In case there was any remaining doubt, Woody Harrelson's Carnage is officially coming to
the Venom-verse. That news is hardly a surprise, as the character AKA serial killer Cletus
Kasady made a mid-credits appearance in 2018's Venom.
"When I get outta here… and I will… There's gonna be carnage."
Now, the latest buzz surrounding the Marvel Comics baddie involves its name... in the
brand-new title for the upcoming second Venom movie.
Per The Hollywood Reporter, the folks at Sony Pictures have announced that the Venom sequel
will formally be released as Venom: Let There Be Carnage.
Even as that subtitle seems suitably silly for the over-the-top world conjured in the
original film, it's also proving divisive. Just minutes after Sony made the big announcement,
Venom fans the world over took to Twitter to voice their opinions on the Let There Be
Carnage subtitle with some showing serious love for the choice, and others hating everything
about it.
Unsurprisingly, fans on the "hating" side of things aren't being particularly kind to
the subtitle. User Primate_X bluntly tweeted:
"Why do these movies have such dumb subtitles? Just name it Venom 2 and be done with it."
Another offered her own subtitles for the sequel. User bodyorphanage tweeted:
"The f----- title, though. We can't have 'Maximum Carnage' or 'Absolute Carnage'? LET THERE
BE CARNAGE SOUNDS DUMB JUST SAY 'VENOM: CARNAGE" AT THAT POINT.'"
Others have noted that "Let There Be Carnage" sounds more like a tagline than a title, while
one Twitter user said that the title is "so dumb" and another wrote that it, quote, "sounds
like a SNES game and not a good one."
Twitter reactions to the Venom sequel's official title weren't all negative, however. User
LIZZIEMAXIMOFF professed her love for the title. She tweeted:
"Venom: let there be carnage is such a good title I'm shaking."
Y'know, it's that kind of positivity that rejuvenates our faith in fandoms!
"Your world is not so ugly after all. I'm almost sorry to see it end."
While the hot online debate about Venom 2's official title is sure to continue burning
in the coming days, Sony's announcement came with a tinge of legitimate bad news as well.
The studio confirmed that Venom: Let There Be Carnage has been delayed from its planned
October 2, 2020 release date.
Given the current state of the movie biz, that news is hardly unexpected, with virtually
every remaining 2020 movie being affected by theater closures. Still, there was hope
that later 2020 releases may not suffer the brunt of social distancing mandates. As uncertainty
reigns regarding when and how to reopen the world, it seems Sony brass are trying to keep
ahead of matters and hopefully ensure Venom 2 will have the theatrical release they feel
it deserves.
As such, fans will now have to wait until June 25, 2021 the release date previously
occupied by Warner Bros.' The Batman to see Marvel's biggest, baddest symbiotes face off
on the big screen. The move will presumably also give director Andy Serkis, who took over
from Venom helmer Ruben Fleischer, more time to fine-tune the film's expectedly bloody
action. If you missed out on 2018's Venom, the film follows reporter Eddie Brock played
by a never-weirder Tom Hardy who, after being bonded with a vile alien entity, becomes an
unexpected sort of protector for Earth.
"What the hell are you?"
"We… are Venom."
The original film was soundly drubbed by critics upon release, but was embraced by audiences,
who appreciated its stylishly hyper-violent story to the tune of over $850 million in
worldwide box office bucks. Those numbers alone essentially dictate a sequel be greenlit
though Sony was quick to replace Fleischer for the follow-up, likely hoping Serkis could
wrangle in the insanity a bit and focus the character's narrative. Given the film's just-announced
subtitle, one has to wonder if Serkis and, by extension, Carnage actor Woody Harrelson,
haven't actually upped the ante in that regard.
Until then, we'll rest assured knowing that Harrelson is reprising his role as Cletus
Kasady in Venom: Let There Be Carnage. His cameo in Venom certainly made it seem like
he's about to out-crazy Tom Hardy's Venom performance in ways we can't fathom and thankfully,
per leaked set photos, he'll apparently be doing so without that ridiculous wig he was
sporting in Venom.
As a reminder, Venom: Let There Be Carnage is set for release on June 25, 2021.
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