This publish incorporates spoilers for Venom: The Final Dance.The query on the core of Venom: The Final Dance is a straightforward one: Is that this actually the tip of Venom?Is that this actually Tom Hardy’s final hurrah as journalist-turned-anti-hero Eddie Brock? Is the best comedian ebook film love story — a person standing in entrance of a symbiote asking to be liked — lastly finished? Going by the occasions of the film, it’s a sure to all three. However The Final Dance has two post-credits scenes that depart open the smallest chance that this won’t be the tip of the alien’s superhero period. Within the movie, Brock and Venom — the alien symbiote with whom the reporter shares a physique — are hounded by a villain named Knull (CGI actor extraordinaire Andy Serkis). Knull is outwardly some type of terrible, horrible evil — a being draped in shadows with startlingly white hair — that’s trapped in a world of everlasting darkness. The one factor that may free him is a codex (which seems to be like a bit of glowing, swirling gem), which, as a result of that is ostensibly a film about Venom, is definitely a part of Venom’s physique. Knull sends unkillable alien creatures known as xenophages after Venom and Eddie, with the intent of killing one or each and bringing again the codex so Knull can unleash destruction and despair upon the universe. In the meantime, Venom and Brock are on the run after the occasions of Venom: Let There Be Carnage. They’re hiding out in Mexico, however after Venom eats some males, they determine to attempt to construct a brand new life for themselves in New York Metropolis. Venom tells Eddie that he desires to see the Statue of Liberty, largely as a result of Eddie explains how she welcomes anybody who wants America’s shelter and safety. (Sure, Venom: The Final Dance really capabilities as an allegory for immigration reform that includes a literal undocumented alien.) Due to Knull and his xenophages, in addition to interference from the American navy, the pair by no means make it to New York. As a substitute, they’re caught at Space 51, the place issues look bleak for Venom. Within the symbiote’s final stand, he absorbs Knull’s homicide beasts and douses himself in corrosive acid — the one factor sturdy sufficient to dissolve the xenophages. Venom’s ultimate act is sacrificing himself for Brock and Earth, and as he and his attackers die, so does the codex. Within the film’s ultimate scene — after an prolonged Eddie and Venom montage — Eddie visits New York Metropolis and gazes on the Statue of Liberty. It’s a sight that he is aware of Venom would have liked. And this of us, is the tip … or is it?Venom: The Final Dance’s credit scenes depart the door cracked for future symbiotesThe first of The Final Dance’s credit scenes is a brief one. Knull seems on display screen once more, proclaiming that Venom has died and that he’s coming to take over the universe! Will he? Effectively, Knull’s return will largely depend upon how a lot cash this movie makes. If it does rake in some money — Venom films do significantly nicely abroad — Knull might be again. But when Knull returns, wouldn’t this level to the return of Venom as nicely? You’ll be able to’t have a villain and not using a hero! That’s not how superhero films work! Currently, the once-solid, surefire success of a superhero film seems to be extra susceptible, and studios are scrambling. Marvel’s post-Endgame design has fallen aside, and the studio is banking on bringing again Robert Downey Jr. to assist jump-start the engine. Warner Bros. is headed for a Jame Gunn-led reboot of its DC Comics properties. Sony’s tiny coterie of Marvel-adjacent movies has been a semi-bright spot within the panorama, so if this movie’s a success, they’re liable to discover a method to convey the franchise again. Hey, that’s Venom! Sony PicturesThe Final Dance’s second credit scene occurs after all of the credit scroll, and it contains a have a look at the rubble that is still at Space 51 the place Venom perished. It’s all destroyed! Every thing is a large number! All this has allowed Brock’s bartender from Mexico, who we see detained by the US navy early within the movie, to interrupt out of his cell, and he wanders throughout the desert.The necessary half right here is that we see a cockroach strategy remnants of a symbiote. (I totally perceive that sentence is foolish, however Venom is foolish.) The gist: If this cockroach — nature’s final image of survival — touches the symbiote, then stated symbiote may presumably reside. Due to this fact, if any a part of Venom was spared by the acid, it may presumably survive through cockroach too. What this all means is that regardless that the film stated farewell and regardless that it in all probability is a goodbye to Hardy, there’s nonetheless a chance that Venom or Venom-affiliated heroes (e.g., different symbiotes) may reside on. That ambiguity is sweet for anybody who loves these films, or anybody who possesses the odd, delusional fantasy of seeing some type of Sony shared universe the place Madame Net, Morbius, and Venom all hang around like friends, or anybody who desires to lastly get the Venom x Tom Holland Spider-Man crossover that’s been relentlessly teased. Just like the aforementioned Knull credit scene, what is going to in the end decide Venom’s future films would be the field workplace. If plenty of folks go see this film and it makes tens of millions and tens of millions of {dollars}, this gained’t be Venom’s final dance. Followers of closure be damned.You’ve learn 1 article within the final monthHere at Vox, we imagine in serving to everybody perceive our difficult world, in order that we will all assist to form it. Our mission is to create clear, accessible journalism to empower understanding and motion.When you share our imaginative and prescient, please think about supporting our work by changing into a Vox Member. Your help ensures Vox a steady, unbiased supply of funding to underpin our journalism. If you’re not able to turn into a Member, even small contributions are significant in supporting a sustainable mannequin for journalism.Thanks for being a part of our neighborhood.Swati SharmaVox Editor-in-Chief