‘The Irishman’ and ‘Rocketman’ actor Stephen Graham is set to star opposite Tom Hardy in ‘Venom 2’.
As yet, Graham’s role, as well as the plot are under wraps. Tom Hardy is returning as the journalist-turned-alien symbiote. Naomie Harris and Woody Harrelson are also set to star in the sequel.
Andy Serkis takes over the reins from Ruben Fleischer, beating other contenders ‘Bumblebee’ helmer Travis Knight and ‘Rise of the Planet of the Apes’ director Rupert Wyatt.
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Avi Arad, Matt Tolmach and Amy Pascal will return as producers, alongside Hutch Parker. Kelly Marcel is penning the script.
‘Venom,’ from Sony Pictures’ catalogue of Marvel characters, became a surprise hit for the studio. The comic-book adventure grossed $213 million at the domestic box office and a massive $855 million worldwide.
Scott Rosenberg (“Jumanji”) and Jeff Pinkner (“The Dark Tower”) wrote the script for ‘Venom,’ in which Tom Hardy leads the cast as Eddie Brock, who in the comics was a photographer; Brock later becomes Venom after bonding with a Symbiote. Venom, conceived as a supervillain, became somewhat of an anti-hero. A Symbiote is a sentient alien, with a gooey, almost liquid-like form.
British actor Graham can currently be seen on Netflix in Martin Scorsese’s ‘The Irishman’, he also recently starred in Dexter Fletcher’s Elton John biopic ‘Rocketman’. He will next be seen over the Christmas period in the BBC’s mini-series adaptation of Charles Dickens ‘A Christmas Carol’ in which he will play Jacob Marley alongside Guy Pearce and Jow Alwyn.
