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Venom: Let There Be Carnage Will Not Have R-Rating

Venom: Let There Be Carnage Will Not Have R-Rating

There was some speculation that it might, allowing the sequel to be more gruesome, but it will have the same rating as the original

Jake Massey

Jake Massey

Venom: Let There Be Carnage will not have an R-rating, despite early reports from the film's creative team that a higher age rating wasn't out of the question.

In the United States, R-rated films require people under the age of 17 to be accompanied by an adult due to 'strong violence and language throughout, sexual content and graphic nudity'.

While the UK doesn't use the same system, it's similar to a film that's classed as a 15.

There was speculation that the upcoming sequel might have the rating, enabling the franchise to stay true to its dark and gruesome comic book origins.

However, like the original, it will also be rated PG-13, due to 'intense sequences of violence and action, some strong language, disturbing material, and suggestive references'.

Lots of teens will be happy with the news.
Sony Pictures Releasing

The news will come as a disappointment to many fans, particularly after many other films in the genre demonstrated that huge commercial success is still possible with an R-rating.

Indeed, even Venom producer Matt Tolmach touched on this.

In an interview with CinemaBlend in 2019, he said: "I think what Joker does is it tells you that you can succeed. For a very long time, that was the narrative.

"And Deadpool sort of wrestled that to the turf, and then Logan, but for a long time, that was considered totally forbidden.

"So you know, I think it's the greatest thing in the world that R-rated movies are being embraced by massive audiences. And it just means that there are more opportunities for that kind of storytelling."


Tom Hardy returns in the sequel as Eddie Brock, a journalist who plays host to the alien symbiote Venom, while Michelle Williams returns as Eddie's ex-girlfriend Anne Weying, and Reid Scott returns as Anne's new partner.

Woody Harrelson takes on the role of titular villain, Carnage.

The first flick was directed by Ruben Fleischer, but he's been replaced for the second outing by The Lord of the Rings star Andy Serkis, which should be interesting.

Screenwriter Kelly Marcel paid tribute to Hardy for his role helping to devise the script for the second film, explaining how he decided to get involved with the writing process.

She told Empire: "This is new for him, to get credit.

"But it's not new for him to be this involved. He's absolutely 100 percent committed to everything that he does."

She added: "He's married to Venom. He loves this character. He's very involved in what he thinks should happen.

"He doesn't get a pen and write. We spent months breaking the story together on FaceTime, riffing on ideas, seeing what worked, seeing what didn't.

"Then I took everything we spoke about and holed up somewhere for three months quietly, knocking out a script."

Venom: Let There Be Carnage is in cinemas from 15 October.

Featured Image Credit: Sony Pictures Releasing

Topics: TV and Film, US Entertainment, Marvel