Venom: The Last Dance wrapped up the Venom trilogy, and although the series has had its ups and downs, it ultimately carved a unique path in Sony's Spider-Man Universe. Each installment offered something different, from introducing the wild, monstrous anti-hero of Venom to finally finding a satisfying balance in character and story in its third movie. Though the quality of each film has varied, the trilogy has left its mark, with Venom now an iconic Marvel anti-hero in superhero cinema. 583f5p

Sony's Venom: The Last Dance rises to the first spot in Netflix's Global Top 10 Movies list four months after its release. Parallel to the MCU, Sony's Spider-Man Universe released six Marvel movies based on Spider-Man characters. Unfortunately for this blooming franchise, only Sony's three Venom movies found relative success with critics and audiences. Even then, the Venom movies resulted in diminishing returns for the studio, as Venom: Let There Be Carnage grossed considerably less than Venom, and Venom: The Last Dance grossed less than Venom: Let There Be Carnage. Following Venom: The Last Dance and Kraven the Hunter's poor performances, Sony's Spider-Man Universe was put on indefinite pause.

Months after Venom: The Last Dance brought Tom Hardy's Venom franchise to a close, the iconic Marvel character's co-creator has offered his thoughts on how he would have approached the movies differently.

After a brief cameo as a bartender in Spider-Man: No Way Home, actor Cristo Fernandez was speculated to have a broader tie into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, the Ted Lasso star has yet to reappear in the franchise, instead making his next appearance in Sony's Venom: The Last Dance. In that film, his role was minor.

Sony’s Spider-Man Universe adapted a litany of great Marvel villains, but their respective threat levels deviate notably from the source material. While some characters in the SSU have been adapted faithfully, others have fallen short of their comic book counterparts significantly. This ranking focuses on their depictions within the SSU, assessing their threat levels based on their actions, abilities, and overall presence in the films, as opposed to how they would rank in the comics.

Sony's Spider-Man Universe could have its first real anti-hero protagonist if it released one more Marvel movie. Following Kraven the Hunter's poor box office performance, Sony's Spider-Man Universe will likely be put on an indefinite hold. Therefore, the future of Tom Hardy's Venom, Jared Leto's Morbius, Dakota Johnson's Madame Web, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson's Kraven the Hunter remains unknown. Still, Venom: The Last Dance may not be the last time the tiltular symbiote will appear on the big screen, as its popularity may give it a chance to return, eventually.

Despite its potential, Sony’s Spider-Man Universe was plagued by questionable decisions that alienated audiences and undermined its success. From mishandling Marvel characters to missed opportunities, these missteps turned a promising concept into a cautionary tale of cinematic universe building. While the idea of expanding Spider-Man’s world seemed exciting on paper, its execution left much to be desired. It resulted in a fractured narrative and widespread disappointment, ultimately leading to the SSU's conclusion.

Sony’s Spider-Man Universe has been a divisive addition to the Marvel movie landscape, but it did produce some effective features. From compelling character relationships to awe-inspiring action sequences, Sony has managed to get several things right, adding unique layers to Spider-Man’s extended mythology. By exploring Spider-Man’s universe from alternative angles, these films provide fresh narratives that enrich the lore surrounding the web-slinger’s world.

Sony's Spider-Man Universe has provided audiences with a mix of exciting action and moments of cringe-worthy dialogue. While the Marvel movie franchise had a lot of potential, certain lines from its characters have become infamous for their awkwardness, forced delivery, and lack of emotional resonance. Many of these became internet memes, lampooning the SSU’s clunky exposition and unsuccessful attempts at humor. Now that the SSU has concluded, the very worst lines have become a fascinating insight into the franchise’s downfall.

Despite the franchise’s rather rocky history, I’m actually disappointed that Sony’s Spider-Man Universe has ended because I think its best was still to come. After years of teasing epic Marvel storylines and gradually assembling pieces for larger-than-life narratives, the SSU ended just as it began laying the groundwork for its two most promising stories. This untimely demise leaves me wondering what could have been, especially since the franchise seemed on the verge of its most exciting chapters.