Frances Barrison, also known as Shriek, was a secondary antagonist in the 2021 film Venom: Let There Be Carnage.
She was the girlfriend of Cletus Kasady and an inmate at the Ravencroft Institute who was imprisoned there due to her supersonic powers. She was an archenemy of Detective Patrick Mulligan.
She was portrayed by Naomie Harris as an adult and by Olumide Olorunfemi as a teenager.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Frances Barrison grew up in St. Estes Home for Unwanted Children, likely sent there due to her mutant abilities: Shriek, as her name suggests, is capable of letting out a high-pitched destructive scream. After seeing a young Cletus Kasady being bullied by other children, she took pity on him and used her powers to protect him. The two bonded as they grew up in the children's home, and their relationship eventually became romantic. In 1996, Frances was forcibly taken to the Ravencroft Institute due to her powers, much to Cletus' furious dismay. On the way, Barrison attempted an escape where she partially deafened police officer Patrick Mulligan, but was shot in the eye and incapacitated. Unbeknownst to Mulligan, who believes he killed her, Frances was taken to the Institute, which was hardened against her powers, and was abused by the head doctor, Camille Pazzo. At that time, she was nicknamed "Shriek" by the staff.
Venom: Let There Be Carnage[]
Two decades after being separated from his girlfriend, Cletus had Eddie Brock run a coded message in the newspaper in exchange for his life story; the message was intended to let Shriek know he intended to keep his promise to marry her. However, Venom quickly figured out the location of Cletus' victims from his cell drawings, whereupon the police exhumed them. After the discovery, Cletus was sentenced to death by lethal injection, which made Shriek scream in horror after reading the article.
Back at the Ravencroft Institute, Cletus Kasady arrived after escaping his execution with the help of his new "friend" Carnage, who cooperated with him in exchange for the chance to kill Venom. After Shriek used her power during the escape, Carnage threatened to devour her if she did it again since symbiotes are vulnerable to high-pitched sounds. Cletus warned her of this for her safety. The three decided to make a “red wedding” for Cletus and Shriek. After kidnapping "witnesses" for the wedding, they planned on killing Venom, Eddie, and Mulligan.
Later, Cletus took Mulligan hostage while Shriek captured Anne Weying after failing to find Eddie Brock. Shriek went on to give Dan Lewis - Anne's fiancé - information on her whereabouts which he quickly passed on to Brock. Cletus and Shriek planned to get married at a cathedral with a kidnapped minister, however Venom appeared and fought with Carnage. Shriek tried to attack Venom with her scream, which led to Carnage threatening her again. Later in the battle Shriek attacks and seemingly kills Mulligan with her sonic powers.
Towards the end of the fight, Carnage knocked Shriek around to Cletus' protests and killed the church priest to become more powerful. Eventually, Carnage grew tired of Shriek's presence and strangled her into unconsciousness, causing Cletus to panic and disrupt the symbiotic connection with Carnage. As the fight with Venom reached the bell tower, Venom managed to rescue Anne and knocked Shriek into the cathedral's bell. its ringing stunned both symbiotes, but Shriek's scream as she fell caused them both to disconnect from their hosts. Shriek survived the initial fall, but was immediately killed when the cathedral bell collapsed and crushed her.
Relationships[]
Allies[]
- Cletus Kasady - Boyfriend
Enemies[]
- Patrick Mulligan - Attempted Killer and Attempted Victim
- Camille Pazzo
- Eddie Brock - Attempted Victim
- Venom - Killer
- Anne Weying - Kidnappee
- Dan Lewis
- Carnage - Former Ally, and Attempted Killer
Trivia[]
- Shriek is fourth villain in the Spider-Man movies to be an African-American since Electro, Shocker, and Prowler.
- Ironically, they both have gadgets and abilities to stun and weaken the main symbiote. but only Electro, Shocker, and Prowler did not encounter Venom.
- Shriek is the second Spider-Man villain to be a female since Into the Spiderverse's Doctor Octopus. Both serve as a secondary antagonist for the male antagonist: Carnage for Shriek and Kingpin for Octopus.