Venom Movie Production Start Date Revealed

Earlier in March, Sony Pictures gave Venom a release date. It seems the studio is wasting no time in getting the project off the ground as the film is already lining up production dates later this year.

According to industry casting website MyEntertainmentWorld, Venom will enter production in the fall of 2017, about one year before its release.

Another interesting tidbit from the listing is that the Venom movie is listed as an "Action/Horror/Sci-Fi" movie, an interesting mix for a superhero movie. The horror angle makes more sense when you consider the rumors that Sony is looking for the film to earn an R rating and for it to launch a new shared Marvel universe separate from Spider-Man and the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

If the rumors are true, the Venom movie will take place in the same universe as Sony's Black Cat and Silver Sable movie. The common thread here seems to be that Sony is building movies around the edgier, more "R-rated" Spider-Man allies and villains. More traditional superhero villains and characters seem to be going to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including the Vulture and the Shocker, who will be making their cinematic debuts in Spider-Man: Homecoming played by Michael Keaton and Bokeem Woodbine, respectively.

Up Next: Venom To Be R-Rated Launch Of New Shared Marvel Universe

The idea to take Sony's Marvel Universe R-rated, and to get the first film into production fast, is possibly inspired by 20th Century Fox's recent success with R-rated X-Men movies. Last year, Deadpool broke R-rated records and this year's Logan has become the third-highest grossing film in X-Men movies franchise history in just four weeks.

For those unfamiliar with the character, Venom is a fan favorite Spider-Man villain and sometimes Marvel Comics antihero. Todd McFarlane created Venom in 1988 and he first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #300, though the character was inspired by the black costume given to Spider-Man in 1984's The Amazing Spider-Man #252.

The Venom suit is actually an alien lifeform from its own will and consciousness. the Venom suit is a Klyntar, and symbiotic alien race. He has gone through many human hosts, originally attempting to bond with Peter Parker but, after being rejecting, joining Eddie Brock, a disgruntled reporter.

The Venom symbiote has been passed off to several other hosts over the years, including the villain formerly called the Scorpion and then to Flash Thompson, who taught Venom how to be a hero. Eddie Brock will regain the Venom symbiote in May's Venom #150 from Marvel Comics.

Scott Rosenberg and Jeff Pinker are working on the current script for Venom. Venom will hit theaters on Oct. 5, 2018.

More Venom: The Internet Reacts To The Venom Movie Announcement / The History Of Unmade Venom Movies / Which Venom Host Will Star In The Venom Movie?