Andy Serkis and Tom Hardy appear to have a winner on their hands.
Director Andy Serkis’ Venom: Let There Be Carnage, starring Tom Hardy, chewed its way to the top spot at the Friday box office, with $37.25 million from 4,225 theaters. This is strong enough to make it the second-highest Friday of the pandemic era, following the $39.5 million that Marvel’s Black Widow debuted with. Unlike that film, however, Venom 2 is playing exclusively in theaters.
Sony is predicting a three-day total of $71.3 million, but some industry estimates put the opening weekend at $80 million. If Venom 2 hits that number, it’ll be neck-and-neck with the three-day opening of the first film ($80.2 in 2018). The reviews are certainly more favorable this time around; what was dismissed as silliness in 2018 is now being embraced. But fans have always been more enthusiastic about these movies; the first one, directed by Ruben Fleischer, became a surprise blockbuster with a final global tally of over $850 million.
Comment