How can Carnage and Toxin return in the future? Venom 2 breakdown

Venom: Let There Be Carnage established several new things about the symbiote offsprings and also hinted at the antagonist of the next installment of the series. The movie, directed by Andy Serkis, also contained a lot of references to previous Spider-Man films. Finally, it clarified the universe in which the events of the two Venom films take place.

The 90-minute film introduces Cletus Kasady (portrayed by Woody Harrelson) and Shriek (played by Naomie Harris) without wasting any time. Venom 2 also establishes some of the other abilities of the symbiote.

Andy Serkis, while speaking to IGN about the movie, said:

"With all symbiotes, they reflect the person who is their host. So the darkness of Carnage, the playfulness, the wit, the strangeness. Cletus has a real intelligence and… a real sense of humor, and we wanted to reflect that in the symbiote that is linked to him."

Warning! There will be absolute carnage in this article regarding spoilers for Venom 2.

Easter eggs and theories from Venom: Let There Be Carnage

The movie had a plethora of Easter eggs and callbacks and spawned off several theories about how the events of Venom 2 will affect the future of the sequels and MCU's Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Shriek is the first officially confirmed Mutant in MCU

Shriek in "The Ultimate Spider-Man", and Shriek (played by Naomi Harris) in the trailer. (Image via: DisneyXD/ Marvel, and Sony Pictures Entertainment)

In the film, Shriek (Frances Barrison) is established as a superpowered individual who can project Sonic Beams. As in the comics, Shriek is showcased as a mutant.

Frances tells Cletus during the first few scenes of the movie,

"He (a doctor) said that the mutations are advancing, my powers are too strong."

Venom 2 did not visibly establish her telekinetic ability like in the comics. However, during the movie's climax, her Dark Empathy was demonstrated when she had some effect on Detective Mulligan.

While this revelation makes Shriek the first officially confirmed mutant in MCU, Black Widow (2021) potentially introduced the mutant Ursa Major.

Venom's Phenethylamine cravings

During 1996's Venom: The Hunger comic series, Eddie Brock learns that Venom's symbiote species from Planet Klyntar biologically crave phenethylamine, a compound that the symbiotes cannot produce naturally. Since phenethylamine is found in the brain, Venom loves to "bite people's heads off." Like in the comics, Eddie deals with this issue by getting Venom an alternative source for phenethylamine, i.e. chocolates.

Sonny and Cher - The chickens

In the movie, we learn that Venom has kept two chickens in Eddie's apartment as pets. He named them Sonny and Cher, which refers to the real-life couple and their very public divorce. This also referred to Sonny Bono and Cher, which acted like a foreshadowing to Venom and Eddie's brief separation.

Lethal Protector

Venom's 2018 film was based on Lethal protector, where Carlton Drake's company takes the symbiote's seeds to form five symbiotes - Scream, Phage, Riot, Lasher, and Agony.

The fate of Detective's Mulligan

Detective Mulligan in Venom 2, and Toxin in the comics. (Image via Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Marvel Comics)

After the film's climax, Detective Mulligan had a similar glow to his eyes as Shriek did, which might suggest that Mulligan was affected by Frances' dark empathy before she died.

How can Carnage return in future films of the installment?

While both Carnage and Kleetus were seemingly killed in the movie, Carnage could be revived by scientists like Norman Osborn, who is also known as Red Goblin in the comics.

The introduction of Toxin:

Detective Mulligan is likely to be Patrick Mulligan. He merges with a spawn of the Carnage symbiote called Toxin in 2004 Venom Vs. Carnage Vol 1 #2 comics. Now, from the climax, it is seen that he is under the influence of Shriek's presumed dark empathy.

This movie is based upon Maximum Carnage of 1993, while the first movie was based on the 1993 comic series titled Venom: Lethal Protector. Venom: Let There Be Carnage also established Venom's connection with the MCU and hinted at the potential involvement in Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Poll : Can Eddie be technically considered as a cannibal (with Venom chomping on heads)?

Yes, Biologically, Eddie consumes the body/head when Venom eats them whilst they are merged.

No, Venom eats the human heads, not Eddie.

83 votes

Edited by Prem Deshpande