"Venom" Animated Movie in Works

Sony has tapped “Final Destination Bloodlines” directors Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein to direct an animated feature centering on the favorite Spider-Man baddie Venom.

Tom Hardy, who played Eddie Brock and his counterpart in three live-action “Venom” movies, will be involved in the project, though his exact role is currently unknown. The project is in the early stages of development.

Kicking off with 2018’s "Venom," directed by Ruben Fleischer, the franchise centers on Eddie Brock, an investigative journalist who becomes an antagonist to Spider-Man after an alien symbiote bonds to his body.

The character, created by writer David Michelinie and artist Todd McFarlane, first appeared on the page in 1988’s Amazing Spider-Man No. 300 and, prior to Hardy’s involvement in the franchise, appeared on screen in Sam Raimi’s "Amazing Spider-Man 3," with Topher Grace portraying.

While critics more or less hated the “Venom” franchise, the films were massive hits, collectively earning more than $1.8 billion globally.

Given the subject matter and the pedigree of the filmmakers, the project doesn’t sound particularly kid-friendly.

Sony Pictures, which controls the rights to “Venom” through its licensing deal with Marvel’s Spider-Man universe, will produce the picture through Sony Pictures Animation.

The division scored with previous animated web-spinner adventures such as “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” and “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.”

A third film, “Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse,” is expected to debut in theaters in 2027.

Lipovsky and Stein got on Hollywood’s radar with the success of “Final Destination Bloodlines,” which revitalized the horror franchise and earned $317.9 million.

The pair have been tapped to co-write “Gremlins 3” with Chris Columbus who will direct and produce the film with Steven Spielberg signed on as an executive producer. The film is set for release in 2027.