Sony’s Spider-Man universe might be about to get a bold new twist — and this time, it’s animated.
After turning heads with Final Destination: Bloodlines, directors Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein are reportedly in talks to helm an animated Venom feature for Sony. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the project is in early development, with no writer attached yet and plot details still under wraps.
But even at this early stage, the move signals something interesting: Sony isn’t done experimenting with its most successful anti-hero.
A New Direction for Venom
The live-action Venom trilogy built a solid commercial base for Sony. It began with Venom, directed by Ruben Fleischer, which introduced audiences to Eddie Brock — the journalist who becomes host to an alien symbiote.
The character, originally created by David Michelinie and Todd McFarlane, first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #300 back in 1988. On screen, Venom had an earlier outing in Spider-Man 3, where Topher Grace portrayed the character.
But it was Tom Hardy who truly defined Venom for a modern audience. The 2018 film exploded at the global box office, earning over $856 million worldwide. That success paved the way for sequels — Venom: Let There Be Carnage and Venom: The Last Dance — turning Venom into Sony’s strongest standalone Spider-Man-adjacent franchise.
Now, shifting into animation could open creative doors that live-action simply can’t.
Why Lipovsky and Stein Make Sense
Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein are coming off a career-defining year. Their latest film, Final Destination: Bloodlines, didn’t just revive the horror franchise — it became its highest-grossing and best-reviewed entry, pulling in over $317 million globally.
That kind of breakout moment puts directors on Hollywood’s fast track. And the duo hasn’t slowed down.
They’re also attached to co-write a new Gremlins film alongside Chris Columbus, while juggling projects like The Earthling at Columbia, Long Lost at Universal, and The Traveler at Paramount.
In short, they’re having a moment — and Sony appears ready to capitalize on it.
What Could an Animated Venom Look Like?
Animation offers freedom — especially for a character like Venom, whose grotesque transformations, alien texture, and comic-book chaos can stretch beyond the limits of CGI budgets.
With superhero animation thriving thanks to stylized storytelling trends over the past few years, an animated Venom could lean darker, edgier, or even more comic-accurate than its live-action counterparts.
Producers Amy Pascal, Avi Arad, and Matt Tolmach — key architects of the live-action trilogy — are expected to return, along with Hardy in some capacity. Whether that means voice work, producing input, or both remains unclear.
Sony’s Bigger Strategy
Venom has consistently been Sony’s most bankable villain-centric property within its Spider-Man universe. Other spin-offs have struggled to match its financial success. That makes this animated pivot less of a gamble and more of a strategic extension.
With superhero fatigue occasionally surfacing in the live-action space, animation might offer a fresh lane — one that keeps the character relevant without overextending the formula.
Final Words
It’s early days. No script. No plot. No official green light announcement yet.
But the idea of Lipovsky and Stein steering an animated Venom is intriguing. They’ve proven they can rejuvenate legacy franchises, and Venom is a character that thrives on reinvention.
If Sony plays this right, this won’t just be another spin-off — it could be the next evolution of the symbiote saga. And for a character who’s survived comics, reboots, and multiple cinematic interpretations, evolution might be exactly what Venom needs.
