2018's Venom was one of the most divisive comic book movies to be released in some time; many longtime fans weren't on board with how the character was portrayed, while others appreciated the goofy humour and unusual tone. It definitely wasn't the Venom film we expected, and felt like it had been ripped straight from the mid-2000s.
Venom: Let There Be Carnage has a new director in Andy Serkis, but if our latest sneak peek was any indication, we could be in for more of the same this fall.
Taking a closer look at the trailer, we've highlighted 5 moments that any fan of the character should hate, but, in the interest of fairness, we've also singled out a few even we have to admit are kinda cool! It feels like we're getting a mixed bag of a movie, but should we be concerned?
It's Sony, so probably, but we're going to try to remain optimistic as we dive into those troubling signs and the ones that have us feeling at least somewhat positive...
8. Eddie Brock Is STILL A Loser
Like every comic book villain, Eddie Brock has never truly managed to overcome Spider-Man. Plus, the way he was disgraced after publishing an incorrect story about the Sin-Eater did leave him somewhat down on his luck.
Despite all of that, we probably wouldn't go so far as to declare him a "loser," something this franchise seems intent on making clear every opportunity it gets. As with the first film, it seems Venom will continue to berate his host, making Eddie little more than a vessel he uses to do badass sh*t while his human other sits in the passenger seat.
That's missing the point of Venom, and not what any fans should want from the character.
In recent years, Venom and Eddie have been portrayed on the page with two distinct personalities, but it's always the latter who has been responsible for his actions. Here, he's just an unwilling schlub in a living costume.
7. What World Is This Set In Again?
We're all expecting Spider-Man: No Way Home to clear up the role Tom Holland's Peter Parker will play in both the MCU and SPUMC moving forward, but in the meantime...well, Sony is either going out of its way to toy with us or simply don't know what the f**k they're actually gonna do.
If we're being honest, the latter seems most likely.
In this trailer, we again see The Daily Bugle logo from the Spider-Man franchise that started in 2002 and ended in 2007 (in a widely derided film that included a different Venom). Throw in those shots of Tobey Maguire's wall-crawler we saw in the Morbius trailer and Sony either has the greatest, craziest plan ever or...they don't know what they're doing.
Answers might be on the way, but for now, Easter Eggs like this are more jarring than clever.
6. Cletus Kasady IS Carnage
In terms of the villain's origin story, we're not going to complain too much about how Venom: Let There Be Carnage appears to be handling things. This Eddie Brock hasn't seen jail time, so Cletus Kasady biting the reporter and somehow being imbued with his own powers after being executed is a pretty cool idea.
What we are struggling with right now, though, is why Cletus actually seems to be Carnage.
In a poorly CGI'd moment, the serial killer actively transforms into Carnage rather than the alien forming around him as Venom does with Eddie Brock. It might be that he's fully bonded with the alien at this point, but it's a weird direction to take things in and further blurs the line between two separate characters.
This could be explained in a satisfying manner, but it feels like another departure from the comic books that won't sit well with fans familiar with Venom and Carnage in the source material.
5. More Dumb Humor
If you're 14 or a big fan of this sort of juvenile humor, feel free to ignore us and skip this slide.
Still with us? Unfortunately, it seems Andy Serkis is doubling down on the first film's goofy jokes, and we find it hard to imagine there are any Venom fans out there on board with what we see here. Humor in comic book movies is no bad thing (and has, in fact, become the norm), but this is a huge departure from how the anti-hero has typically been portrayed during his comic book adventures.
If you need an example, look no further than the scene in the church; Eddie has no other option than to blackmail Venom into fighting Carnage by offering him the chance to eat whoever he likes.
We appreciate that 2018's Venom was a box office hit, but Sony embracing the tone that was such a turn off for comic book fans surely can't be a good way to win them back with this upcoming sequel.
4. Questionable VFX
We've alluded to this already, but the visual effects in Venom: Let There Be Carnage certainly aren't the best we've seen in a blockbuster. Usually, this could be excused by the studio putting the finishing touches on a movie before it arrives, but Sony has had more than enough time to polish this turd.
The VFX in the first Venom film didn't exactly blow us away, but this really looks hit-and-miss.
At times, Carnage looks pretty f***ing badass and we'd be lying to say we're not looking forward to watching him go head-to-head with Venom on the biggest screen possible.
However, what we see here doesn't inspire us with a huge amount of confidence, and this sequel is lacking the polish we're used to seeing in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, for example. That Carnage design is definitely a little busy too, but the shot above is at least some pretty solid CGI otherwise.
3. Shriek Looks Badass
We don't get to see Shriek suited up in this latest Venom: Let There Be Carnage trailer, but she does appear to be something of a badass if the display of powers we see here are any indication.
Chances are Shriek's sonic abilities are going to be used to weaken Venom in battle, though with Naomie Harris in the role, we're optimistic she'll get a little more than that to do. This villain isn't one we necessarily ever expected to see on screen, so the sequel deserves some props for introducing her.
We're anticipating Woody Harrelson giving this role his all, and having him head into battle with Shriek at his side indicates at least some adherence to the source material.
More Eddie/Anne nonsense isn't exciting, but this twisted love story? Sign us up.
2. Carnage Is Kinda Cool
Despite the VFX looking a little rough around the edges, it's damn near impossible to watch this trailer and not feel some level of excitement to see Carnage tearing sh*t up on the big screen this fall.
If you're a Spider-Man fan, chances are you've been looking forward to seeing a live-action version of Carnage for a very long time, and for better or worse, that's what this sequel is going to deliver. Thus far, he looks a whole lot cooler than Venom, and we're impressed with just how formidable he looks (even if a simpler design might have been more aesthetically pleasing).
In fairness, Venom: Let There Be Carnage seems to be sticking closer to the comics in terms of the villain's design than it has with the movie's other title character, and that's pretty freaking awesome.
Are we expecting the perfect Carnage? Well, Cletus ain't exactly the most complex of characters, so providing he's a mass murderer and completely deranged, that's something we could end up with.
1. Pushing The PG-13 Boundaries?
In an ideal world, the Venom franchised would be a gritty, mature R-Rated franchise that explores the character's place in the Marvel Universe as a Lethal Protector with some brutal violence on the side.
You can't really blame Sony for heading down the PG-13 route with a "superhero" as popular as this one, but in Andy Serkis' defense, it looks a lot like he intends to push the boundaries with that rating.
There's a surprising amount of violence here, and Cletus Kasady looks like a legitimate threat.
That's a treat to see and one we're hoping works well on screen. Let Eddie and Venom reel off the dumb jokes and one-liners; Carnage needs to be terrifying, and if the few snippets of him we see here are any sort of indication of what could be to come, there's a chance the villain is in safe hands.