Box Office Report: "Venom: The Last Dance" Sees Slower $22 Million Opening Day, Lagging Behind Previous Films in the Series

Sony’s highly anticipated “Venom: The Last Dance” opened this weekend, but it didn’t bring the thunder expected from the latest chapter of the hit anti-hero franchise. With a $22 million take across Friday and preview screenings from 4,131 theaters in North America, the film’s debut is well below the franchise’s earlier entries. This underperformance has sparked concerns for the future of the “Venom” series and Sony’s broader strategy for its Marvel anti-heroes.
The original "Venom" movie in 2018 enjoyed a $32 million opening day, while its 2021 sequel, "Venom: Let There Be Carnage," outdid that with a $37 million first day. By comparison, “The Last Dance” falls short, signaling a potential trend of decreasing audience engagement with this franchise. The film had initially aimed for a weekend total near $65 million, but current estimates suggest it may cap at closer to $50-55 million domestically. While still a strong opening by many standards, this result has raised eyebrows, especially considering the massive popularity of earlier films in the “Venom” franchise.

Franchise Challenges and Trends in Superhero Movies

The superhero genre has faced significant challenges in 2024, with box office results falling short of the massive successes seen in previous years. This isn’t unique to Sony; several other studios, including Marvel and DC, have seen slower openings and even outright misses, as audiences show signs of franchise fatigue. There are exceptions: mega-hits like Disney’s “Deadpool & Wolverine” from earlier in the year managed to draw massive audiences, proving that high-quality, unique superhero stories still have a place in theaters.

Still, for Sony, this year has been a mixed bag. “Madame Web,” another entry in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, barely passed $100 million globally, raising concerns about how the studio’s “Spider-Verse” spin-offs are being received. “Venom,” however, has been one of Sony’s most successful franchises within this shared universe, and fans had high hopes for “The Last Dance.”

The studio was optimistic that this threequel would revive interest in the series, but the more muted turnout suggests that this gamble may not entirely pay off. “Venom: The Last Dance” is currently eyeing an international release to potentially boost numbers and offset the underwhelming domestic start. Overseas markets were crucial to the success of both prior “Venom” films, with the first film raking in $642 million and the second generating $293 million from international theaters alone. Sony is hoping for similar international traction with “The Last Dance” as it seeks to balance the tepid response stateside.

Audience and Critical Reception: Mixed Reviews for “The Last Dance”

Part of the challenge for “The Last Dance” appears to stem from mixed reviews. Audiences who gave prior “Venom” films positive ratings have shown less enthusiasm this time around, with a Cinemascore grade of “B-” compared to the “B+” given to both previous films. In the superhero genre, Cinemascore ratings can be indicative of a film’s staying power. While the earlier “B+” ratings suggested generally favorable word-of-mouth that helped drive repeat viewings, a “B-” suggests that audiences may not feel the same level of excitement about recommending the movie to friends and family.

Critically, “The Last Dance” has also faced tough reviews, although poor critical reception isn’t entirely new to the “Venom” franchise. Both earlier films received lukewarm reviews, yet still managed strong box office performances, largely thanks to a devoted fanbase and Tom Hardy’s unique portrayal of Eddie Brock and his symbiotic counterpart, Venom. Hardy’s performance is central to the series, bringing dark humor and intensity to the role of the haggard journalist and the snarling, alien anti-hero. However, it seems that even Hardy’s loyal fanbase may not be enough to turn “The Last Dance” into a long-term success without stronger positive feedback from viewers.

Sony’s Leaner Budget Strategy and Global Focus

Unlike many superhero blockbusters, “Venom: The Last Dance” was produced on a relatively lean budget of $120 million. For Sony, this means the film doesn’t necessarily need to break records domestically to be profitable. Given the current climate for superhero films, this approach of managing production costs can mitigate some of the financial risk. However, Sony is still relying on strong international turnout to boost the film’s overall earnings, as domestic box office success alone may not be enough to justify future installments if “The Last Dance” continues to lag behind projections.

Sony has reason to be hopeful on the international front. Both of the prior “Venom” films were international powerhouses, particularly in Asian markets, where the franchise’s quirky blend of action, horror, and humor has found an enthusiastic audience. Still, it remains to be seen whether “The Last Dance” will continue this trend, especially as audiences globally are also showing signs of franchise fatigue within the superhero genre. Overseas success could mean the difference between continuing with the “Venom” series or taking a break, as star Tom Hardy has hinted at the possibility of “more symbiote stories to tell.”

New Characters and a Familiar Formula

Directed by Kelly Marcel, who also wrote the previous “Venom” entries, “The Last Dance” aims to bring fresh faces into the fold while maintaining the series’ unique blend of humor and grit. Hardy returns in his dual role, embodying both Eddie Brock and the titular, gooey Venom. This time, the story introduces several new characters, played by well-known actors including Juno Temple, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rhys Ifans, Peggy Lu, Alanna Ubach, and Cristo Fernandez. Franchise regular Stephen Graham also reprises his role from “Venom 2,” adding continuity to the storyline for returning fans.

Marcel’s direction retains the lighthearted yet intense tone of the earlier films, but the formula appears to be wearing thin for some viewers. The “buddy-comedy” dynamic between Brock and Venom, which delighted fans in the first two installments, has become somewhat predictable. Some fans have expressed that the humor, once a highlight, feels repetitive, and the plot lacks the innovation needed to capture audience attention for the third time. For the franchise to have continued success, future films may need to explore fresh storytelling angles or introduce more compelling plotlines that expand the symbiote’s universe.

Other Box Office News:

• Conclave: Focus Features' papal thriller, starring Ralph Fiennes and Isabella Rossellini, opened to a solid $2.5 million. The film is expected to benefit from strong word-of-mouth and potential awards buzz.

• Smile 2: Paramount's horror sequel continues its decent run, projecting a $10.3 million second weekend.

• The Wild Robot: DreamWorks Animation's family-friendly film is steadily climbing the box office charts, expected to cross $110 million domestically.

• We Live in Time: A24's romantic drama starring Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield is expanding its release and is projected to earn around $5 million this weekend.

• Terrifier 3: The indie horror film continues to defy expectations, projecting a $4.5 million third weekend.

As the fall movie season progresses, it will be interesting to see if any new releases can break through and capture the attention of audiences.