Sony’s “R”-rated comic universe kicks off with the Ruben Fleischer-directed Venom, which stars Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock, a disgraced journalist who becomes one with an alien symbiote. After playing in front of thousands at the San Diego Comic-Con, the newest trailer is here and delivers both humor and ultraviolence.

There’s a lot to unpack here but first and foremost the special effects look even more complete than in the previous trailer. The Venom design looks phenomenal and so does Riot, one of the five foundation symbiotes created by Riz Ahmed‘s Dr. Carlton Drake. In fact, it looks as if Drake turns himself into Riot and will be the film’s big bad. Assuming this follows the comic’s path, there will be at least four other subordinate symbiotes, two of which are accounted for in the trailer (one is female!). As for Carnage, contrary to reports out of the Comic-Con, there’s no sign of Venom’s arch nemesis. Woody Harrelson will play the role, which is allegedly a setup for the film’s sequel.

Digressing, while there’s no actual blood in the trailer, it’s actually pretty damn violent. There are a ton of sequences that look to deliver the goods, including a scene in which Riot decapitates an entire room of people and another in which Venom swallows someone whole! It’s a dense storyline, which had me a little worried, but it looks like Fleischer was the right man for the job. Having come off doing the horror comedy bit to perfection with Zombieland, it’s not surprising in the very least that Venom has a strong injection of dark humor, which also aligns perfectly with the source material. Venom is a one-liner machine, but the quips are delivered out of the direct nature of the symbiote; he’s fucking dead serious.

“Eyes, lungs, pancreas…so many snacks. So little time.”  

Venom is inspired by “Venom: Lethal Protector”, a six-episode limited series that gave Venom his first turn as an antihero. In it, Eddie Brock (Venom) moves to San Francisco where he’s captured and has a small portion of symbiote seeds plucked from his suit. They’re in turn used to create offspring of the Venom Symbiote: Scream, Phage, Riot, Lasher, and Agony.

As for “Planet of the Symbiotes”, another inspiration, Eddie Brock’s relationship is with his symbiote and the influence it has on him is explored. Also written by Michelinie, “Planet of the Symbiotes” follows Venom fighting an army of symbiotes with the help of Spider-Man and Scarlet Spider. (IGN)

Woody Harrelson is rumored to be playing Cletus Kasady, who becomes the vicious symbiote known as Carnage, alongside Michelle Williams, Riz Ahmed, Scott Haze, and Reid Scott.

The adaptation set for release on October 5, 2018.