Venom: The Last Dancewas the worst performing movie in Tom Hardy’sVenomtrilogy and the main reasons for this may have been beyond the movie’s control.Tom Hardy’sVenomtrilogybroughtMarvel’s iconic antihero to life, turning the typically antagonistic Venom into a begrudging hero - the lethal protector. While the first two movies performed relatively successfully, the third installment,Venom: The Last Dance, has marked a significant downturn at the box office. Despite being praised as arguably the best of the trilogy, its box office haul is the lowest of all three films.
Sony’sVenomfranchise has been one of the most financially successful Marvel spinoffs, anchored by Tom Hardy’s unique take on Eddie Brock and his symbiotic alter ego. Others in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe have not fared so well. Sony’s Spider-Man Universe seeks to adapt origin stories for several of Spidey’s most famous ancillary characters.MorbiusandMadame Webwere among those which performed notoriously badly. Now, withVenom: The Last Danceunderperforming, the whole franchise could be reaching a pivotal juncture.
How Much Less Venom 3’s Box Office Is Compared To The First Two Movies
The financial disparity between theVenomfilms is stark. Though the trilogy has performed well over all, thedifferences between each are very conspicuous. This can best be seen in the worldwide box office figures:
$856,085,161
$506,813,864
Venom: The Last Dance
$456,425,476
The firstVenomfilm, released in 2018, was an unexpected juggernaut, benefiting from novelty, a star-powered cast, and a lack of competing Marvel releases that fall. Its sequel,Let There Be Carnage(2021), experienced a significant drop, though it still managed to gross over $500 million despite being released during the pandemic’s residual impact. However,The Last Dancefell below even these numbers, signaling diminishing returns for Sony’s Spider-Man Universe.
Every Actor From The Venom Movies That Played Other Comic Book Characters In Film And TV
A total of 6 actors from Sony’s Venom trilogy have played other comic book characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the DC Universe.
Venom: The Last Danceearned almost half as much as the first movie, with just $456 million. With a budget of $120 million, it should be considered a relative success. However, when considered among its predecessors, itseems like a glaring hiccup.
Why Venom 3’s Box Office Is The Lowest Of The Venom Movies
One major factor is diminishing audience interest in the SSU. While the firstVenommovie stood out as a quirky, self-aware action comedy with horror elements, subsequent films have struggled to maintain that novelty. The SSU also lacks the cohesive, interconnected narrative appeal of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Though it was expected that the SSU will achieve this at some point, it hasa long way to go before it can bring together each of its protagonists- especially if Tom Hardy has retired from the role.
24 Venom: The Last Dance Easter Eggs & Marvel References Explained
Venom: The Last Dance features all kinds of Easter eggs and Marvel references amid all the crazy symbiote mayhem and Knull the Symbiote God.
The end-credits scene inSpider-Man: No Way Hometeased Venom’s presence in the MCU, suggesting that the foe will finally appear in themain Marvel timeline. However,Venom: The Last Dancefailed to capitalize on this momentum completely. Despite what seemed like a monumental opportunity that could integrate Venom into a broader Marvel storyline, the film continued to isolate him. This was very disappointing, and felt like Sony had disregarded the opportunity to collaborate with Marvel Studios in favor of perusing its doomed franchise plans.
Reviews forThe Last Dancewere better than those forLet There Be Carnage,but still fell short of critical acclaim. Critics praised Tom Hardy’s performance and the film’s balance of humor and action, yet noted its lack of narrative depth. Although negative reviews did not deter the first two movies, thelack of a strong marketing hook or universally praised elements likely hurt audience turnout. Much of the promotion focused on spectacle, when arguably the movie’s strength was Hardy’s compelling performance - particularly inVenom: The Last Dance’s heartbreaking conclusion.
Every Symbiote In Venom: The Last Dance Explained
Venom: The Last Dance features a sizable roster of new symbiotes and their hosts, going beyond Tom Hardy’s Eddie Brock and Venom alone.
AVenomcrossover with a version of Spider-Man has been teased sinceVenom: Let There Be Carnage, andSpider-Man: No Way Homeseemed like it was finally setting this up. Whether it was Tom Holland’s Spider-Man, Andrew Garfield’s, or Tobey Maguire’s, many were petitioning for it to finally happen, especially now thatappetites were expertly whetted. Much like a collaboration with the MCU, Sony also squandered this opportunity, disappointing many and completely undermining their previous movie teases.
The absence of Spider-Man inThe Last Dancelikely contributed to audience disinterest. Venom’s character in the comics is deeply tied to Spider-Man, andhis ongoing exclusion from the narrative has diluted the franchise’s appeal. It feels somewhat aimless, and many viewers hoped in vain thatThe Last Dancewould finally actualize a crossover.
Another potential factor is theVenomfranchise’s divergence from the character’s comic book roots. While the movies lean heavily into humor and Hardy’s offbeat portrayal, they’vefailed to capture the darker, more menacing elementsof Venom that comic readers adore. For some, the lack of faithful adaptation diminishes the films' credibility as a Marvel property, turning one of the most iconic villains into a fairly standard superhero.
The market for superhero movies has become increasingly crowded, and not all projects are guaranteed box office success. The oversaturation of comic book films, particularly in the wake of the pandemic, has resulted in greater audience selectivity and the emergence of “superhero fatigue.” Without a unique selling point or a major event film status,Venom: The Last Dancestruggled to stand out in a crowded field.The SSU is particularly to blame for this, releasing three SSU movies in 2024 alone.
Venom 3 Still Isn’t The Worst Performing Sony Spider-Man Universe Movie
Despite its lower box office returns,Venom: The Last Dancestill outperformed some of Sony’s other attempts to expand the SSU.Venom: The Last Danceearned more thanMorbiusandMadame Web. As such,The Last Danceis thethird-highest performing of the five movies.
$167,460,961
$100,498,764
Morbius, starring Jared Leto, is widely regarded as a critical and commercial failure. With a box office haul of only $167 million, it fell far short of expectations andbecame a meme sensation more than a financial success. By comparison,Venom: The Last Dancelooks like a blockbuster, proving that Tom Hardy’s Venom still retains a dedicated fan base.
Madame Webfared even worse thanMorbius, despite being arguably a better movie.Madame Webnotably suffered due to its misleading trailers, which suggested that the numerous Spider-Women would feature much more than they did. While they were integral, they mostly appeared before they gained their powers, disappointing many viewers.
Kraven the Hunteris projected to make$39 million at the domestic box office on its opening weekend. This would place it somewhere betweenMadame WebandMorbius. Itwill therefore likely also bomb, placing it beneathVenom: The Last Dance.Venom: The Last Dancemay have underperformed, but it remains a more robust entry than Sony’s riskier projects. As Sony continues to expand its Spider-Man Universe, the lessons learned fromVenom:The Last Dance’s performance could shape future projects, though it seems increasingly unlikely.
Cast
Venom: The Last Dance is a film directed by an undisclosed director, featuring the character Venom in a thrilling narrative. The movie explores the alien symbiote’s latest challenges and transformations as it navigates through a world full of danger and new adversaries.
