‘Venom’ Director Reveals Which Comics the Film is Adapting, Woody Harrelson Joins Cast

Woody Harrelson is an absolute godsend in an industry that doesn't seem to have an ounce of fun in its bones. That's why I couldn't be happier to know that he's joining his FIFTH major league cinematic franchise—following Now You See Me, The Hunger Games, Planet of the Apes, and Star Wars—by signing on to join the cast of October's Venom.

According to Variety, Harrelson joins the cast which includes two fellow Oscar nominees (Tom Hardy & Michelle Williams), another Star Wars alum (Rogue One's Riz Ahmed), and Chris Evans' girlfriend (Jenny Slate). But the real draw for Harrelson was the chance to reunite with Zombieland director Ruben Fleischer, who was only recently released from movie jail after making 2013's abysmal Gangster Squad.

This news comes on the heels of Fleischer himself spilling the beans on what comic book storyline(s) we could expect the film to adapt. In an interview with Collider, the director said that the film is "primarily based on two comic book runs: Lethal Protector and Planet of the Symbiotes." The former is basically "Venom Goes West and Becomes a Crime Fighter For Some Reason," while the latter is the storyline that more or less introduced Carnage. 

The interesting thing about both of these comics is that they feature Venom teaming up with Spidey. Both of them. So, I really don't know if they've just assigned themselves this as a writing exercise or if there's going to be a legit Spider-Man in this movie. Due to this being outside the MCU, that likely means Tom Holland's Peter Parker is off the table, so maybe Riz Ahmed can be Miguel O'Hara a.k.a. Spider-Man 2099. Ooo, or maybe Jenny Slate's playing Spider-Gwen, since all the kids love her now. Or, you go a really great direction and have Woody Harrelson play an aged Peter Parker who's become a recluse pothead living in Astoria. I honestly like that one the best. Hopefully they've got the whole thing cast now because it opens on October 5.