Spider-Man spinoff 'Venom' ropes in Tom Hardy

Venom just got one big step closer to reality.

Sony's long-gestating Spider-Man spinoff has just roped in a new star, Tom Hardy, and a new director, Ruben Fleischer (Zombieland). Sony previously pinned down an October 5, 2018 release date for the project.

Sony Pictures confirmed the news to Mashable, and announced Hardy's casting via social media.

Venom is intended to help kick off an entire slate of Spider-Man-related movies, including one centered around Black Cat and Silver Sable. But they won't be narratively connected to Sony's latest reboot of the Spider-Man franchise, which kicks off this summer with Spider-Man: Homecoming.

Venom is a popular Spider-Man villain who's also fought for the good guys, even joining the Guardians of the Galaxy comic books for a spell. An alien symbiote who needs a human host, he initially attaches himself to Peter Parker, but the best-known Venom is Eddie Brock. The character appeared in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 3, where he was played by Topher Grace.

Hardy's had comic book movie experience before. He played Bane in The Dark Knight Rises and was originally cast in DC's Suicide Squad before scheduling conflicts forced him out. (Joel Kinnaman eventually took his place.)

As for Fleischer, it'll be his first feature directorial effort since 2013's very terrible Gangster Squad. In the meantime, he's kept busy in TV, helming episodes of Santa Clarita Diet and Superstore among others.