WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Sony’s Venom, in theaters now.
After months of speculation, the Venom solo film did ultimately include future symbiote-powered villain Cletus Kasady, better known to comic book fans as Carnage. Portrayed by Woody Harrelson, the serial killer is interviewed by investigative reporter Eddie Brock in a mid-credits scene teasing his future role in a potential sequel.
Despite the character's homicidal nature, both in and out of his own symbiote, longtime producer Avi Arad assures fans that a film focused on Carnage as its principal antagonist wouldn't necessarily result in an R-rating.
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"When you hear Carnage, the only thing you can think of is [an R-rating]. But if you know his story, if you really know the comic, there’s no R here. He’s a tortured soul," explained Arad in an interview with Collider. "It’s not about what he does, because we never have to show the knife going from here to there, and the blood is pouring. What you have to show is, what is the motivation? Was he born like that, or [is he] someone we should feel for, because if you succeeding in making a villain someone you can feel for, jackpot."
Perhaps second only to Spider-Man himself, Carnage is one of the most iconic villains in Venom's rogues' gallery even forcing Brock and Peter Parker to tenuously team-up to put Kasady down on several occasions. With the Sony antihero film having just set a box office record for an October release this past weekend, it may be sooner rather than later before Venom and Carnage face off on the big screen.
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Directed by Ruben Fleischer, Venom stars Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Riz Ahmed, Scott Haze, Reid Scott, Jenny Slate,Woody Harrelson, Sope Aluko, Scott Deckert, Marcella Bragio, and Michelle Lee. It is out in theaters everywhere now.