Is Tom Hardy’s ‘Venom: The Last Dance’ the Netflix Hit We Didn’t See Coming?

by

Tom Hardy’s swan song as Venom has proven to be a success on Netflix streaming platform. Venom: The Last Dance wrapped up the beloved trilogy with a bang, earning box office fame last autumn, and now it’s climbing the ranks on Netflix, debuting either at the top spot or within the Top 10 of their charts.

As a movie enthusiast, I’ve got to say, while the Venom trilogy might not have won critical acclaim, it certainly struck a chord with the audience! Since the first film hit theaters in 2018, these three movies have raked in an impressive $1.8 billion worldwide. On Rotten Tomatoes, critics weren’t too kind, giving each film a thumbs down with ratings of 30%, 58%, and 40%. But fear not, fellow fans, as we showed our appreciation by giving the films a resounding fresh rating of 80% to 84%!

It appears that the location for future Venom appearances remains undecided, but Tom Holland’s Spider-Man is moving forward with a fourth movie.

Sony’s Spider-Man Universe Ended with Mixed Results

The initial launch of Sony’s Spider-Man Universe was explosive with the debut of the Venom movie, but it concluded disappointingly as Kraven the Hunter struggled to make an impact in cinemas in December 2024. Shortly after, Sony declared the discontinuation of the universe that had shown so much potential but ultimately suffered from poor execution.

The concept for this universe, introduced in 2013 alongside The Amazing Spider-Man 2, became more defined when Sony partnered with Marvel Studios for the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Spider-Man films. These collaborations were successful for both parties. While these movies fell under the MCU umbrella, Sony aimed to introduce Spidey’s sidekicks and adversaries in a separate universe. In simpler terms, it was called “Sony Pictures Universe of Marvel Characters,” which can be quite a tongue-twister.

Although Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) movies were included in Sony’s universe, the studio independently produced their own movies and shows with varying success. The Venom film series turned out to be a major box-office triumph for them, while Into the Spider-Verse also performed well. Regrettably, other films from the studio didn’t fare as well, either underperforming or being outright flops.

2022 saw the debut of Jared Leto’s portrayal of Morbius, where he took on the role of a vampire. However, it failed to impress at the global box office, earning just $167 million against an estimated production budget of about $80 million. Critics were particularly harsh, assigning it a dismal 15% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, though audiences seemed more forgiving with a 71% rating. Despite rumors suggesting a sequel was in the works, no further talks materialized, and any anticipation for another Morbius film dwindled when Sony announced Kraven as the last movie of the Universe.

As a discerning moviegoer reflecting on the recent landscape of live-action films, I must acknowledge that two productions outside the Venom franchise have left a less than stellar impression. The much-anticipated Madame Web, released in February 2024, unfortunately failed to live up to expectations. Despite boasting an impressive cast featuring Dakota Johnson, Sydney Sweeney, and Isabela Merced, the film was met with a lukewarm reception from both critics (with a mere 11% positive rating) and audiences (earning a 54% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes).

The box office returns further underscored this disappointing outcome, as the film managed to rake in only $100 million at the worldwide box office against a reported budget of $80 million. The talented cast undoubtedly gave their best, but even their combined efforts could not save a truly mediocre production.

The most recent film in the Sony Spider-Man series, titled “Kraven the Hunter,” featuring Aaron Taylor-Johnson, premiered in December 2024. Despite initial expectations that it could be decent, the movie was a flop at the box office, earning only about $62 million worldwide against an estimated budget of over $110 million. Critics gave it a poor rating of 14% on Rotten Tomatoes, while audiences seemed to find it enjoyable with a score of 74%. Unfortunately, this underperformance marked the end for Sony’s Spider-Man Universe.

Read More

2025-02-27 00:03