A lack of competition and well-earned goodwill among fans has helpedVenom: The Last Danceexecute something of a comeback in the last couple of weeks, after it delivered a franchise-low debut. This, in turn, has helped push the trilogy’s cumulative global box office past an impressive new milestone, just asVenom: The Last Dancegetsready to pass the $400 million mark globallytoday. Directed by debutanteKelly Marcel, the film features a returningTom Hardyin the dual central roles of journalist Eddie Brock and an alien symbiote. Hardy has earned acclaim for his comedic performance, even if the Venom movies themselves have struggled to strike a chord with critics.
Venom: The Last Dancehas made $393 million so far at the worldwide box office, against a reported budget of around $120 million. This is around half of what any major studio would spend on a big superhero tent pole. Released in 2018, the firstVenomfilm was a surprise blockbuster, grossing over $850 million globally despite poor reviews. That film, directed byRuben Fleischer, was a humongous hit in China, where it earned nearly $300 million. Due to several factors, the second film,Venom: Let There Be Carnage, couldn’t secure a release in the Middle Kingdom. Directed byAndy Serkis, the film ended up grossing over $500 million globally nonetheless.
Combined withVenom: The Last Dance’s $393 million haul,the trilogy has generated over $1.7 billion worldwide. It remains the only bright spot in Sony’s efforts to build its own shared franchise, modeled on Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe — the highest-grossing film series of all time. Barring the three Venom movies, Sony’s universe has delivered some of the biggest superhero duds of all time;MorbiusandMadame Web.In addition to truly terrible reviews, the films grossed only around $260 million worldwide, combined.
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It’s still too early to say, butVenom: The Last Dancecould eventually overtakeVenom 2at the global box office. Although the chances of it passing the identical $213 million lifetime domestic hauls of both its predecessors appear to be bleak.Venom: The Last Danceearned mostly negative reviews, and currently sits at a “rotten” 41% approval rating on the aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes. But itsaudience score is far more positive, at 81%.In his review, Collider’sAidan Kelleypraised the film’s “visual flair and entertainment value,” but described it as an “inconsistent mess.” You can watchVenom: The Last Dancein theaters, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
Venom: The Last Dance
Eddie Brock, balancing life with the alien symbiote Venom, faces a complex struggle with a powerful new adversary threatening their existence and the world. As a turbulent alliance forms between man and symbiote, the duo embarks on a thrilling journey of survival, challenging their limits and ethical boundaries.
