Yes, Carnage does appear in the mid-credits scene in Director Ruben Fleischer’s Venom film, portrayed by none other than Woody Harrelson!
Zombieland alumni reunited on the set of Venom as Woody Harrelson has been cast as the maniacal Cletus Kasady by director Ruben Fleischer. Serial killer Kasady, better known as the ruthless, psychotic Carnage writes “Welcome Eddie” in his own blood on the wall, before telling Eddie Brock that when he finally makes his way out and escapes the San Quentin State Prison, “there’s going to be Carnage.”
It all starts when Eddie Brock is on the path to resurrecting his journalism career with the interview of a life time down in San Quentin. An interview requested by Kasady himself. Donning his infamous red locks, the interview goes in classic Carnage fashion for Eddie.
Harrelson previously played this flavor of diabolical murderer back in 1994’s Natural Born Killers, so he has the repertoire to make Cletus Kasady / Carnage all they can be. Carnage has never appeared in a live action Spider-Man universe film before. Though a sequel hasn’t been officially announced as of yet in box office opening weekend, it’s a pretty safe bet! Who’s going to turn down watching Venom match up with Carnage in theaters after all these years?
The main question is now, will it be rated R? Or attempt to again garner a PG-13 rating to placate the masses? Despite the mass market appeal of a PG-13 rating, it does inevitably stifle the creativity that can be achieved with an R rating for Carnage. His character is a deranged serial killer to begin with after all. Will the sequel be named Carnage or Venom 2 or Venom with some kind of title attached like Venom: Carnage? Will any of this lead to Carnage interacting with Spider-Man during a Venom sequel or in the main-stay Spider-Man films?
No matter what ends up happening, one thing’s for sure, the character of Carnage is safe with Woody Harrelson behind the wheel. Cletus Kasady will be done justice with Harrelson portraying him in the next film no matter what year it’ll arrive, and fans will be waiting, likely camped outside to see it first.