Venom crosses the $500 million mark at the worldwide box office. Though the film has been drawing some harsh reviews, there’s no doubt that Ruben Fleischer’s film has been a complete box office success, continually earning millions at the box office as each week goes by.

Many have been waiting for Venom to hit the big screen again after the underwhelming portrayal of the character in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 3 back in 2007, so Fleicher’s film has been surrounded by a significant amount of attention ever since plans for its production were first announced. But the film has had a complicated life in the public eye ever since. Before it was released, many had already grown skeptical of the film when Tom Hardy dropped a big red flag in an interview, revealing that nearly 40 minutes of the film had been left on the cutting room floor. Following its release, Venom attracted brutal reviews that have left it sitting at a low 30% on Rotten Tomatoes.

But by looking at Venom’s box office numbers, one might not even suspect that the movie has drawn such negative attention. Venom’s box office summary on Box Office Mojo shows that the film has grossed upwards of $508 million at the worldwide box office, officially passing the $500 million mark. Critics might not like the film, but it’s clear that Fleischer’s Venom has survived – and thrived – despite the many criticisms surrounding it.


These box office numbers might in part be due to the swarm of social media attention that has grown over the past few weeks since Venom’s release over the relationship between Eddie Brock and Venom in the film. Even fans that recognize some of Venom’s weaker moments love and defend the strange, entertaining Venom/Eddie dynamic in Fleischer’s movie, with some even “shipping” (that is, supporting a romantic relationship between the two characters) them together. The on-screen dynamic between Venom and Eddie in the film has become a major subject in current pop culture, and it has fueled the film’s popularity and momentum at the box office.

With Fleischer already brainstorming plans for a sequel and Venom’s major box office success, it certainly seems as though Venom isn’t going anywhere soon, even despite the scathing reception it met by film critics. Venom is just one example of a film that has drawn terrible reviews but found a different relationship with the general public. Many audience members and fans of the iconic comic book character recognize Venom’s flaws but embrace them. As a result, Venom is enjoying a very successful run at the box office, indeed.