As Spider-Man continues to be an important participant in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Sony Pictures is hard at work crafting its own Spider-Man-centric cinematic universe, but without actually featuring the Webbed Wonder. The first one out the gate will be Venom, centered on Spidey's symbiote-powered adversary. So far Tom Hardy is the only actor that's officially confirmed for the Venom movie, but following a month after it was reported that Rogue One's Riz Ahmed might join the cast, now there's word that Manchester by the Sea's Michelle Williams is being eyed to play the main protagonists' love interest.
Michelle Williams is currently in talks to board the Venom movie, and if a deal is reached, she will reportedly be playing a district attorney who becomes romantically involved with Eddie Brock, the man who will become Venom. Williams' character wasn't named, though given her profession and a rumor from earlier this year, it's likely that this is Ann Weying. Variety writer Justin Kroll also tweeted out that other actresses who were in the mix for this role included Blade Runner 2049's Sylvia Hoeks, Pitch's Kylie Bunbury and Fantastic Four's Kate Mara, but Sony executive Tom Rothmans was "particularly blown away" by Williams after seeing her performance in the upcoming All the Money in the World.
Michelle Williams' notable credits over the years include Dawson's Creek, Brokeback Mountain, Blue Valentine, Shutter Island, My Week with Marilyn, Oz the Great and Powerful and Manchester by the Sea. During her time in Hollywood, she's collected one Golden Globe, three Golden Globe nominations, four Academy Award nominations and one Tony Award nomination. So needless to say that if Venom is able to draw her in to play one of the leads, it would be a major score.
No Venom plot details have been revealed yet other than the story will see the eponymous character clashing with Cletus Kasady, a.k.a. Carnage, who uses his symbiote powers for mass slaughter. As far as Ann Weying is concerned (if that is indeed who Michelle Williams is playing), she was Eddie Brock's ex-wife in the comics who briefly became She-Venom after Eddie passed the symbiote to her when she was horribly injured. However, the trauma of being She-Venom and the violence she committed during that time weighed on Ann after she was eventually freed from the Venom symbiote, and she later committed suicide. Whether or not any of that material will be adapted for the Venom movie remains to be seen.
Directed by Ruben Fleischer, Venom will wreak havoc on the big screen starting October 5, 2018. To find out what else is being released in theaters next year, look through our 2018 movie premiere guide. You can see Michelle Williams on the big screen next in All the Money in the World, which comes out on December 8.
