Tom Hardy may have shared a big hint as to how Venom 3 will be starting, in a recent set photo posted to the actor’s Instagram account. In the photo, Hardy, who plays the titular character, the alien symbiote known as Venom as well as his human host, Eddie Brock, is wearing the same Hawaiian shirt from the end-credits sting of Venom: Let There Be Carnage, which ended up transporting Brock into an alternate universe, one belonging to Tom Holland‘s Peter Parker — the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
As it turned out, this was just a little bonus extra for fans, as Brock and Venom were transported back at the conclusion of Spider-Man: No Way Home, without having interacted with any of the characters from that universe, but the scene may yet prove to be critical. In the sequence, Eddie engages in conversation with a bartender (portrayed by Cristo Fernandez of Ted Lasso fame), discussing Thanos, Hulk, and Iron Man, heroes he’s clearly learned about in his time in the MCU.
Subsequently, he finds himself transported back to his original universe. It’s important to note that his universe remains distinct from the MCU. This scenario sets the stage for where we are likely to resume with Venom’s story. However, crucially, the scene also ended with some of the alien symbiote being left behind in the MCU, paving the way for a story strand in the inevitable Spider-Man 4.
What are the ‘Venom’ Movies About?
The Venom movies revolve around Hardy‘s Brock, a journalist who merges with an alien symbiote named Venom, gaining extraordinary powers. In the first movie, Venom (2018), Eddie investigates a corrupt organization, the Life Foundation, and becomes Venom. They must navigate their new shared existence to defeat the foundation’s leader, Carlton Drake (Riz Ahmed), who poses a global threat. The sequel, Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021), deepens the bond between Eddie and Venom as they face Cletus Kasady (Woody Harrelson), a serial killer who bonds with another symbiote, Carnage, and embarks on a rampage. The films blend action, dark comedy, and sci-fi, exploring themes like identity and redemption through the lens of Eddie and Venom’s complex relationship.
Venom 3 comes on the heels of its predecessors‘ huge box office success, with Venom: Let There Be Carnage raking in $502 million in 2021, and the original Venom film bringing home $856 million in 2018. Kelly Marcel was the screenwriter for both of the initial films and has penned the script for the third installment, on which she makes her directorial debut.
Sony has set the release date for Venom 3 in theaters for November 8. Stay tuned at Collider for further updates. The first Venom movie is available to stream on Disney+.
via Collider