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THE DARK SIDE — It should go without saying that a superhero is only as interesting as the villain they have to fight. With nonstop attention paid to the conquests of the heroes, it is easy to forget that there's a villain working just as hard.
With this in mind, I really like the new direction Marvel and Sony are taking with the film “Venom” set to release in October of this year.
Even though this teaser trailer is just a quick look at what this film is ultimately going to be, it still offers a few clues for what to expect. The first thing that caught my attention with this teaser is the cast. Directed by Ruben Fleischer ("Zombieland"), "Venom" will showcase Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock, along with Michelle Williams and Woody Harrelson.
Plot details are still unknown, but the movie presumably will follow Brock as he becomes the anti-Spider-Man alien symbiote Venom. I’ve been a huge fan of Tom Hardy ever since his performance in “Warrior,” and I'm excited to see what he does with "Venom."
This film will be a far cry from “Spider-Man 3” (2003), in which Topher Grace portrayed Venom in a role that arguably damaged his career. With extra focus on the story this time around, Sony is banking on the fact that “Venom” as a character has a lot more to offer than what fans saw 15 years ago.
The teaser has a gritty, raw feel to it which is antithetical to the bright colors and feel of last year's “Spider-Man: Homecoming,” setting it apart from the Marvel Cinematic Universe's most recent take on “Spider-Man.”
Though "Venom" is a standalone film and is not technically considered a “Spider-Man” movie, producer Amy Pascal said there is a chance of seeing Tom Holland make an appearance as Spider-Man in this film. If true, that would be pretty cool.
I think what makes the idea of a stand-alone villain movie so attractive is that it is a way to tell the stories of the characters that torment the superheroes we love.
One big problem with last year's “Justice League” was no one cared about the villain and why he wanted to take over the world. I feel this also may be a big problem for villain Thanos in the upcoming “Avengers: Infinity War."
It’s OK to care about the bad guy the same way you care about the good guy. Feeling conflicted isn’t always a bad thing as long as justice is served.
This film has not yet been rated but will likely receive an “R” rating. If done well, this is not necessarily a bad thing for superhero related movies in that fans have seemed to respond well to the latitude provided a less restrictive rating.
Of course, an "R" rating would alienate a larger audience that could make a movie more successful. We'll have to wait until October to see if this gamble pays off. If the movie does well it would be fun to see more movies dedicated to supervillains.
