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Venom

Venom

The world has enough superheroes.

2018112 minPG-13Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films
Director
Ruben Fleischer
Starring
Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Riz Ahmed, Scott Haze

Investigative journalist Eddie Brock attempts a comeback following a scandal, but accidentally becomes the host of Venom, a violent, super powerful alien symbiote. Soon, he must rely on his newfound powers to protect the world from a shadowy organization looking for a symbiote of their own.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Venom?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Venom streaming on Disney+ and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Venom?

Venom earns 8 badges, led by Guilty pleasure and Crowd Pleaser.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Content

Reception

Is Venom worth watching?

Venom's Midcredits score is the 65th percentile of all films, from 2.2M ratings across 6 sources. 63% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

65th percentile

Better received than 65% of films

79th percentile among Action65th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)57th
Approval (how many liked it)70th

63 /100

57th percentile of all films

73rd percentile among Action57th percentile among 2010s

Critics 35 · Audience 65

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.9 — solid but not unanimous.

63% liked it

70th percentile of all films

80th percentile among Action70th percentile among 2010s
63% rated it 7–1037% rated it 1–6

Critics 31% · Audience 80%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 2 wins / 9 noms overall

84th percentile

2.2M ratings across platforms

74th percentile among Action85th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Up 8% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$100M
Opening weekend$80M
Domestic gross$214M
Worldwide gross$856M

Returned 8.6× its budget — 99th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Fans praised

  • Tom Hardy's committed, charismatic dual performance as Eddie and Venom
  • Entertaining buddy-comedy banter between Eddie and the symbiote
  • Fun, darkly humorous tone that keeps the film enjoyable despite flaws

Detractors panned

  • Generic, predictable plot with weak, cliché villain and rushed character arcs
  • Uninspired direction and script; feels like a dated, watered-down superhero movie
  • PG-13 rating neuters Venom's potential; choppy editing and poor CGI in action climax

What stands out

ActingDivisive72

Tom Hardy's committed dual performance as Eddie and Venom

HumorDivisive65

Venom's dark, sarcastic comedy lands for fans; detractors find it forced

Effects and spectacleDivisive60

Venom's design praised; CGI ranges from good to poor, especially final fight

DialogueDivisive58

Hit-or-miss; Venom's banter witty, but much dialogue clunky and forced

PacingDivisive48

Slow first act; picks up after Venom appears but feels rushed overall

CharactersDivisive42

One-dimensional villain and flat supporting cast; only Eddie/Venom engaging

Plot and story38

Generic, predictable story with plot holes and rushed development

Originality30

Familiar superhero origin with nothing new; derivative of better films

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Women

Women scored it 11 points higher than men.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 3 points apart
  • Critics vs users 5 points apart
  • US vs non-US 6 points apart

Watch experience

What is Venom like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Fun ride: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want a fun ride.

It is intense, has a few laughs and leaves you entertained. Skip it when you want something with weight.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Very little.

What it feels like

Fun ride.

The answer rests on this: Moods
ThrillingTenseAbsurd
Heaviest: middle
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
PlayfulIrreverent · 1% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its material with a playful, irreverent energy, especially in the banter between Eddie and Venom, but grounds it in genuine stakes.
The rideThe film oscillates between action set-pieces and Eddie's internal struggles, with the midpoint arrival of Venom as a host marking the most sustained pressure.
StructureConventional three-act structure: setup (Eddie loses his job and life falls apart), confrontation (he bonds with Venom and discovers Drake's plans), resolution (Eddie and Venom stop Riot and Drake).

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Entertained.

The answer rests on this: FunRousing · 10% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves you entertained by the Eddie/Venom banter and satisfied by the action climax, with a sense of fun rather than deep thought.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Monster
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% (this title) · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Corporate villainy: A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).

21% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeEddie Brock infiltrates the Life Foundation facility to expose its unethical experiments, leading to his bond with the alien symbiote Venom, and together they stop the corporate villain Carlton Drake from unleashing an alien invasion.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfCorruption
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% (this title) · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7% (this title): Power 2% · Corruption 3% (this title) · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Power

Corruption · 3% of filmsSurvivalIdentity · 14% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Global stakes: Consequences reach the world.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film examines how a wealthy corporation corrupts science and humanity for its own ends, while the host-symbiote bond questions what identity means.
StanceThe film questions corporate ethics through Drake's exploitation, but the resolution chooses action over deep moral examination—it's more about the spectacle than a settled critique.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Ludwig Göransson
SettingSan Francisco, blending everyday city life with the Life Foundation's high-tech research facility
MusicThe score blends aggressive synth textures with orchestral action cues.

Content guide

Is Venom okay for kids?

PG-13

Venom is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and for language” (MPAA). As of August 19, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (69/100), sexual content at mild (29/100), language at intense (64/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (34/100) and frightening material at intense (67/100). Overall it is heavier than 93% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 33 other countries
  • UK15
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • France12
  • Ireland15A
  • New ZealandM
  • JapanPG12
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil14
  • Czechia15+
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandK-12
  • Hong KongIIB
  • Hungary16
  • ID13+
  • Israel12
  • ItalyT
  • LTN-13
  • MexicoB
  • Netherlands12
  • Norway12
  • Poland16
  • PortugalM/14
  • RO18
  • Russia16+
  • SingaporePG13
  • SK15
  • South Africa16
  • Spain12
  • Sweden15
  • Switzerland14
  • Taiwan輔12
  • Türkiye13+
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 63% of all filmsHeavier than 93% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 91%
Sex & Nudity
Mild
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 50%
Profanity
Intense
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 95%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 63%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 88%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is violence, frightening material, and language. Everything else sits at or below what PG-13-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Venom have?

MovieCove's classifier found 3 depicted content warnings in Venom: Gun violence (moderate), plus 2 withheld here because they would spoil the plot. Each is backed by a verbatim quote from the parents' guide notes; a missing warning is not a guarantee of absence.

ModerateGun violence

Cast and crew

Who is in Venom?

Cast

3 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Tom Hardy
as Eddie Brock
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Michelle Williams
as Anne Weying
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Riz Ahmed
as Carlton Drake
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Scott Haze
as Security Chief Roland Treece
Reid Scott
as Dr. Dan Lewis
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Jenny Slate
as Dr. Dora Skirth
Melora Walters
as Homeless Woman Maria
Woody Harrelson
as Cletus Kasady
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Peggy Lu
as Mrs. Chen
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Malcolm C. Murray
as Lewis Donate
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Venom?

Movies like Venom include Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021), Venom: The Last Dance (2024) and Blade: Trinity (2004). Of the 12 closest matches, two are films written by Kelly Marcel, and several are stories about antiheroes.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

10 of these 12 share its world: superhero. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Venom?

787 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: superhero. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.