Box Office Preview: ‘Venom
The threequel’s North American box office debut could be the franchise’s lowest yet. Oscar contender Conclave will also be shown in almost 1,700 cinemas.
Venom: The Last Dance wants to fire up the October box office this weekend with a $65 million domestic start and $100 million internationally, even though the threequel’s North American premiere appears to be the lowest of Sony’s coveted antihero franchise. The threequel’s North American box office debut could be the franchise’s lowest yet. The Oscar contender ‘Conclave’ will also be shown in almost 1,700 cinemas.
The first Venom opened to $80.2 million in 2018, a record for October. A year later, it lost the crown to Joker ($96.2 million). The second instalment, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, debuted in October 2021 to $90 million, a boon for theatre owners who were still recovering from the pandemic and a major win for Sony.
Venom: The Last Dance should have no trouble nabbing the biggest opening of October 2024 to date after Joker: Folie à Deux flamed out with a $37 million debut following the sequel’s unprecedented D CinemaScore.
It is not uncommon for threequels to be dropped in the case of Venom. Sony is convinced, however, that the third instalment will be the greatest of the lot, resulting in higher-than-expected ticket sales. Reviews for Venom 3 will be available Wednesday at 12:00. The film’s reported budget is $120 million before marketing.
On Wednesday, Venom 3 opened in its first raft of foreign markets and pulled in a better-than-hoped-for $9.3 million in China, the biggest opening day for a comic book movie since fellow Sony title Spider-Man: Far From Home. This prompted Sony to up its foreign opening forecast to $100 million, versus $85 million.
Directed by Kelly Marcel, Venom 3 stars Tom Hardy, who returns in the titular role. Hardy also co-wrote the script with Marcel, his longtime creative partner who makes her directorial debut with the feature.
The second new statewide film this weekend is Edward Berger’s critically praised Oscar candidate Conclave, a Vatican-set thriller about the election of a new pope. FilmNation and Indian Paintbrush co-produced and financed the film, which stars Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, and Isabella Rossellini.
Focus Features bought domestic rights in exchange for a distribution fee and is releasing Conclave in 1,742 theatres. The adult-targeted speciality feature, which costs just under $20 million to create, is expected to launch between $4 million and $6 million and play throughout awards season. (It has a 95% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.)
