Despite reports to the contrary, it's been repeatedly speculated that Rogue One: A Star Wars Story actor Riz Ahmed may play Cletus Kasady, aka Carnage, in Sony's Venom. However, a recent photo from the Atlanta set of the Spider-Man spinoff points to another Marvel Comics character.
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A photo posted by Atlanta Filming identifies Ahmed as Dr. Drake -- that is, Carlton Drake -- a character with definite ties to Venom introduced in 1988 in The Amazing Spider-Man #298. He's the head of the corporate survivalist group the Life Foundation, which captured Venom and extracted from him five additional symbiotes: Scream, Phage, Riot, Lasher and Agony.
This is what happens when they walk out of the wrong door... side and behind view.
Dr. Drake from #Venom, in costume. pic.twitter.com/e5wNiOqUKL— Atlanta Filming (@AtlantaFilming) December 22, 2017
Ahmed as Drake would certainly make sense, given that the film reportedly draws partial influence from the 1993 Marvel Comics miniseries Venom: Lethal Protector, which introduces the other symbiotes (the 1995 crossover "Planet of the Symbiotes" is also said to serve as source material).
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Drake is more than a one-trick pony, however, as he and the Life Foundation rebuilt the robot Tri-Sentinel, and funded the Arachnis Project, with the intent of creating a race of Homo Arachnis. He was himself injected with the serum and transformed into a Homo Arachnis, which may or may not hint at the character's arc in Venom.
Directed by Ruben Fleischer from a script by Jeff Pinkner and Scott Rosenberg, Venom stars Tom Hardy, Jenny Slate, Michelle Williams and Riz Ahmed. The film arrives Oct. 5, 2018.
(via Bloody Disgusting)