Director Andy Serkis has opened up on how the relationship between Eddie Brock and Venom has changed in the time between the first film and the upcoming Venom: Let There Be Carnage. The story will see the return of Tom Hardy's investigative journalist as he and the titular symbiote must face off against serial killer Cletus Kasady and the evil alien symbiote Carnage. Alongside Hardy, the cast will include the returns of Michelle Williams and Woody Harrelson as well as the introductions of Naomie Harris and Stephen Graham.

After initially considering including him in the first film, the creative team behind 2018's Venom elected to save Carnage for a potential future film to better focus on Eddie and Venom. Despite taking a critical beating, the film proved to be a hit at the box office and Sony officially ordered a sequel in January 2019 with Kelly Marcel returning to write the script after co-writing the original. With original director Ruben Fleischer busy working on Zombieland: Double Tap, Serkis signed on to direct in August 2019 and production ran from that November to February the following year just before the global pandemic shut down nearly all film and television productions. Much like many other films last year, the sequel saw its release date delayed numerous times but is currently set to hit theaters on September 24.

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In a breakdown of the first trailer for the film for IGN, Serkis opened up about the new relationship between Venom and Eddie and how it has changed in the "year and a half" since the first film's story. Looking to explore what fans loved about the first film, Serkis explained that he and his creative team amplified the "Odd Couple" stage of the relationship between the two. Read what Serkis had to say below.

"They're figuring out how to be with each other and it's like living with this maniac toddler. Eddie is really struggling. He can't concentrate. He's trying to get on with work. And he, of course, only thinks about himself anyway, on the whole. So having this other being in a small space in his little flat, it's like looking into kind of a weird, screwed-up mirror version of himself. And Venom of course feels trapped, because he can't leave Eddie's body unless he has his permission. And when they go out, the deal is - you live in my body, you live by my rules. And we're under threat. We're in a dangerous position here. We've got to keep quiet. And nobody must know because of all the things that happened in the last story, if people find out and get a grip of what's going on then we'll both be hauled into Area 51 and examined.”

Stephen Graham in Venom: Let There Be Carnage.

While critics and audiences may have been very divided on their opinions on the first Venom, one thing most agreed upon was the enjoyment that came from watching Eddie and Venom interact. Though the end of the last film saw the two pretty in sync with each other and their desires, the idea of somewhat starting anew with the two as Venom has devolved in a significant time jump while Eddie tries to grow. Venom and Eddie's uneasy relationship is primed for the fun foibles that come from the odd couple formula, making Serkis' comments about a further emphasis on this element sure to excite fans.

As much as fans might have a lot of anticipation for the sequel, there are still a number of things it will have to fix to course correct from its predecessor. A bigger spotlight on Eddie and Venom will surely keep fans pleased and, if it handles their relationship a little better than the last film, it could actually win over some naysayers. For now, we'll have to wait and see until Venom: Let There Be Carnage hits theaters on September 24.

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Source: IGN