Venom director Ruben Fleischer has opened up about the Tom Hardy film’s negative response.
Venom was absolutely panned by critics when it debuted in 2018. Nevertheless, audiences showed up in droves and made it one of the highest-grossing films of the year. The film’s success led to a sequel, directed by Andy Serkis, which eventually linked the film and the franchise to the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe. Despite all that, Venom is still remembered as a critical misfire.
Ruben Fleischer opted not to direct the sequel, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, in favor of Uncharted, which hits cinemas later this weekend. The Venom sequel also didn’t fare well critically, though it was considered a step up. Speaking with ComicBook, Fleischer opened up about how the film’s negative reception impacted him, revealing that it felt disheartening.
“The critical reaction, I’m not going to lie, is a bummer just because you work so hard on something. And I know, having watched it with audiences, how much they enjoyed it. So, it was a little surprising to me how negative they were. And I do think it’s unwarranted because the audiences, as you said, really loved the film. Otherwise, I don’t think it would’ve been quite the success it was. So, it was disheartening, for sure, that it has this kind of association.”
The Venom helmer continued by calling out Rotten Tomatoes as a “be-all-end-all” that can forever stain a film’s legacy.
“Hopefully, over time, people will… There’s plenty of movies that are beloved that, when they came out, were panned by critics. t’s just unfortunate that RottenTomatoes exists as this aggregate that then, forever, will have an assigned rating to a thing. That being said, it is what it is. And if people like the movie, that’s all I care about. And, hopefully, the same will be true of Uncharted. I made it for the audience. I made it to be a really fun, escapist, action packed adventure. And, at the end of the day, that’s who I made the movie for. And I’ll be proud and excited if fans and audiences love the film.”
Tom Hardy’s Venom last appeared in Spider-Man: No Way Home:
“For the first time in the cinematic history of Spider-Man, our friendly neighborhood hero’s identity is revealed, bringing his Super Hero responsibilities into conflict with his normal life and putting those he cares about most at risk. When he enlists Doctor Strange’s help to restore his secret, the spell tears a hole in their world, releasing the most powerful villains who’ve ever fought a Spider-Man in any universe. Now, Peter will have to overcome his greatest challenge yet, which will not only forever alter his own future but the future of the Multiverse.”
Directed by Jon Watts from a script written by Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, Marvel’s No Way Home stars Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Tony Revolori, Martin Starr, J.B. Smoove, Marisa Tomei, Jon Favreau, Benedict Wong, Benedict Cumberbatch, Willem Dafoe, Alfred Molina, and Jamie Foxx, with Andrew Garfield, Tobey Maguire, and Tom Hardy.
Spider-Man: No Way Home is now playing in theaters, while Venom: Let There Be Carnage is available on all home media formats. Stay tuned for all the latest news surrounding Sony’s plans for Venom and their other Spider-Man characters.
Source: ComicBook
