Animated 'Venom' movie rumored to be in the works but the rating might just surprise you
The previously released animated movies, 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse' and 'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse' have quite a few strengths. What's noticeably lacking, though, is the realistic depiction of bloody violence. That said, the animated films can't be blamed entirely, as they were released in theaters with a PG rating. Sony's Spider-Man Universe, which consists of the Spider-Man-less 'Venom' movies, might be poised to fare better with rumors suggesting that an upcoming animated 'Venom' movie is rapidly moving through the pipelines at Sony Entertainment.
As per ComicBookMovie, Daniel Richtman recently reported on X that 'Final Destination: Bloodlines' directors Adam B. Stein and Zach Lipovsky have been tasked with helming the upcoming animated 'Venom' movie. Tom Hardy, who previously played the live-action version of Eddie Brock in the 'Venom' franchise, is supposed to be associated with the animated project in an undisclosed capacity, adding further suspense to the project. Hardy earlier seemingly announced that he wouldn't return to play the disgraced journalist after the 2024 movie 'The Last Dance.' The rumors surrounding the animated movie first surfaced back in 2024. If the speculations are believed to be true for a moment, Sony might be on the cusp of making a bold decision.
An R-rated movie or television show cannot be watched by anyone below 17 years of age and requires parental supervision. As such, the animated movie would be casting a narrow net to attract film-going audiences to theaters. While there have been popular R-rated animation titles such as 'Rick and Morty' and 'Invincible,' they were targeted towards television and streaming platform audiences. An R-rated animated movie would be quite an experiment for Sony, even with a popular character such as the Lethal Protector. However, the R-rating could finally allow the character to be portrayed in the way it was intended. Unlike a PG or PG-13 release, an R-rated film could feature the character's brutal combat style, dark psychological undertones, ethical gray areas, and more, adding a new level of depth and authenticity to the Lethal Protector's story.
As expected, the speculations have prompted Reddit rumor mills to be abuzz, and one user wrote on the r/boxoffice sub-Reddit, expressing his faith in the director duo, "This was definitely not on my 2026 bingo card, but after Bloodlines… yeah, I'm gonna let Stein and Lipovsky cook here." Another user further speculated on the impact of the animated movie if it were to come to pass, "Curious if this starts another wave of Spider-Man spin-off films, but in animated form, which I imagine people might be more receptive to since it's animation." A third user remarked, "An R-rated movie with Spider-Verse animation would be a dream," while another user stated, "They’re building a good reputation at least. “From the studio that brought you Spiderverse and K-Pop Demon Hunters” was all over their marketing for GOAT and audiences seem to be enjoying that one too. I think you can be confident at worst it’ll still be visually cool." 'Venom: The Last Dance' will be available for streaming on Netflix on February 25, 2026.
