Marvel anti-hero in superhero cinema.

The three Venom movies (Venom (2018), Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021), and Venom: The Last Dance (2024)) are a part of Sony's Spider-Man Universe, a franchise connected to Spider-Man’s extensive world of allies and foes. Venom (2018) introduced Venom as an anti-hero dealing with villainous threats while navigating the odd dynamic with his human host, Tom Hardy’s Eddie Brock. Now that the trilogy has officially concluded with Venom: The Last Dance, the success of the whole trilogy can now be considered.

3 Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021)

The First Sequel Is The Weakest Venom Movie

Venom let there be carnage poster

Your Rating

Venom: Let There Be Carnage
Release Date
October 1, 2021
Runtime
97 minutes
Director
Andy Serkis
  • Headshot Of Tom Hardy In The Premiere Of The Bikeriders
    Eddie Brock/Venom
  • Headshot Of Woody Harrelson IN The Oceana’s 5th annual Rock Under the Stars event
    Woody Harrelson
    Cletus Kasady/Carnage

WHERE TO WATCH

Venom: Let There Be Carnage, directed by Andy Serkis, follows Eddie Brock, portrayed by Tom Hardy, as he struggles to coexist with the alien symbiote Venom. The film introduces the antagonist Cletus Kasady, a serial killer transformed into the menacing Carnage after becoming host to an alien symbiote.

Writers
Todd McFarlane
Prequel(s)
Venom
Franchise(s)
Venom
Main Genre
Adventure
Budget
$110 million

Venom: Let There Be Carnage is the weakest entry in the Venom trilogy. Directed by Andy Serkis, it promised an epic showdown between Venom and one of the most iconic villains in Spider-Man’s rogues’ gallery, Carnage. Yet, despite the high expectations, the film failed to deliver a satisfying villain arc. Carnage, also known as Cletus Kasady, was portrayed by Woody Harrelson, a casting choice that seemed immensely promising.

Although it had entertaining moments, Venom: Let There Be Carnage ultimately felt like a missed opportunity and, therefore, ranks lowest among the trilogy.

However, Venom: Let There Be Carnage gave Harrelson little room to shine, providing a surprisingly restrained portrayal of the famously psychotic villain. Harrelson’s performance felt surprisingly docile, missing the violent, unpredictable edge that made Carnage a fan favorite in the comics. Where Venom 2 did succeed was in exploring the odd-couple relationship between Eddie Brock and the Venom symbiote.

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The man partly responsible for bringing Venom to life, Todd MacFarlane, reveals how he would have brought the symbiote to the screen.

Venom and Eddie’s bickering and attempts to navigate their shared existence brought humor and some depth, but the storyline lacked cohesion. Let There Be Carnage struggled to balance its horror elements with its comedic beats, resulting in an uneven experience that felt as though the potential for a truly terrifying Carnage arc had been squandered. Although it had entertaining moments, Venom: Let There Be Carnage ultimately felt like a missed opportunity and, therefore, ranks lowest among the trilogy.

2 Venom (2018)

The Middling First Installment

Venom 2018 Movie Poster

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Venom
Release Date
October 5, 2018
Runtime
112 Minutes
Director
Ruben Fleischer
  • Headshot Of Woody Harrelson IN The Oceana’s 5th annual Rock Under the Stars event
    Woody Harrelson
  • Headshot Of Jenny Slate In The 2024 Disney Upfront
    Jenny Slate

WHERE TO WATCH

Streaming

Writers
Scott Rosenberg, Jeff Pinkner
Franchise(s)
Marvel
Main Genre
Superhero

The original Venom (2018) sits in the middle, providing a promising but imperfect foundation for the character's on-screen debut. Directed by Ruben Fleischer, the film took its time setting up Eddie Brock’s origin story and introducing audiences to the alien symbiote concept. Though a bit slow-paced, the movie established the relationship between Eddie and Venom, exploring their initial, reluctant partnership that eventually develops into the quirky bond depicted in later films.

Venom may feel slightly underdeveloped, especially when compared to superhero origin stories in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Still, it had entertaining action sequences and a few memorable moments that depicted Venom's unique powers. While the symbiote’s personality was not fully fleshed out, Tom Hardy’s dual performance as Eddie and the voice of Venom kept the movie engaging. With a solid but unspectacular story, Venom provided enough intrigue to pave the way for sequels.

Venom may have lacked the polish and depth of other superhero films, but it was a fun ride that succeeded in making Venom a relatable yet chaotic figure in superhero cinema.

Overall, Venom proved Sony’s gamble on a standalone Venom movie was worthwhile. While not perfect, the film provided a refreshing change from typical superhero stories and set up the Eddie-Venom dynamic that would become central to the trilogy. Venom may have lacked the polish and depth of other superhero films, but it was a fun ride that succeeded in making Venom a relatable yet chaotic figure in superhero cinema.

1 Venom: The Last Dance (2024)

The Last Hurrah

Venom The Last Dance Til Death Do They Part Poster

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Venom: The Last Dance
Release Date
October 25, 2024
Runtime
110 Minutes
Director
Kelly Marcel

WHERE TO WATCH

Streaming

Writers
Kelly Marcel, Tom Hardy
Franchise(s)
Venom
Main Genre
Adventure

The final installment, Venom: The Last Dance (2024), delivered on the promise of a great Venom movie, effectively tying up the trilogy with humor, heart, and high-stakes action. With the foundation laid by the first two films, The Last Dance was able to dive into its story immediately, depicting a fully developed bond between Eddie and Venom. Their partnership finally felt complete, with both characters embracing their respective roles as an anti-hero team. This installment gave Venom a more defined personality, striking the perfect balance between chaotic menace and reluctant hero.

