Venom: Let There Be Carnage

In Venom: Let There Be Carnage, investigative reporter Eddie Brock is still sharing a body with the alien symbiote known as Venom. Their uneasy partnership is tested when Eddie's previous reporting on serial killer Cletus Kasady drags him into Kasady's orbit. An encounter in prison leads Cletus to host a more violent symbiote called Carnage, and his freedom sparks a bloody chain of events. Eddie and Venom juggle their volatile relationship while trying to stop Kasady's rampage, and Eddie's ties to Anne complicate decisions at every turn. It mixes dark violence with broad humor and flashy effects throughout.

Directed by Andy Serkis, the 2021 sequel builds on characters created by Kelly Marcel, Tom Hardy and David Michelinie. It expands Sony's Spider-Man Universe, with Tom Hardy returning as Eddie Brock and Venom and Woody Harrelson as Carnage on screen.

Released during the pandemic, the film still drew sizable audiences and delivered solid worldwide returns for Sony, proving franchise installments could find commercial life even with lingering theater hesitations, and it helped revive interest in franchise plans and home releases.

Tom Hardy's verbal exchanges with Venom became a frequent online talking point, and Woody Harrelson's manic Cletus struck many as a memorable casting choice. Iconic visuals of Carnage and noisy set pieces inspired memes, cosplay, and spirited debate among comic book fans, and it inspired cosplay, edits, fan art online.

Critical reaction was mixed, reflected by a vote average of 6.756 out of 10 from 10,937 votes, with praise for Hardy's energy and the action but criticism for uneven tone and plotting. Major themes include identity, violent urges, and unlikely friendship, and viewer reactions split over tone, but Hardy and Harrelson generated discussion.