Tom Hardy’s Most Controversial Sci-Fi Sequel Is Quietly Redeeming Itself on Streaming

Four years ago, Tom Hardy starred in a controversial sci-fi sequel that was panned by critics, but now the film is finding redemption at the top of the streaming charts. In 2021, Hardy reprised his role as Eddie Brock in Venom: Let There Be Carnage, the sequel to the 2018 Sony Marvel movie that introduced Hardy as the famous Spider-Man villain. Let There Be Carnage follows Eddie as he faces off against Carnage (Woody Harrelson), but most fans felt the film gave a poor portrayal of Cletus Kasady, lacking the elements that made him a great comics villain. Venom 2 is streaming on Starz in America, where it’s become one of the top 10 most popular movies on the platform at the time of writing.

Venom: Let There Be Carnage missed the mark with critics, who rated it a rotten 58% on the aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes. However, like the other Venom movies, it found an audience with fans of Tom Hardy and Spider-Man, which led to it earning a solid 83% on the audience-driven Popcornmeter. Venom 2 also grossed over $500 million at the box office, which was well below the original but still plenty to be considered profitable. It’s the second of three movies in the trilogy, and the third of which was released just last year.

The Venom franchise came to a close earlier this year with the release of Venom: The Last Dance, which Hardy has confirmed was his final time playing the character in a solo movie. The only pathway for him to return lies in a future Spider-Man movie, but after years of hoping for a Venom vs. Spider-Man film, the odds of it ever happening shrink by the day.

Where Are the Rest of the ‘Venom’ Movies Streaming?

The first Venom movie is available to stream on Starz alongside the sequel, but it’s also available to watch for all Disney+ subscribers in America. As for Venom: The Last Dance, it’s only available to watch on Netflix. The third entry in the trilogy premiered on Netflix earlier this year after a successful theatrical run, and it’s been streaming there exclusively for months now. Hardy also has other movies on Netflix, like Mad Max: Fury Road and Havoc. He also has a role in Peaky Blinders, the Cillian Murphy-led series that’s streaming on the same platform.

Check out Venom: Let There Be Carnage on Starz in America, and stay tuned to Collider for more streaming updates.

Release Date

October 1, 2021

Runtime

97 minutes

Writers

Tom Hardy, Kelly Marcel, Mark Bagley, David Michelinie, Tom DeFalco, Todd McFarlane

Producers

Amy Pascal, Avi Arad, Hutch Parker, Kelly Marcel, Tom Hardy, Matt Tolmach