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24 Venom: The Last Dance Easter Eggs & Marvel References Explained

Venom: The Last Dance features all kinds of Easter eggs and Marvel references amid all the crazy symbiote mayhem and Knull the Symbiote God.

What set The Last Dance apart was its emotionally charged narrative. Eddie and Venom face a formidable enemy in Knull and the Xenophages. The climactic moments in Venom: The Last Dance were powerful, especially when Venom made a surprising sacrifice to save Eddie, exhibiting a rare and poignant side to the character. This selflessness added depth to Venom’s character, showing just how far he’d come since the first film.

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Every Symbiote In Venom: The Last Dance Explained

Venom: The Last Dance features a sizable roster of new symbiotes and their hosts, going beyond Tom Hardy's Eddie Brock and Venom alone.

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The Last Dance also had a strong comedic edge, with Eddie and Venom’s interactions being funnier and more polished than in previous movies. By the time the credits rolled, Venom 3 left a bittersweet sense of closure, marking a triumphant end to the trilogy. With refined storytelling, well-executed character dynamics, and a touching finale, Venom: The Last Dance stands as the best entry in the Venom trilogy. It’s only a shame that Sony didn’t crack this formula sooner.

Venom Also Appeared In A Spider-Man Movie

Tom Hardy's Eddie Brock and Venom weren't just relegated to Sony's Spider-Man Universe. The post-credits scene for Spider-Man: No Way Home sees Eddie and Venom transported to the main MCU universe following the multiverse events of Tom Holland's third Spider-Man film, but he is quickly transported back to his own universe, leaving a piece of the symbiote behind. This felt like a set-up for Black Suit Spider-Man in some way, but nothing has come of it since.

In fact, Venom: The Last Dance seemed to retcon a bit of Spider-Man: No Way Home's scene, and it is unclear if the piece of symbiote actually ended up staying in the MCU. While it is unlikely that Tom Holland and Tom Hardy will ever cross paths with their respective characters, for a brief moment, it really did look like they would, which could have been an exciting moment for fans of these versions of the characters.

Venom Is The Best Of Sony's Spider-Man Universe

For the most part, Sony's Spider-Man Universe without the presence of a Spider-Man was a critical and financial failure, with each film getting worse and worse reviews as well as earning less and less money, as many are outright flops. The only films in the universe that have actually been successful were the Venom movies, which all three in the trilogy ended up netting Sony some nice profit, but even those films saw a downturn with each installment at the box office.

Sony's attempt at a cinematic universe is a fascinating look at something that essentially goes wrong with just the premise alone.

While the Venom films were exactly critical darlings, they fared better than Morbius, Madame Web, and Kraven, with Tom Hardy's committed performance as both Eddie Brock and Venom doing a lot of the heavy lifting throughout the trilogy and Sony's Spider-Man Universe as a whole. Nevertheless, Sony's attempt at a cinematic universe is a fascinating look at something that essentially goes wrong with just the premise alone, but at least the Venom movies are entertaining.

  • Venom 2018 Movie Poster

    Your Rating

    Venom
    Release Date
    October 5, 2018
    Runtime
    112 Minutes
    Director
    Ruben Fleischer
    • Headshot Of Woody Harrelson IN The Oceana’s 5th annual Rock Under the Stars event
      Woody Harrelson
    • Headshot Of Jenny Slate In The 2024 Disney Upfront
      Jenny Slate

    WHERE TO WATCH

    Streaming

    Venom is an action sci-fi movie that stars Tom Hardy as the titular Marvel anti-hero. When the Life Foundation begins experimenting on alien lifeforms they find on a comet that landed nearby, Investigative Journalist Eddie Brock begins to investigate them. When an infiltration goes wrong, Eddie finds that one of the aliens has bonded to him, forcing him to learn to live with his new uninvited host. Giving him superhuman powers, the two begin to work together to stop the rest of the symbiote's invasive species.

  • Venom let there be carnage poster

    Your Rating

    Venom: Let There Be Carnage
    Release Date
    October 1, 2021
    Runtime
    97 minutes
    Director
    Andy Serkis
    • Headshot Of Tom Hardy In The Premiere Of The Bikeriders
      Eddie Brock/Venom
    • Headshot Of Woody Harrelson IN The Oceana’s 5th annual Rock Under the Stars event
      Woody Harrelson
      Cletus Kasady/Carnage

    WHERE TO WATCH

    Venom: Let There Be Carnage, directed by Andy Serkis, follows Eddie Brock, portrayed by Tom Hardy, as he struggles to coexist with the alien symbiote Venom. The film introduces the antagonist Cletus Kasady, a serial killer transformed into the menacing Carnage after becoming host to an alien symbiote.

  • Venom The Last Dance Til Death Do They Part Poster

    Your Rating

    Venom: The Last Dance
    Release Date
    October 25, 2024
    Runtime
    110 Minutes
    Director
    Kelly Marcel

    WHERE TO WATCH

    Streaming

    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.