenario Spider-Man will make an appearance.
Serkis’ hire is also loved by the star of the movie, Tom Hardy, who recently posted a fire emoji along with the photo of Andy on Instagram. The director’s plate is full, and it will be interesting to see how he manages to get Woody Harrelson’s character, Carnage, into the movie after the mid-credit scene of the first movie showed him as possible sequel villain.
Watch: Carnage in the mid credit scene of Venom
The director also posted on Instagram after the news of his involvement broke. Andy posted a photo of himself holding a Venom comic book. The hiring is an interesting choice for the sequel, and we are all hopes for the future of Venom, and wherever Andy takes it.
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