Riz Ahmed’s Venom Character Revealed At Comic-Con Panel

By the time Sony Pictures took to the stage Friday evening, San Diego Comic-Con was in full swing, but that didn’t stop the Big Six member from making a huge splash, and it was the sinister symbiote, Venom, that did most of the damage.

Having already unleashed the first trailer earlier this year, the studio didn’t have to come bearing gifts, but that’s precisely what it did. Sadly, the best present of all, the footage shown in Hall H, has yet to surface online. Although, this new trailer is far from the only exciting communiqué to emerge from the Venom panel.

Despite the fact it’s not an MCU film, and Tom Holland will not be making an appearance come October, Tom Hardy – who’ll be portraying the cantankerous Klyntar – was asked, inevitably, if his unconventional protagonist would square off against the titular webhead. Given his character, I’ll let you figure out what the actor said when asked about it.

Also participating in the Venom panel was Hardy’s co-star Riz Ahmed, and the film’s director Ruben Fleischer, the latter of whom provided some pretty significant minutia for us to chew on. Not only did Fleischer tease that “at some point down the road” Spider-Man will have to be incorporated, but the Zombieland helmer also revealed who, exactly, Ahmed will be playing.

According to Fleischer, the actor will inhabit the skin of Riot, “another symbiote who fights Venom in the comic books.” Unfortunately, beyond the name, not much is known about Carton Drake’s alter-ego in the film. In the meantime, though, you can check out what Ahmed had to say about his character in the Tweet below, and as soon as we have something more concrete for you regarding Riot’s role in the pic, we’ll be sure to let you know.

.@rizmc gives insight into his character Carlton Drake, who founded the Life Foundation – "He wants to do right by humanity." That's where his actions stem from. #SDCC2018 #SonyAtSDCC

— Sony Pictures (@SonyPictures) July 21, 2018

Venom, starring Tom Hardy, Riz Ahmed, Michelle Willams and Woody Harrelson, is based on the Lethal Protector and Planet of the Symbiotes comic book series, and you can look for the sinister symbiote to invade your local multiplex on October 5th.