Does Cletus Kasady Exist In The MCU?
After years of trial and error, retcons and recasts, and no shortage of luck, the Marvel Cinematic Universe now reigns atop the superhero genre. It's the premier avenue to see Marvel Comics' greatest heroes come to life on the big screen, duking it out with classic foes or teaming up to defeat bigger villains. However, it's not the only Marvel shared universe on the block since Sony Pictures launched the Sony Pictures Universe of Marvel Characters. It kicked off in 2018 with the Tom Hardy-led "Venom" solo movie, which found great success in more ways than one and will soon be joined by a direct sequel.
Titled "Venom: Let There Be Carnage," this film will pick up where its predecessor left off — exploring the dynamic between Eddie Brock and Venom (both played by Hardy), highlighting the will-they-won't-they relationship between Eddie and his ex, Anne Weying (Michelle Williams), and introducing new threats. The worst of them all seems to be Cletus Kasady (Woody Harrelson), better known by his alias, Carnage: a fellow symbiote host with murderous tendencies. Despite his penchant for mayhem and violence, Carnage is a fan favorite and has been for years, generating anticipation from fans hoping to see him square off with one of his chief rivals, Spider-Man, down the road.
All things considered, just how likely is a confrontation between Tom Holland's Spider-Man and Woody Harrelson's Carnage on the silver screen? More importantly, does Cletus Kasady even exist in the MCU? Here's what we know.
Don't expect Carnage to pop up in the MCU any time soon
From the moment Sony began its cinematic Marvel universe, there has been some confusion as to whether or not any of the events within its canon apply to the MCU. After all, Spider-Man is owned by Sony, and, naturally, the studio is heavily involved with his MCU solo movies. Not to mention, Michael Keaton's Vulture has appeared in a project under each banner — "Spider-Man: Homecoming" and "Morbius" — therefore, are they one, and could Carnage exist in the MCU already? Not according to the director of "Let There Be Carnage," Andy Serkis.
In an interview with IGN, Serkis explained that connecting his film to the MCU and Tom Holland's Spider-Man was far from his intention. "We're treating this very much as it's his own world. The Venom story is his own world. There are nods and little moments [like the shot of the newspaper the Daily Bugle], of course, but on the whole, he's unaware. They are unaware, at this point, of other characters like Spider-Man." At the same time, he tacks on "We'll see what little things you can pick out of it," indicating that there may be more to the film than meets the eye.
Bearing in mind Serkis' comments and the lack of chatter from Sony or Marvel Studios, it stands to reason that their respective continuities are separate. As a consequence, the presence of Cletus Kasady — as Carnage or otherwise — in the MCU isn't in the cards at this juncture.