We’ve got some new, crucial details regardingVenom. One big question regarding the project ever since it first came to light was whether or not Sony would go theDeadpoolroute and go all-out by making this thing R-rated. Unfortunately, it looks like the studio wanted to go for a possibly wider audience and has gone with the PG-13 rated version ofVenom. So don’t expect this thing to get crazy violent or over-the-top.
The news comes as several major theater chains have released pre-sale tickets forVenom, which stars Tom Hardy in the title role. Exhibitor websites have revealed thatthe movie is indeed rated PG-13, which may come as something of a bummer to those who were looking for a more unhinged take on the character. Though, it shouldn’t necessarily come as a huge surprise. Had Sony truly intended on going R-rated with this thing, they probably would have made it a crux of the marketing campaign, much in the same way that Fox did withDeadpool. They didn’t do anything of the like, making this PG-13 reveal somewhat expected.
This does open the door for some sort of “unrated” cut, or something of the like, assumingVenomwinds up being a success at the box office. That all depends on whether or not director Ruben Fleischer actually shot anyR-rated material, or if they kind of kept it PG-13 the whole way. But there is that shot making it appear as thoughVenomis literally going to bite off a crook’s head in the trailer.That could definitely be R-rated stuff, depending on how far they went with it before getting into the editing room.
Another reveal comes in the form of the movie’s official runtime. According to exhibitor websites,Venomcocks in at a very reasonable 112 minutes, which is just under two hours, including credits. And any post-credit scenes that may be included. That runtime, in itself, isn’t terribly revealing, as it’s right in the sweet spot for a blockbuster such as this. It’s not overly long, such asBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, nor is it head-scratchingly short. The real question is, of what quality is the material that fills this 1 hour and 52 minute-long comic book adaptation? We’re going to have to wait until the first round of reviews arrive online to get some sort of answer there.
There are hopes thatVenomwill open the door for further Spider-Man-adjacent characters to get their own movies, such asMorbiusandKraven the Hunter, that can begin to connect in their own shared universe. That all hinges on this first movie and how well it does at the box office. Currently, it looks likeTom Hardy’s star poweris going to help break the October opening weekend record, based on early tracking numbers. We’ll see if that pans out.Sonyis set to releaseVenomin theaters on October 5.
