Venom: Let There Be Carnage has received a much warmer response from critics than 2018's Venom, which seems to have helped the sequel make a bigger than expected impact at the box office. The first movie may have disappointed fans, but it was still a huge commercial hit, and moviegoers have clearly been more excited for this follow-up than some may have suspected.
Despite early estimates of a $65 million opening weekend in North America, Let There Be Carnage is now set for a $71.3 million debut after earning a mighty $37.25 million on Friday from 4,225 locations. Variety points out that an $80 million haul is entirely possible, and, if that happens, it would be massive.
Three years ago, prior to the pandemic, Venom opened to $80 million; should Venom: Let There Be Carnage make more than that, it will have topped its predecessor even in a world still dealing with COVID-19.
Sony Pictures is no doubt riding high right now, and is likely to have big plans for this franchise moving forward. It remains to be seen whether director Andy Serkis returns for Venom 3, though we'd certainly hope he's the studio's top choice over Venom helmer Ruben Fleischer (who will be free after finishing Uncharted).
The Addams Family 2 (check out our review by clicking here) is likely to have a $16 million opening weekend, while Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings has slipped to #3 with an estimated $6.5 million. That's not a bad result considering it's sat comfortably at #1 for the past four weeks.
In our review of the Marvel Comics adaptation, we said: "Venom: Let There Be Carnage is the ultimate Marvel movie; seeing Venom and Carnage clash is a comic book fan’s dream come true, but the epic action is bolstered by incredible visuals, some big laughs, and a surprising amount of heart."
What did you guys watch in theaters this weekend?