Venom Comic-Con Panel Reveals Riz Ahmed’s Riot & More!

The Sony Pictures Venom Comic-Con panel was full of cool reveals, including the fact that Riz Ahmed is playing the character of Riot! In the comics Carlton Drake was the leader of the Life Foundation, which attempted to use the unborn offspring (“seeds”) from  Venom to create a superhuman police force to patrol the post-nuclear future during the Cold War. The ensuing Riot symbiotes gave their hosts abilities akin to Spider-Man. In the film the Riot symbiote is silver, and hosted by Drake himself.

Ruben Fleischer confirms the other #symbiote seen in the #SDCC2018 footage was Riot. “He has a unique trait. You don’t know where Riot is going to turn up.” #Venom #SonyAtSDCC

— Sony Pictures (@SonyPictures) July 21, 2018

.@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

Fleischer also added fuel to the fire that Tom Holland’s Spider-Man may show up at some point in the Sony Spider-Verse films.

Tom Holland recently revealed that #Venom is the Marvel character he would most like to face off with says @JessicaChobot. Ruben notes, “At some point down the road they will hopefully cross paths.” #SDCC2018 #SonyAtSDCC

— Sony Pictures (@SonyPictures) July 21, 2018

Tom Hardy adds, “Go toe to toe with Tom Holland? I’ll have a go! He’s an awesome actor. I’d love to work with him.” #Venom #SDCC2018 #SonyAtSDCC

— Sony Pictures (@SonyPictures) July 21, 2018

Tom Hardy stars in the upcoming feature film as Eddie Brock, the host for Venom. Joining him are Michelle Williams (The Greatest Showman), Riz Ahmed (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story), Jenny Slate (Zootopia) and Woody Harrelson (the Hunger Games franchise, True Detective).

Venom will hail from Sony’s Marvel Universe of characters and will not be a spinoff of the current Marvel Cinematic Universe, wherein Sony allows Spider-Man to be played by Tom Holland. Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach are producing along with Amy Pascal, with Palak Patel and Eric Fineman overseeing for Columbia Pictures.

Directed by Ruben Fleischer (Zombieland, Gangster Squad) and written by Scott Rosenberg (Pain & Gain, Jumanji) & Jeff Pinkner (The Amazing Spider-Man 2), the Venom film is set for an October 5, 2018 release date.

First appearing in the comic book series as an alien costume worn by Spider-Man in Marvel‘s The Amazing Spider-Man #252 in 1984, it was several years before the creature left Peter Parker and merged with photographer Eddie Brock, forming the antihero known as Venom. Since then, the character has appeared in a variety of different forms and bonded with several different hosts. In the “Ultimate” Marvel Universe, the suit has a more terrestrial origin, created by Parker and Brock’s scientist parents in an attempt to cure cancer. More recently, the Venom symbiote has been moving between hosts, including Mac Gargan (aka The Scorpion) and Peter Parker’s old high school rival, Flash Thompson.