The latest instalment in the Venom franchise, Venom: The Last Dance, has premiered with a strong performance, raking in $8.5 million in preview screenings across the U.S. and Canada on Thursday night. Tom Hardy reprises his role as Eddie Brock/Venom in the eagerly awaited threequel, which is looking to make a significant impact at the global box office, though early numbers suggest it might see a modest opening in domestic markets compared to its predecessors.
Venom: The Last Dance is projected to earn approximately $180 million worldwide during its opening weekend, a five percent increase over the $171.6 million debut of 2021’s Venom: Let There Be Carnage. By Thursday, the film had already amassed $35.8 million internationally, with its Thursday domestic previews contributing a substantial portion.
The movie launched in China on Wednesday, taking in an impressive $9.4 million on its first day—making it the top debut for a comic book film in the country since Spider-Man: Far From Home in 2019. In total, Venom: The Last Dance has brought in $14.7 million in China alone.
In North America, the Venom series has a history of strong box office performances. The first film, released in 2018, opened with a then-record $80.2 million for October, only to be surpassed the following year by Joker ($96.2 million). The sequel, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, premiered in October 2021 with an impressive $90 million. The Last Dance is anticipated to take the top spot for October openings this year, outshining Joker: Folie à Deux, which fell short with a $37 million debut.
While it’s common for the third instalments in film franchises to perform lower domestically, Sony remains optimistic about Venom: The Last Dance, confident that the film’s loyal fan base will support a solid opening weekend. Produced with a budget of $120 million (excluding marketing), the film is expected to draw audiences despite mixed reviews; its Rotten Tomatoes score currently sits at 37%.
Directed by Kelly Marcel, who also co-wrote the script with Hardy, the film marks her directorial debut. Marcel, Hardy’s long-time creative partner, has been integral to the story’s development across the series.
Also hitting theatres this weekend is Edward Berger’s Conclave, a suspenseful thriller about the election of a new pope, starring Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, and Isabella Rossellini. Released by Focus Features, Conclave earned $500,000 in previews, meeting expectations for a drama aimed at adult audiences.
