Tom Hardy has a knack for turning characters into icons—whether it's the brooding Alfie in Peaky Blinders, the road warrior in Mad Max: Fury Road, or his three-film run as Eddie Brock in Sony's Venom series. While fans might have dreamed of seeing him suit up alongside the Avengers, his symbiote saga has officially wrapped up—at least for now. The first two Venom movies have been streaming on Disney+ for a while, but the trilogy's final chapter, Venom: The Last Dance, has been stuck in licensing limbo, available only on Netflix in certain regions. That changes on August 25, when the film finally lands on Disney+.
Sony's Spider-Man universe has had a rocky road turning its supporting cast into franchise stars—just look at Morbius, Madame Web, and Kraven the Hunter. But the symbiote trilogy bucked the trend, becoming a box office juggernaut. The first Venom pulled in $856.1 million worldwide, the pandemic-era sequel added $506.8 million, and the finale closed with $478.9 million. Combined, that's roughly $1.842 billion—making it Sony's only completed live-action trilogy from this universe, and a rare win in a sea of misfires.
Venom: The Last Dance, written and directed by Kelly Marcel, picks up with Eddie and Venom on the run from both government forces and the Xenophages—creatures sent by the god-like Knull, who seeks the Codex created by their symbiotic bond. The 110-minute adventure takes them from Mexico to Las Vegas to Area 51, culminating in a sacrifice that seems to end Venom's run. The cast includes Chiwetel Ejiofor, Juno Temple, Stephen Graham, Rhys Ifans, and Peggy Lu, all joining Hardy for the ride.
Sony marketed the film as the trilogy's finale, but the ending leaves threads dangling—like the surviving symbiote material and Knull's unresolved threat—suggesting the wider mythology could continue beyond Hardy's involvement. That's a tantalizing prospect for fans who've grown attached to the wisecracking alien and his reluctant host.
What About That Symbiote Left in the MCU?
One of the biggest lingering questions from the trilogy involves the post-credits scene in Venom: Let There Be Carnage, which teased a piece of the symbiote staying behind in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. That thread was picked up in Spider-Man: No Way Home's mid-credits scene, but Spider-Man: Brand New Day—which just crossed the billion-dollar mark in under a week—hasn't addressed it. Fans are still wondering: what happened to that symbiote chunk?
With Hardy's trilogy concluded, that storyline might be resolved elsewhere—perhaps in a future Spider-Man film or a new project. But it's unclear how or when, especially given the complex licensing agreements between Sony and Disney. The Disney+ arrival of The Last Dance is part of a broader post-pay-one deal covering Sony theatrical releases from 2022 through 2026, so more crossovers could be on the horizon.
For now, Venom: The Last Dance joins its predecessors on Disney+ starting August 25, giving subscribers the chance to binge the entire symbiote saga in one place. It's a fitting home for a trilogy that defied expectations and became a surprise hit. And while Hardy may be done with the role, the universe he helped build is far from over.
If you're in the mood for more franchise finales, check out Mia Goth's X trilogy slashing onto Hulu or the Lord of the Rings trilogy conquering Disney+. And for more on how book adaptations shape TV's biggest hits, see how book heroes built TV's biggest franchises.
