Venom 2 Is Continuing One Mistake From The First Movie

Following the release of a second trailer, Venom: Let There Be Carnage is getting plenty right – but does the sequel carry over one big problem from its predecessor? Like its symbiote star, 2018’s Venom movie was a curious beast. On one hand, the effort was lambasted by critics and superhero fans alike for its myriad of storytelling weaknesses; on the other, Venom made a ton of cash. Following in the footsteps of The Suicide Squad, Sony settled on making a sequel, but opting for a fresh tone with a completely different director, swapping out Ruben Fleischer for Andy Serkis.

By all accounts, those changes seem to have worked. Venom: Let There Be Carnage has unleashed a pair of trailers, both landing to a positive reception on social media. General consensus suggests that Serkis and Sony have overseen a vast improvement to the original Venom, with a sharper wit on Eddie Brock’s extra-terrestrial body-share and a relatively faithful interpretation of Carnage (without the silly hair!). Ticking the boxes on visuals, humor and action, Marvel fans have every reason to be excited, but Venom: Let There Be Carnage might’ve failed to address one major sticking point from the first film, if the trailer is anything to go by.

Though it’s Tom Hardy’s name atop the bill, Venom is complimented by Michelle Williams in the key supporting part of Anne – a district attorney and Eddie’s long-suffering ex, who knows about his hangry alter-ego. Unfortunately, Michelle Williams’ Venom role was criminally minute, as early fears over the 2018 effort becoming “Tom Hardy: The Movie” proved apt. This is four-time Oscar nominee Michelle Williams. Golden Globe winning Michelle Williams. All-singing, all-dancing star of stage and screen Michelle Williams. And yet Venom gives her nothing. Admittedly, a lack of chemistry with Hardy doesn’t help, and the actress has since admitted to having very little investment in the project, but Williams in Venom is a peripheral blonde wig floating without direction through 112 minutes of tepid CG action. That’s no one’s idea of a good time, not to mention a complete misuse of talent.

With the Brokeback Mountain star contractually obliged to appear in a sequel, Venom: Let There Be Carnage represents a second chance to get Anne right… but early signs aren’t encouraging. Michelle Williams’ presence in the first Venom: Let There Be Carnage trailer was so slight, no one’s sure it was actually her even now. Annoyingly, the recent second trailer wasn’t any more generous. There’s a brief bar conversation between Eddie and Anne (though her fat new engagement ring takes center stage), and then a skit between Eddie and his ex’s new man, with Anne looking on from the car. She is, quite literally, a passenger.

Before the pitchforks come out, it’s important to stress that Anne’s screen time in promo material may not accurately represent her presence in the finished film. The big juicy marketing hook is obviously Carnage, and trailers have made Woody Harrelson’s villain the star. That’s where the money lies, and is to be expected. But given the criticism Venom faced for sidelining its female lead, trailers might’ve done more to reassure fans that the same mistake wouldn’t be made twice. And if Anne’s scant appearances thus far are representative of her role in the final film, at least Michelle Williams is getting a decent payday.

Promisingly, there are some great opportunities for Anne to become more involved in Venom: Let There Be Carnage. The first film briefly featured She-Venom, with the symbiote temporarily taking over her body before returning to Eddie. Early rumors suggested the sequel would dig deeper into Anne’s comic story as a symbiote host, and that might still happen, with Sony possibly keeping Anne’s reunion with Venom a secret. On the other hand, the image of Cletus Kasady holding Anne’s picture suggests Michelle Williams will have some involvement in the final battle between Venom and Carnage. Assuming the stereotypical “damsel in distress” trope is avoided, Williams might enjoy a more meaty role in the final act, which Venom: Let There Be Carnage is keeping hidden in the build-up.

About The Author

Craig Elvy
(3624 Articles Published)

Craig first began contributing to Screen Rant in 2016, several years after graduating college, and has been ranting ever since, mostly to himself in a darkened room. Having previously written for various sports and music outlets, Craig’s interest soon turned to TV and film, where a steady upbringing of science fiction and comic books finally came into its own.
Craig has previously been published on sites such as Den of Geek, and after many coffee-drenched hours hunched over a laptop, part-time evening work eventually turned into a full-time career covering everything from the zombie apocalypse to the Starship Enterprise via the TARDIS.

Since joining the Screen Rant fold, Craig has been involved in breaking news stories and mildly controversial ranking lists, but now works predominantly as a features writer.
Jim Carrey is Craig’s top acting pick and favorite topics include superheroes, anime and the unrecognized genius of the High School Musical trilogy.

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