6 Questions Venom 2 Needs To Answer

Venom symbiote in 2018 movie
(Image credit: (Sony))

Next summer, there will be carnage. 2018’s Venom was a breakout success for Sony’s own Marvel universe centered on characters from the Spider-Man comic books. It was met with mixed reviews from critics, but it became one of the most successful films of the year with over $850 million in box office earnings. Venom 2 will follow up with a film directed by Andy Serkis and once again starring Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock and his chaotic symbiote friend.

Going into Venom 2, there’s a lot of questions still on our minds about the Sony sequel. We know the official title of the comic book film is Venom: Let There Be Carnage, with Woody Harrelson returning as Cletus Kasady. The movie will also feature the return of Michelle Williams’ Anne Weying and Naomie Harris reportedly playing Shriek. Here are the major questions the summer 2021 movie needs to answer:

Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock in Venom

(Image credit: (Sony))

Will Eddie Brock And The Symbiote Really Get Along In Venom 2?

When Eddie Brock and Venom merge together it is not a relationship Eddie is up for, but by the end of the film, the pair are inseparable. Brock keeps Venom around because they’ve worked out their roommate situation and he must enjoy the power that comes with having him around. Instead of the symbiote devouring heads right and left, he only comes out when it’s right to. Like when someone pulls a gun at a liquor store at the end of Venom. Check it out:

But will they continue to see eye to eye on every situation in Venom 2? They seem to have it figured out for now, but the sequel needs to delve into how their relationship can continue to last. Eddie Brock is a reporter and the symbiote is a bloodthirsty alien after all. They may have different things on their minds when push comes to shove.

Woody Harrelson as Cletus Kasady in Venom

(Image credit: (Sony))

How Does Cletus Kasady Become Carnage?

After the credits in Venom, it’s revealed that Eddie Brock has scored a big interview with Cletus Kasady, who is in a maximum security prison. Woody Harrelson’s character says “there will be carnage” to tease the coming transformation into the famed villain… Carnage. It was a very on-the-nose reference for the Sony film to make. But the question is how exactly will Kasady become the iconic Spider-Verse character?

In the comics, Eddie Brock and Cletus Kasady become cellmates and Venom gives birth to a symbiote baby that bonds to him. The result is Carnage, a much more dangerous and terrifying result than Eddie/Venom. From the setup in the 2018 film, one might imagine Venom’s offspring bonds to Cletus while Eddie writes his up-close exposé on the serial killer, but we’re certainly curious how the movie will end up handling it.

Michelle Williams and Tom Hardy as Anne Weying and Eddie Brock in Venom

(Image credit: (Sony))

Will Eddie Brock And Anne Weying Get Back Together?

In Venom, audiences go on a bit of an emotional rollercoaster with Eddie Brock as he deals with a breakup with Michelle Williams’ Anne Weying and she finds another man. But by the end of the movie, there’s a glimmer of hope for the pair. Although Anne is still dating Dr. Dan Lewis by the conclusion of Venom, they are talking again. Anne is impressed by the secret interview Eddie has nabbed to start getting his journalism interview back on track and she thinks Venom is out of his life.

Since Anne is one of the few people who knows about Venom, it makes sense for her to enter back into the mix. Plus, love interests are commonly used as bait by villains. And then there’s the famous storyline of Anne Weying becoming She-Venom in the comic books. Perhaps Venom will make another offspring bond with her so Eddie’s object of affection can also have the powers of Venom?

Naomie Harris as Eve Moneypenny in James Bond film Skyfall

(Image credit: (Universal))

How Does Naomie Harris’ Shriek Play Into Venom 2?

The only new character expected to be featured in Venom: Let There Be Carnage that we know about right now is Naomie Harris’ Shriek. In the comic books, Shriek is in the same prison as Cletus Kasady when he breaks out as Carnage. She talks him into bringing her along and the pair become partners in crime. Shriek’s backstory is a miserable one that includes a childhood of abuse and drug use. Her powers include being able to generate sound waves that allow her to form blasts and fly. She also has dark empathy and telekinesis under her belt.

In the famed Maximum Carnage Spider-Man storyline, Shriek helps Carnage by using her dark empathy to leave all of New York City mad as he wreaks havoc on its citizens. Will the story arc of Naomie Harris’ Shriek follow a similar road or be completely different?

Carnage and Venom in the comic books

(Image credit: (Marvel))

Will Venom Be Able To Defeat Carnage On His Own?

Swinging off the Shriek question, if Carnage has help on his rampage and he’s already more powerful than Venom is, how is Eddie Brock going to defeat the serial killer on his own? Maybe he gets help from Anne Weying if his ex-girlfriend does become She-Venom, but is that enough? If Let There Be Carnage goes into Maximum Carnage territory, the Venom sequel may need to enlist more help than what has been already revealed.

It will be interesting to see if Venom 2 will be a one-on-one showdown between Eddie Brock and Cletus Kasady or if Sony will take this opportunity to expand its roster of characters. But if the movie is going by the comics, Venom cannot take down Carnage on his own.

Tom Holland as Spider-Man in Far From Home

(Image credit: (Sony))

Is Venom 2 Connected With Sony’s Spider-Verse Or The MCU?

This of course leads us to the question of the hour: will Venom team up with Tom Holland’s Spider-Man? Since Tom Hardy’s Eddie Brock entered into Sony’s universe, audiences have doubted if the character can really stand on his own without pairing up with Spidey. Venom has set up Eddie as the good guy in the Sony universe, so there is room for them to team up against Carnage in the coming sequel. And Tom Holland’s Peter Parker is as much a Sony Spider-Verse property as it is part of Disney’s MCU.

Within this question, we’re also curious if Venom 2 will connect with Sony’s other Spider-Verse movies such as Morbius, which will hit theaters a few months before Venom 2. It could also set up the introduction of other characters Sony plans to adapt on the big screen.

Venom: Let There Be Carnage hits theaters on June 25, 2021. Stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for more updates on the coming sequel.

Sarah El-Mahmoud
Staff Writer

Sarah El-Mahmoud has been with CinemaBlend since 2018 after graduating from Cal State Fullerton with a degree in Journalism. In college, she was the Managing Editor of the award-winning college paper, The Daily Titan, where she specialized in writing/editing long-form features, profiles and arts & entertainment coverage, including her first run-in with movie reporting, with a phone interview with Guillermo del Toro for Best Picture winner, The Shape of Water. Now she's into covering YA television and movies, and plenty of horror. Word webslinger. All her writing should be read in Sarah Connor’s Terminator 2 voice over.