Scoop of the Day
In just four weeks, Venom: The Last Dance has outperformed the total box office earnings of DC’s highest-grossing film from 2023. The conclusion of Venom: The Last Dance appears to definitively wrap up the trilogy, which may have contributed to its impressive box office results.
The film’s daily Performance
The Venom franchise has proven to be a lucrative venture for Sony, and even though it seems to be reaching a conclusion, the post-credit scene of Venom 3 hints at the possibility of new stories should Sony decide to pursue them. While the performance of the upcoming Marvel movie, Kraven the Hunter, is expected to influence the trajectory of the Sony Spider-Man Universe, the success of Venom 3 stands as a testament to the franchise’s enduring appeal.
In just a month, Venom 3 has exceeded the total box office earnings of 2023’s top-grossing DC film, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. According to Box Office Mojo, Venom 3 has already amassed an impressive $456 million globally, while Aquaman 2 finished its entire theatrical run with only $439 million. This significant achievement bodes well for the future of the Venom franchise and the broader Sony Spider-Man Universe. Additionally, it highlights some troubling trends for DC’s performance in 2023.
What to expect..
With Venom 3 surpassing the box office performance of Aquaman 2, there’s potential for a sequel focused on the character. Although Venom 3 appears to wrap up the story neatly, Sony has several avenues to bring the franchise or the character back to life if they choose to do so. Considering that Aquaman, released in 2018, earned over $1 billion, Venom 3‘s success in outpacing its sequel will certainly prompt Sony to the future of the series.
From DC’s viewpoint, Venom 3 outperforming Aquaman 2 highlights the troubling state of its franchise. The year 2023 has been particularly disappointing for DC films, with the lackluster reception of The Flash and the underperformance of other titles such as Aquaman 2, Shazam 2, and Blue Beetle. To emphasize this point, despite being the lowest-grossing film in the Venom trilogy, Venom 3 managed to eclipse the top-grossing DC movie of 2023 within just a month.
This stark comparison underscores the urgent need for James Gunn’s upcoming slate for the DC Universe to revitalize the struggling franchise and reestablish it as a formidable competitor to Marvel.
The Venom franchise has clearly emerged as the most significant commercial asset for Sony Pictures within the Sony Spider-Man Universe. I sincerely hope that Sony acknowledges the importance of keeping Venom at the forefront of its future plans. The ongoing development of Knull in Venom 3 as a potentially universe-changing antagonist is certainly captivating; however, I struggle to envision how it could thrive without Venom himself.
Given that Venom: The Last Dance has outperformed every DC film released since 2018, it seems that Sony might finally recognize the value of fully investing in the titular character rather than focusing on less compelling characters like Morbius or Madame Web.
