While script writing for films and series has ground to a halt, largely due to the 2023 Writers Guild of America Strike, studios are still moving forward, filming projects with completed scripts. Today, we have an update on an upcoming Marvel film from Sony’s Spider-Man Universe! The Cosmic Circus can confirm the working title for Venom 3! So without further ado, let’s dive in!
Venom 3’s working title appears to hint at the villain
Venom: Let There Be Carnage arrived in theaters a year into the Covid-19 pandemic when the state of movie theaters appeared rocky. With a budget of $110 million and accruing nearly five times that amount, it was only a matter of time before a third movie was in development.
A recent report from Production List indicated that Venom 3 is expected to begin filming on June 5, however, that may change to the above-mentioned Writers Strike and other production issues as the film develops. That being said, we’ve learned from our sources that Sony’s Venom 3 working title is simply “Orwell.”
At first, the single name for the W/T seemed odd, especially if you’re not a fan of Venom comics. However, some of you who are more familiar with the comic book counterpart of the famous Spidey anti-hero may recognize the name and the implications for the story in this threequel.
George Orwell or Orwell Taylor?
When I first heard the name Orwell associated with Venom 3, naturally I thought of George Orwell. George Orwell is an author best known for his works Animal Farm and 1984. This seemed like an odd connection to a comic book film, although there have been stranger ones. However, as pointed out by someone else on The Cosmic Circus team, a comic book character with a direct connection to Venom quickly jumped out: Orwell Taylor.
Orwell Taylor is an ex-general of the United States Army, who develops a heavy grudge against Venom. Taylor, who has two sons, becomes angry and slips into madness when Venom kills his son Hugh. His mission in life is to seek revenge against Eddie Brock and the symbiote but any means possible.
Taylor creates a group called the Jury, consisting of his son’s friends, who either served in the army with Hugh or worked at the Vault with him. The Jury is armored with suits based on some of Iron Man’s designs, looking like punk rockers from the 80s.
Orwell Taylor and The Jury fail at their mission to kill Venom and eventually move on to other ventures. Eventually, they work with the Life Foundation, which was front and center in the first Venom film.
Orwell Taylor and Venom: Lethal Protector
Besides the direct connection to the Life Foundation, which I’m sure will come into play at some point in Venom 3, what does the working title Orwell mean for this new film? It seems that Orwell’s introduction in the film hints at what’s to come, and Orwell Taylor was introduced in the comic event Venom: Lethal Protector.
Venom: Lethal Protector was a six-part series from 1993, which was the first series to feature Eddie Brock/Venom in his own series. The series sees Venom moving from New York City to San Francisco, after making a deal with Spider-Man that both can co-exist as long as Venom agrees not to kill. However, he’s followed by Orwell Taylor, who seeks revenge alongside The Jury.
The coverage of Orwell and Venom brings Spider-Man to San Francisco, who ends up fighting alongside Venom against the symbiotes’ offspring. The children of Venom featured in the story are Scream, Phage, Riot, Lasher, and Agony. The development of Venom’s offspring involves the Life Foundation, led by Carlton Drake.
What’s interesting about the possible adaptation of Venom: Lethal Protector, is that the previous two films adapt large parts of the story. The first film features Carlton Drake (Riz Ahmed), who is the leader of the Life Foundation, who pushes the experiments and becomes Riot by the end of the film.
The storyline is also picked up a bit in Venom: Let There Be Carnage, with Eddie and Venom embracing their role as anti-heroes. At one point they even refer to themselves as “The Lethal Protector.”
That being said, there are other aspects of the story that may make its way into the film. The first is obviously Orwell Taylor and The Jury, who could become formidable foes to Eddie and Venom. As well, perhaps Orwell helps to bring about some more of Venom’s children, such as the other four introduced in the Lethal Protector comic story, besides Riot.
The film adaptation of Lethal Protector could also explore some more of Eddie’s life before becoming Venom, such as his history with his father Carl. Carl is emotionally cold and borderline abusive to Eddie after Eddie’s mother passes away during childbirth. This interesting dynamic from Eddie’s formative years would bring another level to the film, grounding it more than its predecessors.
What do you think about Venom 3’s working title “Orwell”?
It’s currently unknown when Venom 3 will arrive in theaters, except that it’s expected sometime in 2024. But what are your thoughts on the working title? Excited about the potential of a proper Lethal Protector adaptation? Let us know on Twitter @mycosmiccircus or in The Cosmic Circus Discord.
And if you need a refresher, check out our review of Venom: Let There Be Carnage!
Venom: Let There Be Carnage Review: Non-Stop Fun
