Against all odds, 2018’s “Venom” proved to be a rousing success for Sony! Showing strong potential for Sony to create a cinematic universe to rival that of Disney’s Marvel. Which is exactly what Sony had in mind when it teased out its sequel in the film’s post-credit scene. In it we saw “Zombieland” star Woody Harrelson sporting insane red hair. Behind a cell and in a straitjacket, his character, Cletus Kasady made a chilling promise. “When I get out of where, and I will, there’s gonna be Carnage,” sure enough the Venom villain is making good on his promise. Sony dropped an official trailer for “Venom: Let There Be Carnage” this week. Needless to say, we found it pretty awesome!
So, we decided to do a deep dive into the film and we found some wild developments in there. Being the responsible Venom-heads as we are, we feel obliged to share with you some of the insane details we learnt about Sony’s “Venom: Let There Be Carnage”.
1. Carnage is a Symbiote Serial Killer
The Symbiote (or Klyntar) species is an extremely interesting one. These parasitic alien creatures often bond to hosts that they find compatible with them. Weaker hosts will often become corrupted by their Symbiotes. Sometimes, the both of them find balance and learn to work together to achieve greater things, like Venom. Rarely though, are the Symbiotes themselves corrupted by the host they inhabit. Which is exactly what happened when the Carnage Symbiote merged with serial killer Cletus Kasady!
That’s right, this guy is so sick and evil, he drove his Symbiote insane. In the comics, Cletus was an infamous killer and sadist, long before he became Carnage. Some of his victims include his adoptive mother’s dog, his grandmother and a girl he once tried to ask out on a date. It goes without saying, Cletus is one evil maniac.
2. Carnage might actually be…Venom’s child
We know Carnage’s host is a certified psychopath, but where exactly did the Symbiote come from? Well…this is awkward. In the comics, the Klyntar reproduce asexually. In the comics, there was a time in which Eddie shared a cell with one Cletus Kasady. Turns out, Venom was pregnant at the time. When Eddie broke out of prison with his Venom Symbiote, it apparently left its offspring behind. Said offspring would bond to Kasady, and together the both of them became Carnage!
For all intents and purposes, Venom is technically Carnage’s father. In the trailer, we see Eddie and Cletus spending a lot of time together in prison. The journalist seems to be the only person the killer will talk to. Perhaps Venom inadvertedly gave birth to the Carnage Symbiote during one of their interviews. If that’s the case, it’s going to be one hell of a family reunion.
3. Carnage isn’t the only villain in the film
While Carnage is sure to take centre-stage, there’s also another villain set to make an appearance. As far back as 2019, actress Naomi Harris from “Skyfall” has been eyed to play a role in “Let There Be Carnage”. We now have confirmation from the trailer that Harris is in the film and will be playing the villain Shriek. Just like her comic book counterpart, Frances Barrison (or Shriek) has the power to manipulate sound and create sonic screams. Someone who could definitely come in handy when facing off against a Symbiote.
Where things get spicy is when we consider that Carnage freed Shriek from the Ravencroft mental institution in the comics. From then on, the both of them became a pair of homicidal lovers. Going on killing sprees together. We’re definitely looking forward to see these two lovebirds square off against Venom in battle.
4. Klaue from “Black Panther” will be directing the film
Remember the actor who played the infinitely entertaining Ulysses Klaue in 2018’s “Black Panther”? Turns out, this legendary motion-capture artist will be directing “Let There Be Carnage”. Oh but his roles go far beyond just Marvel Studios. This man has been the voice, face and performance behind cinema’s most iconic CGI characters. He played Gollum throughout the “Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” trilogies. He brought breathtaking life to the character of Caesar in Fox’s recent “Planet of the Apes” trilogy.
To see this phenomenal performer take creative control of a major property like Venom has us giddy with excitement. Say what you will about 2018’s “Venom” but you cannot deny that actor Tom Hardy’s performance as both Eddie Brock and Venom were utterly hilarious! He gave so much dedication to playing such a whacky and fun role. Now, we have these two mad geniuses collaborating together. It’s like a dream come true.
5. More Crazy Symbiote Shenanigans
Beyond introducing new villains into the mix, “Let There Be Carnage” will also be exploring the relationship between Venom and Eddie. In a trailer breakdown by IGN, director Andy Serkis talks about how the two must now struggle to coexist. At the end of 2018’s “Venom”, we saw the two begin to better understand one another. That being said, Serkis describes Eddie’s relationship with the Symbiote as “living with this maniac toddler”.
A lot of the humour and fun of the first film was derived from seeing the two interacting with each other. How Venom made Eddie do insane things normal people wouldn’t do. How Eddie had to teach Venom that it wasn’t socially acceptable to eat people. We can’t to see what wild stunts Eddie and his Symbiote will pull off next. Hopefully, they stay away from lobster tanks.
6. Possible R-rating
One of the gripes we had with “Venom” was the film’s hesitance to go all-out gory. We’re talking about an alien that literally eats people for crying out loud! Interestingly enough, Sony hasn’t officially announced the rating for “Let There Be Carnage”. In fact, the film’s producer Matt Tolmach even considered the idea of making the sequel an R-rated film. He mentioned that R-rated films presented “more opportunities” for storytelling and cited films like “Joker” as a source of inspiration.
With the release date of the film drawing closer, could we possibly be getting an R-rated “Venom” film? “Let There Be Carnage” is dealing with one of Marvel’s most infamous murderers and sadists. This would be the perfect opportunity to let Carnage loose on screen. We’re still holding out hope that Serkis will go for an R-rated affair.
7. Toxin in the background
In the trailer, we get our first look at Detective Mulligan played by Stephen Graham. Working alongside Eddie, he seeks to bring Carnage to justice. There’s more to Mulligan than just a dutiful public servant though. You see, in the comics, Mulligan is also bonded to a Symbiote at some point in time. Not just another Symbiote; Carnage’s offspring. Unlike its sadistic parent, Mulligan and his new friend work together to better to keep New York safe. Together, the both of them form Toxin.
During the “Venom vs. Carnage” storyline, Toxin makes his first debut in the comics. While it’s highly unlikely that Toxin will be appearing throughout the film, we may catch a glimpse of him near the end. Perhaps a post-credits scene. In any case, we’re glad to see Graham join the rest of the cast on this crazy ride that is “Let There Be Carnage”.
8. The “Arkham Asylum” of the Marvel Universe
In the DC Universe, Arkham Asylum is known as the abode of some of Batman’s most heinous enemies. From the Joker to Poison Ivy to Bane. Similarly, Ravencroft Institute for the Criminally Insane houses a long list of enemies for Spider-Man. It’s safe to assume that our dear Carnage is being housed in Ravencroft alongside Shriek. The question is: Are there more villainous psychopaths locked within the walls of Ravencroft? Folks like Doctor Octopus, Electro or the Green Goblin for example.
As far back as 2018, Chairperson of Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE), Amy Pascal had expressed an interest in bringing a “Sinister Six” film to the big screen. She is just simply waiting for the right opportunity to get on it. Ravencroft is the home most, if not all, of the members of the Sinister Six. Could we be seeing a possible setup for a future Sony film within the Venomverse? We’ll have to wait and see.
“Venom: Let There Be Carnage” is set to hit theatres around September 2021!
So, what do you think of “Venom: Let There Be Carnage”? Are you excited to see the films in theatres? Will Woody Harrelson make for a good Cletus Kasady? Be sure to let us know in the comments!
