Venom Movie Series Achieves Over 5 Times The Box Office Success Compared To All Other Films In The Franchise Combined

The success of the Venom film series is nothing short of remarkable, as it has overwhelmingly outperformed the rest of Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, generating more than five times the total global box office revenue. The franchise kicked off in 2018 with the release of the first Venom movie, which introduced audiences to one of Spider-Man’s most iconic characters. Despite its initial triumph, enthusiasm for Sony’s Spider-Man Universe waned significantly with later releases, as films featuring lesser-known characters like Morbius and Madame Web struggled to garner similar excitement.

By the end of 2024, the franchise faced a steep decline, culminating in what is now regarded as its most disastrous entry, Kraven the Hunter, which significantly underperformed at the box office. Various factors have been discussed regarding the downturn of Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, yet it remains clear that Venom managed to escape the critical and financial pitfalls encountered by its counterparts. The extent of Venom’s success compared to other films in the series is indeed striking.

Sony’s Venom Movie Box Office Offerings

Total Earnings of $1.8 Billion

Sony’s Venom trilogy initially saw a strong box office performance, with the first film grossing an impressive $856 million worldwide. Although the sequels have shown a downward trend, even Venom: The Last Dance achieved a noteworthy $475 million. The franchise’s success becomes even more unexpected considering the first installment was met with mixed reviews—earning only a 30% rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, while audiences rated it much higher at 80%.

Sony’s Spider-Man Universe Movies	Worldwide Box Office (via The Numbers)
Venom (2018)	$856,081,053
Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021)	$501,546,922
Venom: The Last Dance (2024)	$475,051,219
Total Box Office: $1,832,679,194

Both the original Venom and its sequel, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, grossed around $213 million domestically, allowing international audiences to push the first film closer to the $1 billion mark. Collectively, Venom’s trilogy has generated $1.8 billion globally, positioning it comparably to the MCU’s Ant-Man franchise, which amassed $1.6 billion across its three films. Notably, Venom’s initial gross of $856 million surpasses several films within the MCU, including Thor: Love and Thunder, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, and Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

Lower Box Office Results from Other Sony Spider-Man Universe Films

Disappointing Sales from Other Entries

Unfortunately, the Venom trilogy’s remarkable success has not been mirrored by other films within Sony’s Spider-Man Universe. The highest-grossing film outside of the Venom series, Morbius, pulled in just $162 million, which is a dismal figure compared to the Venom total. Madame Web further underperformed at $100 million, while Kraven the Hunter floundered with a mere $59 million, effectively signaling the franchise’s collapse. Altogether, these three films generated a total of just $322 million.

Sony’s Spider-Man Universe Movies	Worldwide Box Office (via The Numbers)
Morbius (2022)	$162,759,437
Madame Web (2024)	$100,298,817
Kraven the Hunter (2024)	$59,184,643
Total Box Office: $322,242,897

The revenue from these films pales when compared to Venom’s total of $1.8 billion, and even falls short of the lowest-grossing film in the Venom trilogy, Venom: The Last Dance. To put it into perspective, the Venom franchise has outperformed Sony’s other movies by a staggering margin of 5.5 times. Additionally, when compared to Marvel’s cinematic offerings, it becomes evident that the lowest-earning MCU film, The Marvels, exceeded Morbius by over $30 million, highlighting just how poorly Sony’s recent entries have fared.

Factors Behind Venom’s Success in Comparison to Other Films

Recognizability of Venom Exceeds That of Other Characters

Ultimately, Venom’s remarkable success can be attributed to his greater recognition among audiences compared to other characters in Sony’s slate. As one of Marvel’s most iconic figures and a significant adversary of Spider-Man, Venom’s popularity has proven to be a major draw for moviegoers. It raises the question of whether Sony might have enjoyed greater success had it embraced more interconnected storytelling, possibly integrating Venom into other films within the universe.

Moreover, the appeal of Tom Hardy, who delivers a captivating performance as Eddie Brock and Venom, adds an extra layer of allure. The enthusiasm of Hardy and the creative team behind the trilogy for the source material clearly resonates with audiences, often translating into strong box office returns.

Sources: Rotten Tomatoes & The Numbers

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