Venom: The Last Dance is the final adventure for Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) and his symbiotic half as they go on a road trip across the United States — and fight the power of the symbiote god Knull in the process. But despite the finality of The Last Dance, there is an end-credits sequence, and a mid-credits sequence to boot. To get into what both of those sequences entail, in terms of exactly how they hint at the future of the Venom franchise, is a subject for another article. But for those who loved the first Venom and Venom: Let There Be Carnage, there’s definitely plenty to enjoy, and will likely leave you wanting more.

What Is ‘Venom: The Last Dance’ About?
Image via Sony Pictures

Venom: The Last Dance picks up after the events of Venom: Let There Be Carnage, as Eddie and the Venom symbiote return to their own reality following a brief pit stop in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. They have no time to rest, as their actions in the first two Venom movies had every law enforcement agency gunning for their heads, including a mysterious agency led by General Rex Strickland (Chiwetel Ejiofor), who is working with scientist Teddy Payne (Juno Temple) to hunt down symbiotes. While on the run, Eddie and Venom encounter faces old and new, including convenience store owner Ms. Chen (Peggy Lu) and alien enthusiast Martin (Rhys Ifans, who is no stranger to Spider-Man related films as he previously played the Lizard in The Amazing Spider-Man and Spider-Man: No Way Home.)

Does ‘Venom: The Last Dance’ Set Up a Sequel?

In the trailer for Venom: The Last Dance, there are major hints that either Eddie or the Venom symbiote will shuffle off the mortal coil. Regardless of the answer to that question, will we be seeing more Venom stories? Writer/director Kelly Marcel teased both the reappearance of Knull in future projects and other symbiote stories during a Sony Pictures panel at New York Comic Con. Hardy was also at the panel, and bid a bittersweet farewell to his time playing the Lethal Protector:

“It’s been seven years this day…It’s like I started the day seven years ago and now it’s nighttime. It’s time to go to sleep. I’ve absolutely loved playing Eddie and Venom… It’s been one of the best things I’ve ever done in my life, so it’ll be sad to see him go.”

Hardy shouldn’t count himself out yet, though. Recent years have seen Michael Keaton and Hugh Jackman return to their respective roles of Batman and Wolverine, so there could be a point where he dons the Venom symbiote in the future. That time could even be closer than fans think: Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars look to take viewers on a tour through the multiverse, and the original Secret Wars storyline saw Spider-Man first wearing the symbiote suit. Could the stage be set for Tom Holland’s Peter Parker and Hardy’s Venom to come face to face?

There’s also the fact that the Venom franchise has been a major gold mine for Sony. The first Venom was a box office success, while Venom: Let There Be Carnage also reaped rewards during its theatrical run. Sony’s attempted to recapture that success with other Spider-Man related characters, including Madame Web and Morbius, but nothing has struck gold like the Venom films. A large part of that is probably due to Hardy’s creative involvement with the franchise; he’s served as a producer and developed the story for Let There Be Carnage and The Last Dance, showcasing the passion he has for playing the character. Whatever the future holds, Venom: The Last Dance closes out the Venom trilogy while hinting at potential future paths for the franchise.

Eddie Brock, balancing life with the alien symbiote Venom, faces a complex struggle with a powerful new adversary threatening their existence and the world. As a turbulent alliance forms between man and symbiote, the duo embarks on a thrilling journey of survival, challenging their limits and ethical boundaries.Release Date October 25, 2024 Director Kelly Marcel

Venom: The Last Dance premieres in theaters on October 25, 2024.

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