We Can't Tell If 'Venom: Let There Be Carnage's Post-Credit Curve Helps Things

SPOILERS FOR VENOM: LET THERE BE CARNAGE

Venom has always existed in an odd place in relation to the MCU. The story of a giant black alien slime that merges with Eddie Brock, disgraced reporter, is like The Mask if remade for people who were really into Rock Band. It cuts any ties to Spider-Man, the first suit wearer as seen in the much-reviled Spider-Man 3, starring Topher Grace and Tobey Maguire as its two hosts, and has been referred to as maybe in the MCU or maybe not.

Unquestionably great.

But Venom: Let There Be Carnage finally answers the question with its wild post-credit scene. It shows Eddie asking the symbiote about his past and learning that the symbiote has knowledge from a hivemind across multiple universes ... and then almost immediately after that, there's a flash of yellow light, and Eddie and the symbiote are in a different room. Spider-Man's Daily Bugle expose decrying Spider-Man as a murdering menace and revealing his identity as Peter Parker is playing. Venom, seeming to recognize him, licks the screen over Peter Parker.

The scene is a wild one that seems to have no logical explanation until you look at the No Way Home trailer and see a similar flash of yellow light during Strange's ritual, leading to Spider-Man's multiversal bad guys arriving in the MCU.

Color-coded for your convenience.

To be clear, this means that Venom is now in the MCU, and, given Doc Ock from the Raimiverse is in the film, probably has a connection to Topher Grace's Venom from the Spider-Man movie so bloated and horrible that it ended a franchise.

And, just like Doc Ock, Electro, Sandman, Green Goblin, and Lizard, Venom is probably going to try and take a bite out of Spider-Man in No Way Home, or at least say "Eddie Brock" ominously in the post-credit scene.

Does this mean Sony and Marvel are about to ruin another third Spider-Man movie with too many villains by adding Venom? We'll see in December! (The answer is probably, “Yes.”)

Top Image: Columbia Pictures