Venom has officially latched onto theaters.
Now that we've seen what this inky symbiote has to offer, let's break down the world-building
and story stuff that the movie leaves hanging, as well as some big important questions that
it just plain doesn't bother bringing up.
These are the biggest unanswered questions in Venom.
A riot going on
In the beginning of Venom, a private Life
Foundation rocketship is returning to Earth from parts unknown, with a collection of "samples"
that we learn are fully-formed symbiotes.
As we later learn from Jenny Slate's character, Dora Skirth, the rocket was sent on a hunt
for galactic "real estate" that humanity could colonize.
Upon return, the crew happens to encounter and collect the symbiotes from a passing comet
a move that backfires when one escapes, crashing the rocket to Earth.
The crash frees a symbiote named Riot, who begins hopping from body to body in a world
tour of the planet.
The alien eventually breaches the Life Foundation HQ to infest the company's evil founder, Carlton
Drake.
But why?
From the start, the Riot symbiote seems to be driving toward a clear goal.
It certainly doesn't make its way to Drake by random chance the rocket crashes down in
Malaysia, and the movie shows every deliberate turn the symbiote takes on its trip around
the world.
The movie never stops to explain why the symbiote is doing this.
Why is Drake the target, and how did it come to this decision?
Who knows — they make a fantastic couple, though.
The losers
One of the movie's earlier laugh lines occurs when Venom, recently bonded to Eddie Brock,
rudely identifies the down-on-his-luck reporter as "a loser."
As Eddie and the symbiote become closer, Venom reveals that, on his home world, he's also
something of a loser.
It's a tantalizing bit of information that doesn't get expanded upon.
What makes Venom such an outcast on his planet?
What about him distinguishes him from his peers?
Maybe they're just turned off by his insult comedy, or his inclination to do good.
It's hard to say none of the homeworld politics are really established.
Hey gotta save something for the sequel.
Alien invasion
Once Riot and Drake meet up, they get along quite swimmingly.
As it turns out, the two villains have a bit in common.
The movie establishes that Drake is power-mad, trying to lead humanity into outer space at
any cost.
Completely by coincidence, Riot was already on his way to Earth with a swarm of symbiotes
for the express purpose of conquering the planet.
Naturally, the two villains team up, combining their powers for mutual benefit.
The question that never gets explored is "why?"
Why are the symbiotes attempting to invade Earth?
What gave them that idea?
Have they been here before?
Is invading planets, like, their thing, or is it just a Riot thing?
The villains fail so spectacularly that we may never find out.
The other symbiotes
While the crashed rocket sets Riot loose, the other symbiotes remain in captivity, eventually
arriving at the Life Foundation none the worse for wear.
But what happens to these other symbiotes at the end of the movie?
It's established that the symbiotes are still being used in experiments six months after
their arrival, and the only one we see escape is Venom.
The others, presumably, remain in the lab throughout the rest of the film.
One of them is even used to kill Dr. Skirth.
Venom breaks free and destroys Riot, but it's completely unclear what happens to the other
specimens.
Are they still locked up in that lab, or do they get out into the wild?
Are they good guys or bad guys?
Does Venom intend to go after them, or did they just die offscreen?
Maybe we'll see a few more of these far-flung visitors in a sequel.
The Dead Foundation
Riz Ahmed's Carlton Drake never shares a kind word when an evil one will do.
The CEO goes out of his way to prove what an awful person he is, constantly threatening
to kill the families of his exceptionally loyal employees.
But his most puzzling move occurs at the height of the movie's third act.
After fusing with the Riot symbiote, alien and host both rush into their plan to dominate
the world.
But instead of using Life Foundation resources to help usher along this project, the pair
decide to just start slaughtering the staff of the organization.
Immediately afterwards, they take the fight to Venom, ultimately losing their lives.
But what happens to the Life Foundation after Drake is dead?
Do they disband?
Do they reveal their boss's research?
Or does someone else take over?
When the movie ends, it's all unclear and considering the group's militant secrecy,
it's a massive loose end.
Brock is back
The movie ends with Eddie on an upswing.
After being fired by one media outlet and effectively blackballed from many others,
it's revealed in the conclusion that Eddie's been offered his old job back.
But how?
Eddie only loses his job thanks to a contentious one-on-one interview he has with Carlton Drake,
which goes south after Eddie accuses him of serious crimes.
As a result of betraying his editor's trust, turning a puff piece into an inquisition,
he loses his job.
By the end of the movie, Drake is dead, and the Life Foundation likely in tatters.
But how does that lead to Eddie getting his job back?
Since getting fired, Eddie has only made his reputation worse, showing up to his old office
as a flop-sweating nutcase.
He doesn't just freak out the security guards he violently breaks into the building, leaving
behind a rude note and some research.
Afterwards, he goes downstairs and flat-out kills a dozen police officers.
Would you really rehire that guy?
He may have been right about the Life Foundation, but he never stopped acting insane.
"enh, I don't know."
Revenge of the redhead
The movie's post-credits scene picks up with Eddie and Venom at the start of their next
adventure.
Deep in a dank, dark prison, Eddie embarks on an exclusive interview with a notorious
serial killer Cletus Kasady, better known to comics readers as the eventual host of
the unhinged Carnage symbiote.
The appearance is all setup for a sequel, which would presumably see Kasady escaping
prison to cause chaos.
But the movie leaves some things ambiguous about this encounter.
As Eddie himself details, this interview with the killer is a big get for the journalist,
with Eddie having been specifically requested for a one-on-one.
But why?
The tenor of the conversation seems to imply that Kasady has some kind of master plan for
busting out of lockup.
We know he eventually gets a symbiote, but does he know that?
Does he know about Eddie and Venom?
If so, how?
Does he know about the symbiotes and what they can do?
If not, then why did Kasady specifically want to talk to Eddie?
Maybe he doesn't have a reason.
If you want real answers, you just have to cross your fingers, and hope for Venom 2.