While theMarvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)has had a long reign as the most profitable superhero franchise, Sony’sVenom: The Last Dancehas overtaken one of the MCU’s latest films at the box office in just two weeks. Since Iron Man came out in 2008, the MCU has steadily built an empire that regularly produced hit movies that would earn in excess of a billion dollars each. There were obviously some films that performed better than others, but for much of the franchise’s run, it was rare for any film to dip below $500 million at the box office.
Meanwhile, other superhero franchises struggled to make a significant return with numerous films bombing at the box office. Recently, the MCU has had a string of bad luck with some of the movies and shows in theMultiverse Saga underperforming. While new entries with unknown heroes likeEternalsfailed to generate hype, the MCU’s worst performing film to date was actually another sequel,The Marvels. By far, this movie has proved to be the least profitable entry in the MCU, racking up just over $200 million (viaBox Office Mojo), whileVenom 3has already exceeded $300 million in just two weeks(viaBox Office Mojo).
What Venom: The Last Dance’s Latest Box Office Update Means
Is The SSU Finally Competing With The MCU?
Venom: The Last Dance’sbox office exceededThe Marvelsis not to be snuffed at, but when examined in the wider context of the MCU and the Sony Spider-Man Universe, or SSU, it may not be as remarkable as it first appeared. The SSU’s first entry wasVenom, which came out in 2018 and made over $800 million. Venom remains the most profitable character in the SSU, withVenom: Let There Be Carnageearning over $500 million and now the third entry already passing the $300 million mark, but that also marks adecrease in earnings between the sequels(viaThe Numbers).
Should Spider-Man have appeared in Venom: The Last Dance?
Despite some teases, Spider-Man is not in Venom: The Last Dance. While I still want to see Tom Holland’s Spider-Man fight Tom Hardy’s Venom somehow, I’m glad that the character was not in the movie. The final Venom film was a fun adventure, but far from a great movie. As such, I believe that Spider-Man would not have been properly serviced in Venom: The Last Dance, so it was for the best that Peter Parker did not add to the film’s many moving parts.
Two of the other entries from the SSU,MorbiusandMadame Web, both failed to get anywhere close to $200 million at the box office. Meanwhile, the MCU’s latest release,Deadpool & Wolverine, passed $1.3 billion, and the movie immediately prior toThe Marvels,Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, earned over $800 million (viaThe Numbers). So while theMCU has had occasional flops,Venom’slatest success is difficult to compare to the sheer size and scale of the MCU, and its biggest hits.
Our Take On Venom: The Last Dance’s Latest Box Office Update
The SSU Is Struggling Far More Than The MCU
Realistically, the early financial success ofVenom: The Last Danceis a good thing for Sony, but if the movie doesn’t manage to exceed the earnings of the previous entry, it may be viewed as a failure internally. With the movie already being in theaters for two weeks,the rate of earnings will slow down, and it will be harder for the movie to turn more profit. Unfortunately, this was also Sony’s most profitable live-action Marvel project under the SSU banner.
Another MCU title thatVenom: The Last Danceovertook isThe Incredible Hulk, the second movie from the MCU, which earned a total of $264 million (via Box Office Mojo) and held the title of lowest box office earner untilThe Marvelscame out in 2023.
So, the studio could start to look for other ways to ensure that future entries are profitable, or turn more attention to the animatedSpider-Versemovies which, conversely to the live-action titles, have been increasing in value since the first movie.Venom 3overtaking the lowest earning MCU moviesmay be a milestone, but it’s not necessarily one that will earn the movie a lot of praise or attention in the superhero genre. AllVenom: The Last Dancecan hope for now is to pave the way for another profitable SSU franchise in the future.
Venom: The Last Dance
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.
