“Venom: The Last Dance” is set to energize the October box office this weekend, aiming for a domestic debut of $65 million and an impressive $100 million internationally. However, initial projections suggest that this third installment’s North American opening may be the lowest in Sony’s popular antihero series.
The original “Venom,” released in 2018, shattered October records with a debut of $80.2 million, only to be surpassed the following year by “Joker,” which earned $96.2 million. The franchise’s second film, “Venom: Let There Be Carnage,” launched in October 2021 to $90 million, providing a significant boost for theater owners still recovering from pandemic losses and marking a major success for Sony.
Despite previous trends indicating a decline for threequels, Sony is optimistic that passionate fans will consider “Venom: The Last Dance” the strongest installment yet, driving ticket sales beyond expectations.
Early reviews for “Venom 3” will be released at noon on Wednesday, with the film’s production budget reported at $120 million, not including marketing costs. The movie recently premiered in several international markets, including China, where it garnered an impressive $9.3 million on its opening day — the largest for a comic book film since Sony’s “Spider-Man: Far From Home.” This success prompted Sony to raise its international opening forecasts from $85 million to $100 million.
Directed by Kelly Marcel, “Venom 3” features Tom Hardy reprising his role, and he co-wrote the script alongside Marcel, who is making her directorial debut with this project.
In addition to “Venom,” the weekend will see the release of “Conclave,” a Vatican-set thriller directed by Edward Berger and featuring a star-studded cast including Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, and Isabella Rossellini. Produced by FilmNation and Indian Paintbrush, “Conclave” will open in 1,742 cinemas through Focus Features, who acquired domestic distribution rights. With a production budget just under $20 million, it is projected to earn between $4 million and $6 million in its opening weekend while aiming to sustain momentum throughout the awards season, currently holding a 95 percent fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
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