Sony’sSpider-ManUniverse has been the critically-dismissed wing of Marvel movies ever sinceVenomdebuted back in 2018. And, whileVenom: Let There Be Carnagedid quite a bit better with reviewers,MorbiusandMadame Webwere only good for memesand utterly toxic word of mouth. But those behindVenom: The Last Dance, which hits theaters October 25th, are aware of the SSU’s reputation. And, it seems they’re confident the third and reportedly final soloVenommovie can right the ship.
Venom: The Last Dance
Venom 3 is the third and final installment in Sony’s symbiote trilogy starring Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock. It follows the events of Let There Be Carnage, where the anti-hero fought serial killer Cletus Kasady, and Spider-Man: No Way Home, where Brock was briefly transported to the MCU through the multiverse.
In an interview withThe Hollywood Reporter, Temple was asked whether the critical and commercial failure ofMadame WebandMorbiusincreased the pressure felt by the cast and crew ofThe Last Dance. Temple responded with:
“I can honestly say that I’m not programmed to think about it like that. It’s quite new for me to be a part of a movie this size. I’m just hoping that I did the best job I could at a [movie] that was a really amazing thing to be involved in. I hope thatwhether five people go to see it or whether 500 go see it, or more, I hope that they enjoy it and it takes them out of their everyday lives for a minute.”
It sounds like Temple has the same attitude those behindVenomandLet There Be Carnagehad. Specifically, to have fun and, in the process,create something the audience finds fun. Regardless of one’s feelings about eitherVenomfilm, they’re pretty far from self-serious territory and are funky diversions from the MCU, andThe Last Dancewill likely continue the trend.
All that said, it’s certainly a movie that will put more than five butts in the seats (or 500 for that matter). Despite a 30% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes, the originalVenompulled in a whopping $856 million worldwide. And, while it raked in much less at $506 million worldwide,Let There Be Carnagewas still a major hit considering it was released in pandemic-era 2021, when many people were still hesitant to sit in an enclosed theater for two hours.
Venom 3 Trailer is Confusing Fans and Setting Up a Big MCU Disappointment
Venom: The Last Dance unleashed confusion on Marvel fans with its first full look at the final outing of Tom Hardy’s anti-hero.
Unpacking Juno Temple’s Response
Temple has been in the industry since the aughts, slowly developing clout with impressive work in noteworthy films such asNotes on a Scandal,Atonement,The Other Boleyn Girl, andKiller Joe. But with her fan-favorite characterKeeley Jones in the massively successful seriesTed Lasso, she’s found herself attached to bigger and bigger projects and roles.
As Temple said, she hasn’t been in many blockbuster-sized movies, though it’s not as if she’s entirely unfamiliar with them. After all, she’s starred in the studio filmsMaleficent,Black Mass,Year One, andMaleficent: Mistress of Evil.
For that matter, she’s had a bit of experience with comic adaptation movies. That said, while her roles inSin City: A Dame to Kill ForandThe Dark Knight Riseswere minor, her mysterious part as Dr. Payne inVenom: The Last Danceputs her front and center.
Venom: The Last Dancehits theaters October 25th. You can watch the trailer below:
