Venom 2: Let There Be Carnage cinema release date UK, age rating of movie sequel - and watch film trailer

After navigating the delays bestowed upon basically all blockbuster movies at the moment, Venom: Let There Be Carnage is set to premiere earlier than initially anticipated.

This is everything you need to know - from the plot and cast to the new release date.

What’s it about?

In the first film, we saw investigative journalist Eddie Brock gaining superpowers after becoming the host of an alien whose species plans on invading earth - the chocolate loving Venom.

Talking about the film, director Andy Serkis said that Brock and Venom were now, in effect, in “the Odd Couple stage of their relationship”.

He said: “They’ve been together for… a year and a half, say, since the last story. And they’re figuring out how to be with each other. And it’s like living with this maniac toddler.”

Serkis explained that the relationship between the two will be quite strained, with Brock “really struggling” and unable to focus or work, and Venom feeling trapped “because he can’t leave Eddie’s body unless he has his permission”.

Venom: Let There Be Carnage will feature new noisy villain Shriek, and while her storyline has not been revealed, if her original plot line in the comics are anything to go by then we might just see her and lover Cletus Kasady go on a killing spree together.

Who is in the cast?

Tom Hardy is back once again reviving the role as Eddie Brock, the journalist with an alien alter-ego, Venom. You’ll likely recognise Hardy as Alfie Solomons in Peaky Blinders, James Keziah Delany in Taboo, John Fitzgerald in TheRevenant, Max Rockatansky in MadMax: FuryRoad and Bane in TheDarkKnightRises.

Also coming back is Michelle Williams (Blue Valentine, Fosse/Verdon) as Brock’s ex-wife Anne Weying.

Rounding out the rest of the cast is:

• Woody Harrelson (True Detective, The Freak Brothers) as killer Cletus Kasady 
• Naomie Harris (The Third Day, Spectre) as Shriek 
• Stephen Graham (Save Me, Code 404) as Detective Mulligan 
• Reid Scott (Why Women Kill, Veep) as Dr Dan Lewis

Killing Eve star Sean Delaney also confirmed to Insider that he has landed a “very, very small blink-and-you’ll-miss-me role”.

He added: “In terms of what I play in it, I can’t say anything about it. In terms of its tie to the story, it’s really cool. It’s really, really cool.”

Taking over from the director of the first Venom film, Ruben Fleisher (Superstore, Escape My Life), is Andy Serkis.

Serkis is better known for his on-screen performances, including Gollum/Smeagol in The Lord of the Rings franchise, Caesar in the Planet of the Ape franchise, and in TV series such as The Sandman, The Letter for the King and Little Dorrit.

Speaking about the villain Shriek, Serkis told IGN: “She’s a damaged soul and she really has suffered in her childhood, but there is a real vulnerability about her, and she’s in a lot of pain… She’s been living in isolation for years, years and years.

“She’s dangerous too and I think she has her own sense of fairness and being just, and I think when that line is crossed, then you see a very, very dangerous, dark side to her, and that’s what we wanted to do with the character.”

What’s the age rating for the film?

The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has awarded the Venom sequel a rating of 15, which means it is not suitable for those under 15-years-old.

It has been rated a 15 due to “threat and horror” and “violence” according to the BBFC website.

This age rating is the same of the original Venom film, which was also awarded an age 15 rating.

Producer Avi Arad told Collider: “When you hear Carnage, the only thing you can think of is R. But, if you know his story, if you really know the comic, there’s no R here.

“He’s a tortured soul. It’s not about what he does, because we never have to show the knife going from here to there, and the blood pouring. What you have to show is, what is the motivation?”

When is it getting released?

It’s good news for Venom fans as the film has actually had its release date pushed forward.

The film has undergone delay after delay - originally it was due to be released on 2 October in 2020, and then it got moved to 25 June 2021 and again to 15 October.

However, it has now been recently confirmed that Venom: Let There Be Carnage will be out in the US on 1 October.

Unfortunately this announcement only applies for US audiences - as far as the UK is concerned, it appears that it will be sticking to schedule and premiering on 15 October.

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