Venom 3: Release date window, cast, plot & more

Tom Hardy in Venom, who'll return for Venom 3Sony Pictures

Tom Hardy is coming back for more carnage – so, here’s everything we know about Venom 3, from the potential release date and whether there’s a trailer, to cast, plot, and other details.

In 2018, Sony Pictures finally gave Spider-Man’s iconic villain, Venom, his own solo movie. Starring the acclaimed British actor Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock, the Venom franchise has become a commercial success despite dividing many fans.

And now, Venom 3 is officially confirmed to be in the works, so here is everything you need to know about it.

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Will there be a Venom 3?

Rejoice Venom fans, because yes, there will indeed be a third Venom movie. Confirmed by Tom Hardy himself on his Instagram page, Venom 3 sees franchise scribe Kelly Marcel return to pen the script, who’ll also be directing the threequel.

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Like Venom: Let There Carnage before it, Tom Hardy has provided his own input to the story too.

Tom Hardy in Venom 2. There's no Venom 3 release date at the time of writing.Sony Pictures
Eddie and Venom are returning for a third film.

Hardy earlier told Digital Spy: “These things [usually] come in threes. If there’s going to be a new one – and they depend heavily on the success of each individual one, so you can’t count on them ever happening again – every one has got to be as if it was the last one.

“But I think it’s really important, if you go into something, thinking that one, two and three are the same… the same story, the same film. So that you don’t surprise yourself by being caught out by suddenly having to do a third from nowhere.

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He added: “There’s got to be some continuity into a third and fourth and fifth, and if somebody says ‘no’, that’s fine. Let it go, and you move on to something else.”

Venom 3 release date: When is it coming out?

Unfortunately, we don’t have a confirmed release date for Venom 3 at the time of writing – if we’re speculating, it’s likely Venom 3 won’t arrive in cinemas until October 2024, given the past release dates of October 2018 and 2021.

As noted above, the sequel is currently in the writing process, with no indication of when it’ll enter production.

While the Marvel Cinematic Universe continues through Phase Four, Sony Pictures has a lineup of Spidey spinoffs planned: Kraven the Hunter on January 13, 2023; Madame Web on July 7, 2023; and El Muerto on January 12, 2024.

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There’s also Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, the highly-anticipated sequel to 2018’s Oscar-winner, due to hit cinemas on June 2, 2023, followed by Beyond the Spider-Verse on March 29, 2024.

Venom 3 cast: Who’s returning, and are there any new characters?

Apart from Tom Hardy himself reprising his role as Eddie Brock, the cast of the next Venom movie is yet to be confirmed.

It’s possible that Stephen Graham could return as Detective Patrick Mulligan, given his fate in the preceding movie, as well as Michelle Williams as She-Venom, hopefully. More on that below.

We’ll update this article upon any casting details. 

Venom 3 trailer: Is there a trailer, and where can I watch it?

There isn’t a trailer just yet for Venom 3, but we’ll be sure to include it once Marvel gives fans a first look at Eddie Brock’s upcoming adventure.

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Venom 3 plot: What will it be about?

Where Venom 3 will take Eddie Brock is unknown, though we wager the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home will factor into Tom Hardy’s third outing.

An image of Venom in Spider-Man: No Way HomeSony Pictures
Will Venom meet Tom Holland’s Spider-Man next time?

In an interview with Screen Rant, director Andy Serkis said: “I know everyone is desperate for Venom to meet Spider-Man. I know that. But I think there’s real mileage in some of the other supervillains that reside in Ravencroft. There’s such fertile ground to be uncovered there. That would be the sandbox I’d be really interested in playing in. Who’s lurking in there that could break out?”

Who knows, maybe even Morbius will have an effect on its story too. We’d rather it didn’t.

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What has happened in the Venom movies so far?

Venom (2018)

In the first entry of Marvel’s anti-hero franchise, Eddie Brock is relinquished from his job as a investigative journalist after attempting to malign tech mogul Carlton Drake (Riz Ahmed).

Drake’s nefarious experiments with symbiotes lead to Brock’s encounter with Venom, an outer-space organism that needs a human host to survive. The pair work together in a bid to take down Drake for his crimes, while learning they’re more alike than they thought in the process. After the dust has cleared, Brock visits serial killer Cletus Kassidy (Woody Harrelson) in prison, though he might regret it.

Venom: Let There Carnage (2021)

Shortly after the events of Venom, Eddie Brock is still in contact with Cletus Kassidy. Giving Brock newsworthy features to write about his crimes, Kassidy later attempts to attack Brock, prompting Venom to protect him.

An image of Carnage in Venom 2Sony Pictures
Carnage debuted in Venom 2.

Having revealed that Brock is harbouring his own secret and getting a taste of his blood, Kassidy later unleashes deranged symbiote Carnage into the world. Kassidy’s troubled past catches up with him, as childhood flame Frances Berrison/Shriek aids him on his rampage.

Detective Patrick Mulligan (Stephen Graham) is caught in the crossfire as Venom defeats Carnage, though it is suggested Mulligan may embark on a symbiotic transformation of his own, possibly becoming Toxin in a future film.

Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

In the after credits of Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Eddie Brock was transported to the MCU 616 universe.

In No Way Home’s post-credits scene, Brock is still on the run from authorities after defeating Carnage. He’s confused to learn about the existence of Spider-Man and other members of the Avengers.

Before he sets off to track down Spider-Man himself, Brock is transported back to the Sony Pictures universe, following Doctor Strange’s incantation that restored the multiverse (for now).

We’ll update this article upon further announcements.