enom Director Uncertain of Film’s Rating

VAs Venom’s October premiere inches closer, fans and industry insiders alike are wondering if the film will be rated R or PG-13. Initial reports stated that Venom sought to follow the path of recent comic book movies, notably Deadpool and Logan, in targeting more mature audiences with an R rating. Both Deadpool and Logan achieved remarkable critical success with an R rating, with Logan even nabbing an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. New reports suggest that Sony Pictures is now hoping for a PG-13 rating for Venom from the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) so as to bring-in a larger box office haul.

Venom director Ruben Fleischer commented on the status of the film’s rating in a recent interview with Total Film. Fleischer told Total Film that he wasn’t completely sure where the film would land with the MPAA. In the interview, Fleischer said that his goal was to make the film character as close to his comic book counterpart as possible. As Venom has been known to bite-off the heads of his enemies and eat their brains, Fleischer said the storyline needed a fair amount of violence. Star Tom Hardy also weigh-in on the movie’s rating with Total Film. Despite the large amount of violence in the film, Hardy hopes that Venom will get a PG-13 rating. Hardy feels that comic book movies in general are fun and that they should target as large an audience as possible. Nevertheless, Hardy says that the film may very well warrant an R rating. In addition to action violence, Hardy says that the film contains plenty of gore and black comedy that might not be suitable for younger audiences.

Fleischer also spoke about potential sequels to Venom and what new villains the character might face in future installments. By far the most buzz on the subject comes from the rumor that a second film in the series would see Venom square-off against serial killer Carnage. Carnage is rumored to have a cameo in the upcoming film, played by Hollywood icon Woody Harrelson. Fleischer remained coy on the subject of Carnage but confessed that he would love for fans to see the character in action. Fans also speculate that She-Venom might make an appearance in a potential sequel. Actress Michelle Williams, who plays Venom’s girlfriend in the film, said that getting the chance to play She-Venom would be a “dream come true.” Venom premieres October 5.