“Venom: Let There Be Carnage” has been giving us just tiny tastes of its main villain. The end of the first “Venom” film teased Carnage, played by Woody Harrelson, but the symbiote wasn’t actually on screen. Until now, most of the marketing hasn’t given us a good look at the red raging rival.
This new trailer has given us an origin story for Harrelson’s serial killer. It seems that the film will follow some kind of revenge plot for Carnage, which is nothing new for the “Venom” franchise. However, his taste for blood before acquiring a symbiote is. Hopefully, Harrelson can prove as menacing a foe outside of the gooey alien as inside.
Motion capture expert Andy Serkis directed “Venom: Let There Be Carnage,” taking over for Ruben Fleischer. Serkis is best known as an actor, playing Gollum in the “Lord of the Rings” movies, Caesar in the “Planet of the Apes” series, and Marvel’s villainous Klaw. His replacement of Fleischer, who has directed other campy action such as the “Zombieland” films and “Gangster Squad,” is worrisome. The new direction could indicate a shift towards CGI action and away from offbeat humor. But Serkis seems to be providing both, as the trailer showcases Tom Hardy’s comedy skills.
Sony will release “Venom: Let There Be Carnage” on September 14th.
