Confirming what I wrote earlier, it’s now being said that the Venom movie will be R-rated and will be the launch of a new franchise.
It’s said Sony has the rights to around 900 Marvel characters and wants to capitalize on them.
Sony is also developing a movie surrounding the female characters of the Spider-Man universe with Black Cat and Silver Sable, currently being written by Thor scribe and comic book writer Chris Yost.
To reiterate, these Spider-Man universe movies are not connected to Marvel Studios, not connected to Kevin Feige, not connected to Spider-Man: Homecoming, and it remains to be seen if the Tom Holland Spider-Man will be involved at all.
These movies are being developed by producers Avi Arad, Matt Tolmach and Amy Pascal who were behind the Amazing Spider-Man films and are also behind the upcoming Miles Morales animated Spider-Man feature film (not connected to Marvel Studios).
The Venom movie has an October 5, 2018 release and is said to start filming this Fall.