VENOM really surprised me. Especially since I was already predisposed to dislike it. I was never really a fan of the character to begin with (who seemed to be more popular for his design than anything else), it was a Sony SPIDER-MAN movie (and we saw how well all those AMAZING movies went), and going from an R-rating to a PG-13 late into production seemed like a desperate move on Sony's part. But you know what? I enjoyed myself. It's far from perfect (especially the cliche-at-this-point CG blobs hitting each other climax), but Tom Hardy's bonkers and committed performance – as well as the funny buddy-dynamic of him and the Symbiote – made it at least really fun to watch. It was almost like a slightly grittier take on Jim Carrey's THE MASK at points! Also that lobster scene is amazing (and apparently improvised on set by Hardy).
Now, after the first film's surprise success, there was inevitably going to be a sequel, and Sony has just revealed its new title – VENOM: LET THERE BE CARNAGE.
This is because the new film will have Venom/Eddie Brock face off with fan-favorite Spider-Man villain Carnage, a.k.a. serial killer Cletus Kasady (Woody Harrelson). Kasady actually showed up in the after credits sequence of the first film (with a goofy Ronald McDonald wig that director Andy Serkis has seemed to wisely ditch). As for who Carnage is, he is basically Venom, but more "twisted" in that special try-hard 90's way (which is why I personally love him). However, it will be interesting how the sequel makes "Venom, but worse" compelling when we already had that with Riz Ahmed's villain Riot in the first film – but I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.
Either way, VENOM: LET THERE BE CARNAGE will rampage into theaters June 25, 2021.
So, what do you guys think? Fans of the first VENOM? If so, looking forward to the sequel? Sound off below!