In 2018, Sony Pictures made a bold attempt to keep making Marvel movies without the direct involvement of Marvel Studios. The very first movie in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe was Venom, a film based on one of Spidey’s greatest villains, who Topher Grace had previously portrayed in 2007’s Spider-Man 3. Tom Hardy (The Dark Knight Rises) headlined Venom as reporter Eddie Brock and the titular alien symbiote who bonded with him. And unlike Sony’s later film, Morbius, Venom was a big hit, earning $856.1 million worldwide.
Hardy reprised his dual roles in 2021’s Venom: Let There Be Carnage, which also outperformed expectations at the post-pandemic box office. Later this year, Hardy will once again return as Eddie and Venom in Venom 3: The Last Dance, a film described as the closing chapter in this trilogy. Regardless, Venom 3 may not be the end of the road for Hardy’s superhero career, especially after his MCU cameo in 2021. To bring everyone up to speed about the upcoming superhero sequel, we’re sharing everything we know about Venom 3.
Who is directing Venom 3?
Following in the footsteps of previous Venom directors Ruben Fleischer and Andy Serkis, Kelly Marcel is making her directorial debut with Venom 3. Marcel is a former actress turned screenwriter who wrote or co-wrote the scripts for the first two Venom movies. Marcel’s previous credits include Saving Mr. Banks and Fifty Shades of Grey, as well as the television shows Terra Nova and The Changeling.
What’s the plot of Venom 3?
With the Venom 3 trailer release, Sony released the official logline for The Last Dance. It reads: “Tom Hardy returns as Venom, one of Marvel’s greatest and most complex characters, for the final film in the trilogy. Eddie and Venom are on the run. Hunted by both of their worlds and with the net closing in, the duo is forced into a devastating decision that will bring the curtains down on Venom and Eddie’s last dance.”
Hardy and Marcel collaborated on the story, just as they did for Venom: Let There Be Carnage. That film ended with Eddie on the run after Venom helped him escape from prison. Their brief journey to the MCU in a post-credits scene temporarily derailed that subplot. Venom 3 is likely to pick up that narrative thread now that Eddie and Venom are back home where they belong.
We may also be able to infer that Venom 3 will be moving the action outside of San Francisco and onto the international stage. Parts of the film were shot on location in Spain and London, which would only make sense if the story was set there as well. That does raise two important questions: Why are Eddie and Venom in Europe? And who are they up against?
Who is starring in Venom 3?
Aside from Hardy as Eddie Brock and Venom, Ted Lasso‘s Juno Temple and Doctor Strange‘s Chiwetel Ejiofor will star in Venom: The Last Dance. Despite Ejiofor’s Marvel experience, it’s highly unlikely he’s reprising his role as Karl Mordo in this movie. In the trailer, Ejiofor plays a soldier hunting Eddie and Venom. Temple appears as a scientist working with Ejiofor to capture the symbiote. Additional cast members include Rhys Ifans, Alanna Ubach, and Clark Backo.
Will the other cast members from Venom return?
Although it would seem like a no-brainer to bring back the supporting cast from the first two movies, none of the other cast members are confirmed. Michelle Williams played Eddie’s ex-fiancée, Anne Weying, in the first two movies, while Reid Scott portrayed Anne’s fiancé Dan Lewis. Both Anne and Dan are fully aware of Eddie’s dual identity as Venom and they were his allies in the two previous films.
Additionally, Let There Be Carnage’s Stephen Graham will return since the previous movie revealed that his character, Detective Patrick Mulligan, survived his seemingly fatal wounds and was likely bonded to another symbiote. In the comics, Mulligan was the first host for the Toxin symbiote, one of Venom’s rare spawn who turned out to be heroic in nature.
Peggy Lu returns as Mrs. Chen, a convenience store owner who was briefly the host of Venom in Let There Be Carnage. Additionally, Cristo Fernández reprises his role as the bartender at the end of Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Will Venom 3 have a subtitle?
‘VENOM 3’ is titled ‘VENOM: THE LAST DANCE’.
In theaters October 25, 2024. pic.twitter.com/mbLA0C4u44
— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) March 13, 2024
On March 12, 2024, Sony revealed the official title of Venom 3 would be Venom: The Last Dance.
Will Venom 3 tie back into the MCU?
Not directly, since Sony’s Spider-Man Universe and the Marvel Cinematic Universe have been established as separate worlds in the multiverse. However, Hardy’s cameo as Eddie Brock/Venom in Spider-Man: No Way Home literally left behind a piece of the Venom symbiote in the MCU when they were whisked back to their world. This seems like a setup for Tom Holland’s Spider-Man to bond with the symbiote in the future. But since Marvel Studios and Sony have yet to announce a new Spider-Man movie, it’s anyone’s guess when that will arrive.
Having said that, Sony has made no secret about its intention to have Hardy’s Venom and Holland’s Spider-Man meet on-screen in a future film. Those plans may come to fruition if Venom 3 is a box-office success.
Is there a trailer for Venom 3?
Sony Pictures Entertainment released the first trailer for Venom: The Last Dance on June 3. The footage depicts Eddie and Venom as fugitives on the run from government officials. Yet, outrunning a group of soldiers is the least of their concerns once another symbiote villain invades Earth and attacks Venom.
What is the release date for Venom 3?
Venom: The Last Dance will be released on October 25, 2024. Venom 3 originally had a July 2024 release date. However, Sony pushed the film to November 8, 2024, because of Hollywood’s labor strikes in 2023, before moving it forward to October 2024. After its theatrical run, Venom: The Last Dance will stream on Netflix in 2025.
Sony confirms Venom 3 will be the final film in the trilogy
While there was some speculation there could be another film after The Last Dance, Sony Motion Pictures Group chairman Tom Rothman told Deadline in May 2024 that Venom 3 will be the final Venom movie. Rothman teased Venom 3, saying it’s “going to be huge.”
Tom Hardy plans to go out with a bang in Venom: The Last Dance
Tom Hardy chats exclusively with me about his #Venom: The Last Dance:
“It’s the last one and we want to go out with a bang, and lay the foundations for optionality and possibilities because it’s been such a great ride.” @VenomMovie @Marvel @SonyPictures https://t.co/WTR8jSD3HV pic.twitter.com/qo2e6mZNSj
— Jeff Conway (@jeffconway) June 3, 2024
Venom: The Last Dance is the swan song of the Venom trilogy. Hardy did not hold anything back in his final ride as Eddie Brock.
“I think you got to swing for the fences with these things,” Hardy told Forbes. “It’s the last one and we want to go out with a bang, and lay the foundations for optionality and possibilities because it’s been such a great ride. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working within that field and remit of a big film with big ideas, and a lot of people looking to you to back that up.”
Venom 3 rumored runtime is the longest in the trilogy
We can exclusively reveal that 'VENOM: THE LAST DANCE', starring Tom Hardy, is set to be the longest film in the Sony Spider-Man Universe.
Read more in the article here: https://t.co/h5FiwYO9pj pic.twitter.com/L4uijEnHbt
— Feature First – Film, TV & More (@Feature_First) July 1, 2024
As the last film in the trilogy, it’s fitting that Venom: The Last Dance is expected to be the longest. According to Feature First, Venom 3 has a rumored runtime of two hours and 15 to 20 minutes. This equates to 135 to 140 minutes, which is longer than Venom at 112 minutes and Venom: Let There Be Carnage at 97 minutes.
