Venom (2018) was the movie I always intended to watch.
Eventually.
When the trailer for Venom: Let There Be Carnage came out, bombarding my social media, I clicked play even though I still hadn’t seen the first one.
The opening sequence of Venom making breakfast delighted me. Venom is so clearly enjoying the heck out of himself, blissfully unaware or uncaring he’s singing off key. Eddie is so clearly the exasperated partner, the one who’s realizing that Venom has another song stuck in his–their–head. Again.
That scene of almost domestic bliss between Eddie and Venom finally pushed me over the edge to watch Venom 2018. Well played.
I can happily report that I am more excited than ever for Let There Be Carnage, and, unlike most others, I don’t have to wait three years to enjoy it.
I have watched most of the Marvel films, but I’m not a Marvel comic reader. Though I’m sure fans of the comics would instantly recognize who Carnage was, and his significance for both Eddie and Venom, I found myself googling to find out more.
I’m very interested to see how the sequel will incorporate the key parts of Cletus Kasady with the changes they’ve already made to Eddie’s and Venom’s story lines. Though Riz Ahmed leaves big shoes to fill with his portrayal of Carlton Drake, I’m sure that Woody Harrelson will do just fine as the main antagonist. I did enjoy that Drake was supposed to be reminiscent of Elon Musk, while providing subtextual social commentary in that context, so I’m looking forward to something similar with Kasady. Subtle digs at the prison and incarceration system would not be amiss.
Naomie Harris’ Shriek also has a few brief moments in the trailer. I had to research Shriek as well, and I really hope that Carnage does something a little more interesting with her character. Since she’s twisting what appears to be a wedding ring in her cell, it looks like the central focus on family will still be significant for the film’s rendition of her character. That said, no matter what happens with Shriek, I’m thrilled to see Harris on the big screen again.
But let’s be real. The trailer’s most interesting parts were the day to day lives of Eddie and Venom, and I hope all the good parts weren’t in the preview. Using the song “One” hints at complications with the relationship between human and symbiote, and I’m more interested in the emotional carnage between Venom and Eddie than I am between Eddie and the actual Carnage. Coming onto the Venom scene fifteen minutes late with Starbucks, I probably don’t need to spare too many words praising Tom Hardy’s portrayal of Eddie Brock, but I’m hoping to see even more vulnerable moments for Eddie that made him such a special protagonist in the first movie.
Venom: Let There Be Carnage will be released only in theaters September 24th, 2021, and I’m definitely going to be there this time.