Andy Serkis is set to direct Sony's "Venom 2", a sequel to last year's superhero box office smash starring Tom Hardy.

2018's "Venom" grossed $856 million worldwide and starred Tom Hardy as the symbiote - the actor will reprise his role in the sequel, while Michelle Williams is expected to return as well alongside Woody Harrelson as Carnage. Kelly Marcel, one of the screenwriters of the first film, is writing the script for the sequel. Avi Arad, Matt Tolmach and Amy Pascal will return as producers.

Serkis flew to Los Angeles the week of July 22 to meet with Sony brass on the project and was one of several filmmakers in the mix for the job. This will be Serkis' third directorial effort, after the 2017 drama Breathe and last year's non-Disney take on the Rudyard Kipling stories, Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle, which ended up on Netflix after being made at Warner Bros.

Source: Press Release