Andy Serkis has been announced as the director for the forthcoming Venom 2, the sequel to last year’s Marvel Comics blockbuster that starred Tom Hardy.
The actor and filmmaker, best known for his motion-capture performances as Gollum in the Lord of the Rings franchise and Caesar in the recent Planet of the Apes revival, joked on Twitter that “the symbiote has found a host in me”.
Posting to his Instagram, Serkis shared a selfie of himself holding a Venom comic book, along with the message: “It’s happening. The Symbiote has found a host in me and I’m ready for the ride… Can’t wait! Are you ready Tom Hardy?”
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Serkis had flown to Los Angeles the week of July 22 to discuss the sequel with studio heads at Sony, with the outlet noting that Serkis was one of several filmmakers in the mix for the job.
He has previously directed two films: the historical drama Breathe starring Andrew Garfield and Claire Foy, and last year’s Mowgli, the lesser-seen photo-realistic Jungle Book adaptation that was quietly dumped on Netflix.
Last year’s Venom, starring Tom Hardy and Michelle Williams and directed by Ruben Fleischer, grossed $856 million worldwide. Venom 2 will be released 2 October 2020.
