Sony
- Venom: Let There Be Carnage is the sequel to 2018’s Venom.
- The film beginning showing in theaters in the United States on Thursday, September 31.
- This article will contain SPOILERS for the post-credit scene.
While Venom: Let There Be Carnage is largely the antithesis of comic book movies these days — it’s not only shorter than 90 minutes but it’s aggressively and wildly self-aware in its absurdness — its instantly seismic post-credit scene is entirely emblematic of the current Hollywood landscape, as that moment, which isn’t even technically part of the film itself, was the most consequential thing to happen throughout the 89-minute runtime. Let’s dive into what happened and what it means for the future of the Venom franchise and beyond.
WARNING: spoilers for the post-credit scene in Venom: Let There Be Carnage will follow.
-What happens in the Venom: Let There Be Carnage post-credit scene?
After stating that he needs a vacation earlier in the film — that he needs to feel the wind in his hair and the sand between his toes — Eddie and Venom do exactly that, as the film’s final moments see the pair unwinding on a beautiful, remote beach right before the credits roll. Then, a couple of minutes later when the post-credit scene kicks in, Eddie and Venom find themselves back in their hotel room which is where — and more importantly, as we’ll discuss, *when* — all hell breaks loose.
As the pair sit on their bed, a cosmic-seeming shockwave rips through the room. While the surroundings don’t change, the TV does, and that television program is something Marvel fans will immediately recognize, as it’s almost identical to the Daily Bugle broadcast that was seen at the end of Spider-Man: Far From Home, the one that sees J.K. Simmons’ J. Jonah Jameson reveal Spidey’s true identity as Peter Parker. Just like that, Venom has found himself in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
REVIEW: ‘Venom: Let There Be Carnage’ Is The Dumbest Movie Ever — I Love It
YouTube is obviously pulling down videos of the post-credit scene as fast as they can, so please forgive us if the below video has already been deleted by the time you come across this:
-When did it happen?
Equally important as the *what* is the *when*, and while the brief moment is notably light on context clues, the Daily Bugle segment could hold the key.
IF Marvel Studios wanted to indicate that this was happening at the same time as Far From Home, then they likely would’ve used the identical Daily Bugle clip, but as you can clearly see above, they are not the same, which suggests that whatever is happening in Let There Be Carnage comes after Peter’s secret has already been spilled.
One early theory is that Venom is transported into the MCU at the same moment that Doctor Strange loses control of the spell he casts for Peter Parker in the No Way Home trailer, a theory that’s evidenced by the golden glow that seems to radiate through both scenes. Certainly within the realm of possibility, it stands to reason that whatever Strange did to accidentally integrate the universes of Doc Ock/Green Goblin/Sandman and Electro/Lizard etc. also affected the Venom-verse.
-Will Venom be in Spider-Man: No Way Home?
Obviously, the prior question leads directly into this one, which is perhaps the most important consequence of the Venom: Let There Be Carnage post-credit scene: whether or not this means Venom will be included in the plot of Spider-Man: No Way Home? Lest we forget, this is a movie that’s already set to include Doc Ock, Green Goblin, Electro, Sandman, and Lizard. For those counting at home, that’s five iconic Spider-Man villains, one short of forming the infamous Sinister Six. Coincidence?
Still, with the task of integrating the five aforementioned rogues, plus potentially including their corresponding Spider-Men AND Doctor Strange, working in Venom from another universe entirely just feels like one too many plates in the air for No Way Home to juggle. Still, Let There Be Carnage and its post-credit scene came before No Way Home, and if there’s anything we’ve learned about the MCU thus far, it’s that everything happens for a reason. Ever since it was released, fans have largely suspected that the No Way Home trailer only revealed the events of the film’s early goings, therefore suggesting Venom’s inclusion could be the big third-act reveal they’re trying to hide.
-What do we think Venom does in the immediate aftermath and is that the plot of Venom 3?
Not quite a serious question but one worth pondering all the same: what does Venom do in the immediate aftermath of landing in a new universe? As the post-credit scene hilarious reveals, he’s now in *someone else’s* hotel room. Does he head back to San Francisco? Or straight to New York to try and eat Spider-Man? Is the immediate aftermath of Venom’s arrival in the MCU the plot of Venom 3? Or does he continue vacationing and simply eat the chonky middle-aged man who stumbles out of the bathroom?
-Will the next Spider-Man movie be a Sinister Six film?
Arguably the key aspect of the post-credit scene, Venom’s arrival in the MCU largely alleviates any concern that Tom Holland’s Spider-Man would be extracted to and sequestered in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe. After all, it’s always made sense, as transporting Venom into the long-established MCU as opposed to kidnapping Spidey into Sony’s universe. With all of the Marvel characters owned by Sony now seemingly zapped into the MCU — remember, a Kraven the Hunter film is also set to release in the coming years — if there ever was a time to make a Sinister Six film, it’s certainly now.
REVIEW: ‘Venom: Let There Be Carnage’ Is The Dumbest Movie Ever — I Love It
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