Venom just showcased a bunch of new footage at San Diego Comic-Con. Sony decided to bring a couple of the Spider-Man projects that they have in the works to the convention this year, including the animated Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and the Ruben Fleischer-directed Venom solo movie. Unfortunately, none of the footage that was screened is going to be released online, but first-hand descriptions of the footage reveal that this is going to be a violent affair.
As we've been told, Venom does not connect to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Based on the footage that was just showcased, there is probably a good reason for that. Per this description from Comicbook.com, this isn't at all in line with the tone that's been established by Marvel Studios over in the MCU.
"Eddie Brock enters a convenience store. He knows the lady here. She says he looks like s---. He's not feeling well. She suggested to him previously that he meditate. At home, he puts a disc in his DVD player and while laying on the floor meditates. Flashes of him running through the woods kick in. He smacks his face on the couch. He pounds pills. He looks unwell and calls someone to say he's feeling very sick. He awakens, startled. Later, he walks through an alley and sees Venom in the reflection of a car window before being flung against a wall. Riz Ahmed's character rules that human beings are disposable. Man and symbiote combined is the future. He tests one on a man who is bent out of shape violently. Eddie is tested later. As a result, he brutally beats men in his apartment with Venom's help. His motorcycle is sandwiched by cars but Venom holds them off."
Some of this was teased in the previous trailer, but word out of SDCC is that this was much more interesting footage that paints the movie in a much better light. Tom Hardy reportedly gets downright brutal when it comes to his confrontations with bad guys in the upcoming comic book flick. He takes out a bunch of guys with what can only be described as symbiote axes and he straight-up bites a guys head off. The footage description continues as follows.
"Venom tells Eddie his previous life is over. Eddie doesn't want to just hurt people. Venom emerges and talks to Eddie face to face. After Eddie's body is bent and broken, Venom heals him and stands 10 feet tall. He holds a man up and licks his face. Ahmed's character is proud of his creation. Action scenes flash by. Eddie starts to come around on the power. His gal seems concerned about that. A woman throws spikes out of her back and into civilians at a market. Venom's arms turn into giant axes and he wipes out a slew of enemies. More action scenes. Venom fights Ahmed's symbiote counterpart. Venom threatens to eat a man's face off of his head who is bothering the woman in the convenience store. When he asks 'What the hell are you,' half the face disappears and Eddie and Venom say, 'We are Venom.' Then, he eats his head. Eddie emerges and says goodnight to the woman."
Word from the panel is that the footage simply wasn't ready to be officially released, but it sounds absolutely nuts. Venom hasn't been officially rated yet, though, based on this, it's not hard to imagine this thing is going to earn itself a big, fat R from the folks at the MPAA. Venom arrives in theaters on October 5. This news comes to us courtesy of Comicbook.com.