The Hollywood thriller Venom: The Last Dance has made a striking debut in the West African box office, recording an impressive N77.8 million opening.
According to local distributor Filmoneng and data from the Nigerian box office, the film earned N71.9 million during its initial three-day weekend, with additional revenue from advanced screenings pushing it to N77.8 million.
This robust performance shows the film’s popularity across West Africa, where box office figures primarily come from Anglophone countries Nigeria, Ghana, and Liberia.
Of these, Nigeria plays a dominant role, contributing the majority of revenue from ticket sales for movie titles in the region.
Surprisingly, Venom: The Last Dance outperformed its predecessor, Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021), with 14,369 tickets sold on its opening weekend compared to the previous film’s 13,906 tickets.
This makes The Last Dance the second-highest opening of 2024 in West Africa, a noteworthy feat for the final installment in Sony’s Venom franchise.
The story follows Eddie Brock and his symbiotic alter-ego, Venom, as they flee from pursuers from both the human and symbiote worlds.
Forced into a situation that may end their partnership, they face a heart-wrenching decision, creating tension that fans find engaging.
What to know
- Expectations for The Last Dance were tempered after Let There Be Carnage received mixed reviews, but the latest film embraces a lighter, self-aware tone that leans into the absurdity and charm of the original.
- This tonal shift has resonated well with audiences who appreciated the film’s blend of dark humour and over-the-top action sequences, allowing The Last Dance to secure its place as an entertaining, escapist blockbuster.
- On the international front, Venom: The Last Dance had a more mixed start. It opened with $51 million in North America across 4,131 theatres—falling short of expectations for a $65 million debut, or the $90 million opening of Let There Be Carnage.
- However, overseas audiences responded enthusiastically, contributing $124 million to reach a global total of $175 million. In China, it garnered $46 million, marking the highest superhero film debut since 2019 and the strongest Hollywood opening in the country so far this year.
Movie budget and production costs
- Produced and financed by FilmNation and Indian Paintbrush, the film’s cast includes Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, and Isabella Rossellini.
- Despite the presence of such star power, The Last Dance cost a relatively modest $120 million to produce—far less than recent superhero films like Deadpool & Wolverine or Joker: Folie à Deux, which each had budgets exceeding $200 million.
- This controlled budget, coupled with strong early overseas earnings, suggests that Venom: The Last Dance could prove financially successful for Sony, even as it closes out the franchise with a highly memorable performance in West African cinemas.
