Sony's Spider-Man Cinematic Universe is still incredibly perplexing, but two-thirds of the films have been successful. Venom and its 2021 sequel, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, were big hits at the box office, and though the first movie didn't receive love from critics, the duo still got praise from fans. Thus, it makes sense that audiences would want to knock, knock and let the devil in on their preferred streaming platform.
The nature of the Venom flicks, namely the rights issues involving Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures, means that streaming isn't as straightforward as other movies featuring Marvel characters. It's a great example of how convoluted the movie rights situation has become and how it's unlikely to resolve anytime soon. Here's a look at what Sony's symbiote flicks are about and how to watch the adventures of Eddie Brock and his "other half."
What Are the Venom Movies About?
As many fans would expect, the Venom movies adapt the story of Marvel Comics character Eddie Brock and his union with the alien symbiote, Venom. Many of the more important comic book stories involving Venom got used as inspiration, namely his origin story in the pages of The Amazing Spider-Man, the Venom: Lethal Protector series, and some elements of the Ultimate Universe version of Venom. Much like the latter, he notably lacks the spider symbol on his chest, and Spider-Man himself is nowhere in the movies. In removing the web-slinging hero from the equation, Venom quickly hastens the pace by making the character an anti-hero. Uniting with the alien symbiote after investigating the Life Foundation, disgraced reporter Eddie Brock must work alongside Venom to defeat the evil Riot.
The sequel, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, picks up afterward, with Eddie getting back on his feet while interviewing the serial killer Cletus Kasady. The latter bonds with his own symbiote, becoming the violent Carnage, who, along with his girlfriend Shriek, is hellbent on hell-raising. Beyond Eddie, Venom and the other symbiotes, other comic book characters include Anne Weying, Eddie's love interest and wife in the source material.
How to Stream Venom and Venom: Let There Be Carnage
Despite being a Marvel movie, and one integral to the development of Sony's burgeoning Spider-Man franchise, the first Venom is not easy to stream at all. It's available to stream through Hulu but requires a Starz subscription. The same goes for Venom: Let There Be Carnage, which is not currently on Hulu. That is due, in part, to its being a Sony production and not anything directly related to Marvel Studios.
The Disney+ streaming service will only be receiving new Marvel movies from 2022 and beyond. Both Venom flicks precede this, meaning they won't be joining Disney+ anytime soon. However, they will join Disney+ in Japan, with foreign countries having different release stipulations from streaming services. Given that it finally released earlier this year, the 2022 film Morbius will arrive on the service, but likely not until next year. Until then, the Venom films and Morbius are available for purchase through Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV and other video-on-demand options, keeping Sony's films still widely available in some capacity.