Post-credit scenes, at least as they exist in our modern-day superhero-soaked landscape, tend to be for the diehards, those who know these worlds beyond what’s presented in the films. That doesn’t change with the mid-credits stinger of Venom, which officially hits theaters today. In the scene, Tom Hardy’s Eddie Brock visits San Quentin prison, where a serial killer played by Woody Harrelson is locked in a cage.
“When I get out of here, and I will, there’s gonna be carnage.” Harrelson’s character promises. This line is the reveal, as “Carnage” is the alter ego of Harrelson’s Cletus Kasady, a main antagonist of Venom’s in the comic books. The above primer from ScreenCrush provides everything you need to know about Carnage’s lore, and even provides some speculation regarding the long-term plans of the Venom franchise.
If “the long-term plans of the Venom franchise” sounds funny in light of the film’s tepid reviews, know that the movie is already raking in loads of cash, with expectations ranging from $55 million to $70 million for this coming weekend alone (sorry, Gaga fans). They might’ve cut all of Hardy’s favorite scenes, but audiences are eating it up.