The Sony-Marvel universe may be about to get an actor from a galaxy far, far, away. Variety reports that Riz Ahmed (Rogue One: A Star Wars) story is in talks to join Ruben Fleischer’s Venom film starring Tom Hardy. The role he would be playing in the film is being kept under wraps. According to Variety’s report, he would be playing a “popular Marvel Comics character”, but per The Hollywood Reporter, it’s not Carnage, who is set to appear in the film. Variety also revealed that Matt Smith (Doctor Who), Pedro Pascal (Game of Thrones) and Mathias Schoenarts (The Drop) are up for the same role.
Production is reportedly set to start sometime next month in New York City, which means that we will most likely find out soon whether or not Ahmed will be joining the film at all. In addition to that, more characters, including Carnage, will hopefully have been cast before filming starts. Venom will be the first Sony-Marvel film to kick-off their separate universe, with Gina Prince-Bythewood’s Silver and Black set to start filming sometime this year too.
Scott Rosenberg (Jumanji) and Jeff Pinkner (The Dark Tower) are writing the screenplay, with Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach, who are no strangers to the Spider-Man universe, set to produce. Sony producer Amy Pascal is also attached to the project.
Ruben Fleischer’s Venom, starring Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock, is set to hit theaters on October 5, 2018.