We’re all familiar with Serkis’ magnificent motion-capture performances as Gollum in The Lord of the Rings and Caesar in the new Planet of the Apes franchise. We also know him for his role as Ulysses Klaw in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. What some may not know is that over the past couple of years, Andy Serkis has also directed two feature films — Breathe and Netflix’s Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle. Now, THR reports that Serkis is set to helm his biggest film to date: Venom 2. Previously, it was reported that Serkis, Travis Knight (Bumblebee) and Rupert Wyatt (Rise of the Planet of the Apes) were the three front runners for the gig, but it looks like Serkis came out the victor.
I have mixed feelings about this. Venom 2 may have made a lot of money at the global box office ($US 856 million which includes $US 256 million in China), but as far as quality goes, it’s mediocre at best. Besides Tom Hardy’s weird and eccentric comedic performance, the film was a giant turd in the wind. The overall critics’ circle seem to think that way as well (29% on Rotten Tomatoes with an average score of 4.4/10). This isn’t to say I don’t want a sequel. I just figured since the original director Ruben Fleischer didn’t leave much of an artistic stamp, it would be great to bring in a helmer with a proven track record and a unique voice.
I love Serkis as a performer, but Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle is hollow and frankly rather boring and Breathe is nothing to scream about either. I would like to see Serkis tackle more small scale indie passion projects before moving on to mega-budget ‘event’ films. As far as Venom 2 goes, I personally think Travis Knight and Rupert Wyatt are far more exciting options. Having said that, Andy Serkis is a highly talented, highly creative individual. If given a good script, perhaps he could deliver a film that fires on all cylinders.
It’s happening. The Symbiote has found a host in me and I’m ready for the ride…Can’t wait! #venom #venom2 #marvel pic.twitter.com/unCzmJOjop
— Andy Serkis (@andyserkis) August 5, 2019
