Has ‘Venom: Let There Be Carnage’ finally got a release date?

Venom: Let There Be Carnage has a new release date, but will it stick? Sony seems to be unwilling to let there be carnage, as they have pushed back the release of the eagerly anticipated sequel multiple times in the past year.

The Venom sequel is now set to premiere on October 15, 2021. However, with the rising number of cases of the highly contagious delta variant of COVID-19, confidence in the ability to safely go to the theater may drop precipitously.

If there is carnage

Venom: Let There Be Carnage is directed by Andy Serkis. Tom Hardy will reprise his role as both Eddie Brock and Venom. The sequel is set one year after the events of 2018’s Venom. Eddie Brock, in an attempt to revitalize his journalism career, interviews serial killer Cletus Kasady. Kasady becomes the host of the alien symbiote Carnage and escapes from prison.

Woody Harrelson will play the primary antagonist Cletus Kasady as well as Carnage. Michelle Williams and Reid Scott will reprise their roles from the first Venom film. Naomie Harris and Stephen Graham are also said to have significant roles.

Hardy has stated that he would be open to bringing his Venom to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Sony and Marvel have been sharing ownership of Spider-Man characters since the release of 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming. Sony Pictures is planning to release films based on Spider-Man supporting characters Morbius and Kraven the Hunter.

Tough competition

Venom: Let There Be Carnage was originally scheduled to be released on October 2, 2020. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, Sony pushed back the film’s release to June 25, 2021. Let There Be Carnage’s release was then delayed until September before finally landing on October 15, 2021.

Carnage won’t be the only psychopathic killer looking to command the box office that weekend. Michael Myers will also return to theaters on October 15, 2021 in Halloween Kills. The sequel to 2018’s Halloween is the twelfth installment in the Halloween franchise. Halloween Ends, a third direct sequel, is scheduled to be released one year later on October 14, 2022.

October 15, 2021 will also see the release of Ridley Scott’s The Last Duel. The historical drama film is about the last legally sanctioned duel in France. It stars Matt Damon, Adam Driver, Jodie Comer, and Ben Affleck. It appears that this weekend may be one of the bloodiest of the year for the box office.

Scheduling conflicts

The slate of films coming out this fall is absolutely jam packed as the industry looks to recover from the COVID-19 shutdown. Venom: Let There Be Carnage was at one point scheduled to be released in mid September, however, delta variant-related fears may have been behind Sony’s decision to push back the release date.

September also features some very high profile releases. Clint Eastwood’s Cry Macho, Sion Sono’s Nicholas Cage-led Prisoners of Ghostland, James Wan’s Malignant, Paul Schrader’s The Card Counter, and the film adaptation of Dear Evan Hansen are all set to be released in September.

Sony likely wanted to avoid another marquee release in October. No Time To Die, the latest James Bond film is set to be released in early October. Perhaps realizing that the competition may be too stiff, Sony moved Let There Be Carnage to a weekend they think it can take the box office’s top spot.

Sony recently agreed to globally stream Hotel Transylvania: Transformania exclusively on Amazon Prime Video. The Hotel Transylvania franchise has been a box office sensation for Sony, grossing over $1.3 billion. The decision to skip the theaters was likely made because vaccination may become mandatory in many theaters and there is currently no vaccine for children under twelve.

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Are you looking forward to Venom: Let There Be Carnage? What movies are you looking forward to seeing in theaters this fall? Sound off in the comments below!