Spider-man spinoff - Venom

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September 5, 2008


Even as Sony Pictures moves ahead with plans for Spider-Man 4 & 5, the studio is also actively developing the spin-off film Venom, featuring the monstrous alien villain brought to cinematic life in last summer's Spider-Man 3.

According to Deadline Hollywood Daily, Sony has tapped a pair of unidentified writers to script Venom. Mean Creak scribe Jacob Estes had previously hired to pen the screenplay but the studio decided to go in a new direction with different writers.

And what of Topher Grace, who played Venom's alter ego Eddie Brock? DHD says, "Given that comic book artist/writer and action figure maker, Todd McFarlane, who is one of the creators of the Marvel villain, doesn't think a Venom movie could do well with a villain as the central character, my sources think Sony should let Topher Grace, even though he was blown up at the end of Spider-Man 3 (yet a portion of the Venom costume survived), stay in the role because the likable actor could be a a sympathetic evildoer."

But might there be another actor angling to don the black suit?

MTV posted an interview with Vin Diesel last week where the Babylon A.D. star said he wants to play the title role in an unspecified Marvel villain movie.

Makes you wonder, don't it?

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Is the proposed Spider-Man spin-off movie going to revolve around the villainous Carnage, rather than the slightly-less-villainous Venom?

The Spidey director hinted to that effect when quizzed by MTV about the project, saying:"I guess I don't know about that, do you mean Carnage? Maybe you're referring to a separate movie?"

This was the first time Carnage has been mentioned in relation to either a spin-off movie or a Spider-Man sequel from anyone involved in the productions.

Either way, it doesn't sound as though is Raimi is too closely involved with the project: "I'm supposed to know, but both those things could be [in production] and I don't know about it!"

The last fans had heard of the film was back in July, when Sony announced they were hiring writers to tackle a script.

Carnage -- a fusion of serial killer Cletus Kasady and the offspring of the Venom symbiote -- was a psychopath who terrorised the Marvel Universe, and was one of the fans' suggestions for a new Spider-Man (4?) villain back in September.

[Doc Faustus]

Vin Diesel's more of an Eddie Brock type.

[ferretchucker]

What about Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson? Not my favourite actor but he has the bulk.

[Assertion]

I don't know if you've seen this John Cena fellow in 12 rounds, and neither have I, but I have seen his work in wrestling, due to an ex-girlfriend's personal interest in the shows, and he seems like the kind of self-righteous, aggressive Eddie Brock kind of character, and he does sort-of look like some comic versions of Brock, as apposed to Topher's maximum weight-lifting build or Diesel's shiny head.

Insert comma here :D

[cheebacheeba]

I think the fella from DH4, Hitman, Scream 2 and Go would do pretty well as Brock...he's got a bit more size to him and definately a better look for the character.
I'd opt to have it set far past his 'origin' tale, bit of lethal enforcer as an introduction, maybe if the "sinner takes all" series could be a good "main event" storyline. There's a lot of good stuff to work with.

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Progress has been made on Venom, with writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick having submitted a second draft of the script to the studio.

The pair gave a status update on the Spidey spin-off to Sci Fi Wire, with Wernick saying "We've written two drafts of Venom, and the studio has it, and they're pushing forward in whatever ways they push forward."

Apparently the pair (who penned Zombieland) don't think the spin-off will go into production before Spider-Man 4, and were tight-lipped about how the plot will fit into Sam Raimi's sequel.

"We've turned in our two drafts" said Wernick, "Basically, the studio and Marvel and the Arads are taking our drafts and going beyond and figuring out what's the next step."

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Already spinning a web with a rewrite of “Spider-Man 4” for Columbia Pictures, Gary Ross will follow by taking over the Spidey spinoff "Venom." Ross will rewrite to direct the picture.

Marvel Entertainment, Avi Arad and Ross will produce.

The Venom, an arch enemy of the web-slinger in the Marvel Comics series, will be transformed into an anti-hero who becomes a defender of the innocent.

In “Spider-Man 3,” Venom was a reporter rival to Peter Parker, who became infected by an alien organism that grafted itself to his skin, giving him superior superpowers and a generally pissed off attitude. .

Topher Grace--who just signed on to star in “Robert Rodriguez’s Predators” at Fox--played the villain and his human alter ego--Eddie Brock- but he is not considered a shoo-in to reprise, as the spinoff will start from the drawing board.

Even though Marvel Entertainment was just acquired by Disney in a $4 billion deal, Columbia Pictures is able to turn Venom loose in a film because the studio holds rights in perpetuity not only to Spider-Man but the villains in his universe. Col has been developing “Venom” picture for some time, most recently getting a draft from “Zombieland” scribe Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick.

Venom becomes the first Spidey character to be given its own film by the studio Fox has the same latitude with several Marvel characters it has used in movies, and scored a big hit with the spinoff "X-Men Origins: Wolverine." That studio is also working on "Silver Surfer," a character which appeared in Fox's "Fantastic Four" sequel.

Columbia Pictures is moving aggressively to diversify with “Spider-Man,” the studio’s most financially valuable franchise. As director Sam Raimi preps for a 2010 production start on “Spider-Man 4,” writer Jamie Vanderbilt is currently scripting the fifth and sixth installments, films which could possibly amount to a re-boot with new creative elements.

Ross, who is rewriting a “Spider-Man 4” script originated by Vanderbilt and David Lindsay-Abaire, is also working with Columbia on rewriting to direct the film about cyclist Lance Armstrong’s recovery from life-threatening testicular cancer to win a record-breaking seven Tour de France titles. "Venom" steps in front of that project.