‘Venom: The Last Dance’ Falls Short as Superhero Dominance Wanes in Theaters

NEW YORK — The box office results from the weekend reveal mixed fortunes for new releases. “Venom: The Last Dance,” featuring Tom Hardy, debuted with $51 million, significantly below studio expectations of $65 million. The figures show a notable decline from the original “Venom,” which opened to $80.2 million in 2018, and its sequel’s $90 million in 2021.

The film, which follows a journalist sharing his body with an alien entity, has a production budget of approximately $120 million. While it may ultimately recoup its costs, its lukewarm reception — reflected in a 36% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a “B-” CinemaScore — raises concerns for its long-term success.

On the international front, the film fared better, earning $124 million globally, including $46 million from China. This performance positions it among the top international openings of the year.

David A. Gross, a film consultant, warned that the superhero genre is projected to have its lowest-grossing year in over a decade. With upcoming titles like Marvel’s “Kraven the Hunter” on the horizon, the overall dominance of superhero films seems to be waning. Comparatively, in 2018, the genre raked in over $7 billion worldwide.

Meanwhile, the Paramount horror sequel “Smile 2” fell to second place, earning $9.4 million, bringing its total to $83.7 million globally.

Amidst these figures, “Conclave,” a papal thriller starring Ralph Fiennes, emerged as the weekend’s standout success. Debuting in third place with $6.5 million across 1,753 theaters, it is drawing a mature audience, with 77% of attendees over the age of 35. With strong reviews and an engaging narrative, “Conclave” is poised to continue attracting viewers and potential Oscar voters.