Very few official images from Venom 2 have been released so far, but one character is already becoming a star thanks to fan videos: Carnage (Woody Harrelson). The actor was spotted on the set of Venom 2 in a unique outfit, as well as sporting a symbiote that'll presumably be added later on with CGI effects.
For anyone who doesn't already know, Carnage is the central villain of Venom 2. Harrelson shares that role with Shriek (Naomie Harris), but it's the maniacal serial killer who'll make a big impression on the Spider-Verse, and possibly the MCU too.
Evidence of Harrelson's take on Cletus Kasady becoming well-known can be found in set videos taken by fans. The clips taken thus far are brief, but they've made it clear that Carnage wants to shine in the public eye.
In the above clip, Kasady faces down a police officer without a hint of hesitation. He gets shot several times, but Kasady seemingly absorbs them with his symbiote powers. Harrelson's body movements suggest as much, and there's likely more to come.
Carnage showing off his powers to the public is the biggest takeaway from that sequence because it means he'll gain quite a bit of notoriety in his Spider-Verse debut.
At the same time, Carnage's appearance is particularly important for the fact that no other villains exist. Spider-Man's foes in the MCU technically don't count, so there hasn't been a real supervillain yet. Some fans might point to Riot (Riz Ahmed), but Carlton Drake didn't make a public appearance in his symbiote costume. And, all the employees who witnessed him transform were executed by Riot towards the end.
Because a real villain hasn't wreaked havoc in the Spider-Verse, Carnage will urge superheroes to step up for the first time. The Avengers aren't likely to intervene, which means Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) and Peter Parker (Tom Holland) will have to fill the void.
A cameo for the MCU's web-slinger hasn't been made official, but with a flexible deal between Sony and Disney now in place, there's a distinct possibility Spider-Man will make an appearance.
As CNBC reported, Kevin Feige announced that Sony and Disney would be jointly working on a third film in the Homecoming saga. He concluded his statement by hinting at other surprises ahead. That could mean anything, of course, it's likely Feige was referring to unexpected cameos by Holland's Spider-Man.
Whether he was or wasn't, Venom (Hardy) is going to have his hands full with Carnage (Harrelson). There's no telling how they'll come face-to-face, but the supervillain will enjoy a carefree murder spree before their confrontation.
Cletus Kasady Driving Signature Red Convertible
If it wasn't readily apparent, the convertible directly behind Harrelson in the above clip holds much significance. The vehicle in question doesn't stand out to the naked eye, although longtime fans will recognize it from the Deadpool Vs. Carnage comic series.
In that line of comics, Carnage and Shriek used several vehicles to commit heinous crimes. The duo picked them up wherever they could find one, but the red convertible had several standout moments, including a disastrous confrontation with Deadpool.
With Carnage's red convertible playing a prominent role in the comics, the one seen behind Woody Harrelson might be the same. Fans may question such a claim because of Shriek's absence, but Carnage can always pick her up at a later time. Who knows, maybe the video of Harrelson takes place right before Carnage meets Shriek for the first time. Of course, that aspect is up for debate.
Aside from a nod to the comics, the red convertible behind Harrelson may also be a special Natural Born Killers Easter Egg.
Natural Born Killers Easter Egg In 'Venom 2'
For anyone who doesn't remember, Harrelson played serial killer Mickey Knox in the 90s movie Natural Born Killers. Mickey and Mallory (Juliette Lewis) drove around the country in a red convertible committing all kinds of savage murders. They eventually got caught, but that particular car stayed with them for most of their destructive spree.
Nevertheless, visual confirmation of an identical car in Venom 2 suggests the director intended to pay tribute to Harrelson's past films by incorporating the vehicle into his Venom sequel. There's no guarantee that it was Serkis' intention, of course, fans will be eager to know if Serkis and Harrelson collaborated on the NBK nod in any case.