VENOM ISN’T DONE YET: Sony Greenlights New Animated Movie with Tom Hardy Involved – Final Destination: Bloodlines Directors Take the Helm in Bold Expansion of the Symbiote Universe
The Venom franchise refuses to die. Just months after Tom Hardy bid farewell to Eddie Brock and his toothy alien sidekick in Venom: The Last Dance (2024), Sony Pictures has quietly confirmed development on a brand-new animated feature starring the symbiote. Announced in February 2026, the project marks the first time the character steps into fully animated territory under the Sony Pictures Animation banner—home to the critically acclaimed Spider-Verse films—and signals the studio’s determination to keep milking one of its most profitable Marvel-adjacent properties.
Directing duties fall to Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein, the duo behind the surprise 2025 horror hit Final Destination: Bloodlines. The film, which revived the long-dormant franchise with inventive kills and strong box office returns, proved the pair can handle high-concept scares, dark humor, and visceral thrills—qualities that align perfectly with Venom’s chaotic, body-horror roots. Lipovsky and Stein, who also directed episodes of shows like Mech-X4 and the live-action Kim Possible movie, bring a fresh perspective to the character, blending their horror sensibilities with the symbiote’s signature blend of gore, comedy, and anti-hero swagger.
Tom Hardy remains deeply involved, though details are scarce. Sources close to the production indicate the actor—whose portrayal of Eddie Brock/Venom grossed over $1.8 billion across three live-action films—is attached as a producer alongside his frequent collaborator Kelly Marcel (co-writer of the trilogy). Whether Hardy will reprise his voice role for Eddie (or provide the signature gravelly Venom growl) remains unconfirmed, but his creative input ensures continuity with the established tone: buddy-comedy vibes, over-the-top violence, and the “we are Venom” catchphrase that became a cultural staple. Joining the producing team are returning veterans Amy Pascal, Avi Arad, and Matt Tolmach, who shepherded the live-action movies from concept to blockbuster success.
The project is in its earliest stages. A writers’ room has opened at Sony Pictures Animation to explore story ideas, with no script, plot synopsis, or release date locked in yet. Speculation runs wild: Will this be a standalone tale, perhaps diving deeper into Venom’s cosmic origins or comic-book lore? Could it tie into the Spider-Verse multiverse, introducing Spider-Man (or variants) in ways the live-action films avoided due to rights issues? Or might it reimagine the Eddie Brock bond in cartoon form, leaning into the character’s cartoonish, exaggerated nature—tentacles whipping, tongues lashing, and fourth-wall-breaking banter?
Sony’s move makes strategic sense. The Venom films, despite mixed-to-negative critical reception, proved remarkably resilient at the box office. Venom (2018) earned $856 million, Let There Be Carnage (2021) pulled in $506 million during the pandemic, and The Last Dance (2024) closed the trilogy with solid returns. The symbiote’s appeal lies in its anti-hero status—funny, violent, and unapologetically chaotic—making animation an ideal playground. Unlike the live-action entries, which stayed mostly PG-13, this animated version could push boundaries further, potentially earning an R-rating for gore and language, as hinted in early reports.
The choice of directors adds intrigue. Lipovsky and Stein’s Final Destination: Bloodlines succeeded by revitalizing a franchise with creative death sequences and modern scares, proving they can handle ensemble casts and high-stakes tension. Applying that to Venom could yield inventive action: symbiote tendrils slicing through foes in stylized, animated glory, body-horror transformations rendered in fluid detail, or comedic set pieces where Eddie and Venom bicker mid-battle. Their relative newcomers to Marvel properties could inject fresh energy, avoiding the fatigue that plagued some live-action spin-offs.
Sony Pictures Animation has earned its stripes with the Spider-Verse trilogy, which redefined animated superhero storytelling through groundbreaking visuals, emotional depth, and multiverse flair. Into the Spider-Verse (2018) and Across the Spider-Verse (2023) won Oscars and grossed hundreds of millions; the upcoming Beyond the Spider-Verse (slated for 2027) continues the momentum. An animated Venom could slot neatly into this universe—perhaps as a side story or cameo-heavy crossover—without the live-action rights constraints that limited Spider-Man’s presence in the Hardy films.
For fans, the news revives hope after The Last Dance felt like a definitive goodbye. Hardy’s commitment to the character (he famously fought to keep certain elements intact) suggests the animated film will honor the trilogy’s spirit: Eddie as a flawed, lovable loser bonded to a chaotic alien who brings out his worst and best. The symbiote’s hunger for brains, its protective instincts, and its dry humor could translate brilliantly to animation, allowing wilder designs and sequences impossible in live-action.
No release window has been announced, but given Sony’s aggressive push into animated Marvel content, expect development to accelerate. The studio continues expanding its Spider-Man Universe—despite setbacks with films like Kraven the Hunter and Madame Web—and Venom remains its most reliable asset. With Spider-Verse sequels on the horizon and this new project in play, the symbiote’s future looks brighter than ever.
Venom isn’t done yet—it’s evolving. From live-action anti-hero to animated chaos-bringer, the black ooze endures. Whether Hardy voices the monster again or simply guides from behind the scenes, one thing is clear: the Lethal Protector is far from finished. Fans, get ready—the symbiote is coming back, this time in glorious, animated form.
