'Venom': Decoding 5 top Easter Eggs and their references
What's the story
The much-awaited standalone 'Venom' movie recently came out, exploring the transition of Venom from an evil symbiote to an anti-hero. Tom Hardy delivers a fantastic performance as the intense investigative journalist, Eddie Brock. Filmmaker Reuben Fleischer has constructed Venom's world excellently, with multiple Easter Eggs from the Marvel Universe, setting up a potentially successful franchise. Here are the top 5 Easter Eggs from Venom. Spoilers ahead!
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We are Venom
The film follows Brock accidentally achieving symbiosis with Venom, an alien life form. He is soon chased by hired goons of the Life Foundation, run by the evil genius Carlton Drake. Drake is responsible for illegal human medical trials and Venom must set things right.
Guest appearance
The one and only, Stan Lee
The 'Venom' movie has Stan Lee's cameo. Lee encourages Brock, saying 'both of them' would win ex-girlfriend, Anne, back. Referring to 'both' might mean that Lee can see Venom and Eddie. However, Venom's reply is even better, as he cannot recognize Lee. Comic fans might enjoy the inside joke since Lee had no part in the creation of Venom symbiote or the hero arc.
Carnage
A trail of excessive carnage
The Venom universe will expand through sequels, and the mid-credits scene proves it. It shows Cletus Kasady who comic fans will recognize as Carnage. Kasady is a deranged killer, played by Woody Harrelson. In comics, he bonds with a Venom spawn to become the killing monster, Carnage. The movie teases this beautifully, through Kasady's vow to escape prison, promising, 'there's gonna be carnage'.
Eddie-Venom
United they stand, divided they fall
Riot, a symbiote, is the main villain. Venom warns Eddie of Riot's combat skills but manages to hold his own for a while. However, Riot determines that Brock is a strong host and tears off the upper half of Venom's head and jaw off Eddie's skull. It is a homage to 'Venom: Carnage Unleashed #3', where Carnage pulled the exact move on Venom.
She Venom
The symbiote and the woman
The movie portrays Anne and Eddie's relationship differently than comics. However, it refers to the time Anne combined with Venom's symbiote. In comics, she turned into She-Venom and the lethal violence she experienced drove her to suicide. The movie changes that part, showing Anne rescue Eddie from certain death with the help of Venom. Nonetheless, She-Venom's introduction gives fans hope for a standalone movie.
Fan homage
The birth of the Venom idea
For those unaware, the idea of Venom started as a black Spider-Man suit found in space. Fan, Randy Schueller suggested Peter Parker's suit be made of the same material as the Fantastic Four's. Marvel paid him $220 for his idea, but he was never credited down the line. The movie pays homage to the fan by having Eddie live in The Schueller Building.