2018's Venom opened up new possibilities of symbiote development as the first movie ever to chronicle the sentient beings as both superheroes and villains.

After its blockbuster success, Sony Pictures Entertainment made its sequel, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, slated to hit the theatres in September 2021.

While the spin-off will focus on the new upgraded symbiote, Carnage, the bloodthirsty villain and lethal protector Venom aren't the only symbiotes that have made their way to the Venom film series.

Here's a run-down on the symbiotes that have and could appear in the foreseeable future in the Venom universe. 

Who Are Symbiotes?

Symbiotes are alien parasites originating from the planet Klyntar. The extraterrestrial beings need to bond with a host for sustenance, creating a symbiosis and forming a single entity. 

But their insatiable hunger leads to every world running out of potential food, making them seek different planets.

Symbiotes were first introduced to Marvel comics through an association with Spider-Man.

The first symbiote debuted as a living alien costume in The Amazing Spider-Man #252 comics in May 1984, later adapted in Sam Raimi's Marvel movie Spider-Man 3 in 2007. 

Though the extraterrestrial being appeared as a villain in the film, the story didn't continue as Peter Parker killed the symbiote at the end of the movie.

A new chapter for symbiotes began after Venom debuted as the protagonist in Ruben Fleischer's 2018 superhero film, Venom. Since then, the symbiotes have been a part of the film series. Listed below are the ones that have been featured so far.

Venom

Without question, the symbiote that needs to be first on the list is Venom.

Though Venom is a superhero for humans, it is an outcast from its race. Fellow symbiotes abandoned it for defying its nature, caring more about a true symbiosis than seeking to dominate. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Venom (@venommovie)

Venom has a kind heart inside its monstrous looks, enough to differentiate between good and bad people before biting their heads off. 

In the movie series, Venom and its sibling symbiotes are brought to Earth by The Life Foundation. His famous host is non-other than Eddie Brock, a sadistic journalist whose life has been chaos since meeting the alien being.  

Carnage

Another symbiote the Marvel fans will get to know fully is Carnage. Featuring as a lead antagonist in the upcoming film, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, the red symbiote is the offspring of Venom.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Tom Hardy (@tomhardy)

 The sentient parasite will take over a serial killer Cletus Kasady's body, portrayed by Woody Harrelson, and cause literal carnage in the human world.

Carnage appeared in Marvel's comics in The Amazing Spider-Man #361 in April 1992. 

Riot

Viewers saw Riot as the chief antagonist in Venom. The Life Foundation had recovered the symbiote from a comet along with Venom and other symbiotes. But, it got its freedom after the spaceship crashed in Malaysia. 

Riot jumped from one host to another before finally settling with the CEO of The Life Foundation, Carlton Drake. It dreamt of bringing more Symbiotes to Earth to bond with humans and dominate the entire planet.

The plan would have been a success if not for Venom's interruption. Venom defeated Riot and brought an end to the symbiote.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Venom (@venommovie)

Riot is distinguished as a grey male symbiote spawned from Venom in the Marvel comics.

The Life Foundation Symbiotes

Other than Venom and Riot, two other symbiotes were brought to Earth by the organization in Venom.

One of the yellow-looking parasites, considered Scream or Phage symbiote from Marvel comics, didn't survive the experiments. 

The film also didn't focus on another symbiont, who appeared to be more powerful and violent. Instead, the symbiote is assumed dead after it killed its last host, Dr. Dora Skirth. 

Other than the already-featured specimens, the Venom film series could have a new symbiote in the future, and that is Toxin. Toxin will be the offspring of Carnage, more potent than its parent. 

And let's not forget that there's an entire planet of the symbionts, making their way to Earth for a destructive invasion.