Recent news from Variety suggests that the ensemble for the first film as part of Sony’s Marvel Universe, Venom, is beginning to take shape. According to the outlet, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story actor Riz Ahmed is in early talks to join star Tom Hardy in the upcoming Spider-Man spin-off film.
Given how different outlets have reported different things regarding Ahmed’s potential casting and which character he may play in the Eddie Brock-focused sci-fi horror flick, nothing is concrete at the moment. Sources told Variety “that he’ll be playing a popular Marvel Comics character,” and while The Tracking Board confirmed that statement in its write-up, editor in chief Jeff Sneider divulged a rumor that Ahmed auditioned for the role of Carnage, the film’s villain, and is being considered for it. A person close to the project also told Sneider that Ahmed will, in fact, take on the part of the evil extraterrestrial parasite, but another insider seemingly refuted that claim.
Additionally, Variety writer Justin Kroll mentioned on Twitter that Matt Smith (The Crown), Pedro Pascal (Kingsman: The Golden Circle) and Mathias Schoenarts (A Bigger Splash) are also up for Ahmed’s role.
To make the matter more complicated, The Hollywood Reporter claims that the folks at Sony are still looking to cast Carnage and Ahmed is no longer in the conversation for that role, following script changes. Overall, no one really knows who Ahmed will play in the film, but most signs seem to point to him being in it, at the very least.
Those who have been following Ahmed’s career over the past few years have had a front row seat to his meteoric rise to fame, which began in 2014 with his stellar turn in Nightcrawler; since then, his work in Rogue One, Jason Bourne, The Night Of and Girls hasn’t gone unnoticed.
Scott Rosenberg (Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle) and Jeff Pinkner (The Dark Tower) are working on a script for the film, which will be in the hands of director Ruben Fleischer (Zombieland). The film is due out on October 5th, 2018.
