The third and final instalment of the Venom trilogy, The Last Dance, is on the cusp of being released and the film’s director has hinted at the possible future of the franchise and the arrival of a major villain.
Tom Hardy returns as Eddie Brock in the hit series from Sony which, despite not featuring Spider-Man due to contractual reasons, has made more than $1bn (£771.6m) at the box office worldwide.
The newest film sees Brock and Venom, the alien symbiote who latched onto him, go on a road trip of sorts as they battle a squad of symbiote hunters sent to Earth by Knull (voiced by Andy Serkis), the “god of the void” and Venom’s creator, who is searching for a codex that will help free him from his prison.
The Last Dance is directed by Kelly Marcel, who has worked on all the Venom films to date and has encouraged fans to stick around during the credits to get a glimpse of what might be coming up in the future.
Speaking to BuzzFeed, Marcel told fans to stay until the “very, very, very end” adding that “we can anticipate the spin-off for a very, very bad man”.
Marcel would not confirm who the character was or if a film was in development yet.
Sony has had quite a few misses with its Spider-Man spin-off universe, with Venom proving a rare exception to otherwise derided films like Madame Web and Morbius.
The next film the studio is set to release in the series is Kraven the Hunter, starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson.
Early preview screenings of the film have seen it be warmly received by critics and journalists who have shared their reactions on X/Twitter.
“Venom: The Last Dance takes you on a wild and exhilarating journey from start to finish,” wrote Screen Rant’s Joseph Deckelmeier. “It’s a fun popcorn movie that reminds me of the early 2000’s comic book movies.
“The action is great & is a tribute to action films from the 80’s. There’s a ton of funny moments,” he continued. “Are there plot holes and some issues with the story? Yes. [Is] it fun? Also, yes.”
Digital Spy film editor Ian Sandwell agreed, writing that the film is “the most entertaining of the trilogy”.
He added: “It’s largely a funny and sweet road trip with Eddie and Venom living their Thelma & Louise fugitive dreams, including car karaoke and dog rescuing. You might even find yourself getting emotional.”
Meanwhile, The Wrap’s Drew Taylor added: “Venom: The Last Dance is the best of the Venom movies – the insanity has been ramped up significantly but so has the heart. It’s not perfect but it’s super entertaining.”
