Skip to main content
  • TotalFilm
  • Edge
  • Newsarama
  • Retrogamer
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • More
    • PS5
    • Xbox Series X
    • Nintendo Switch
    • Nintendo Switch 2
    • PC
    • Platforms
    • Tabletop Gaming
    • Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Newsletters
    • About us
    • Features
Trending
  • Best Netflix Movies
  • Movie Release Dates
  • Best movies on Disney Plus
  • Best Netflix Shows
Don't miss these
Cillian Murphy as Tommy Shelby walking in Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man
Crime Movies Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man ending explained: does Tommy Shelby die and will there be a new season?
Black Panther, Iron Man, Vision, War Machine, and Black Widow at the Berlin airport in Captain America: Civil War - part of our guide on how to watch the Marvel movies in order
Superhero Movies How to watch the Marvel movies in order (release and chronological order)
Cillian Murphy as Tommy Shelby in Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man
Crime Movies Cillian Murphy says Netflix's Peaky Blinders movie is the "natural conclusion" for Tommy Shelby
Resident evil requiem ending
Resident Evil Opinion
Ghostface in Scream 7
Horror Movies Scream 7 ending explained: who dies, who is Ghostface and will there be a Scream 8?
Dune 2
Movies Upcoming movies: The most exciting new movies coming in 2026 and beyond
Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom
Marvel Movies Marvel Phase 6 release dates, news, leaks, rumors, and more
Omni-Man putting his hand on Invincible's shoulder in Invincible season 4 trailer
TV The best new TV shows to watch in 2026
A bruised Thorfinn in Vinland Saga
Anime Shows Vinland Saga season 3: release date speculation, story, and everything we know so far
Daredevil: Born Again
Superhero Movies Upcoming Marvel movies and shows for 2026 and beyond
Tom Holland as Peter Parker unmasked and in the middle of a fight during a scene in Spider-Man: No Way Home
Marvel Movies Spider-Man 4 release date, cast, leaks and theories, and everything else we know about the Marvel movie
Ryan in The Boys season 5
Superhero Shows The Boys season 5 release date, cast, plot, trailer, and more news
Ralph Fiennes as Dr. Kelson in 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
Horror Movies 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple review: "The wildest and weirdest entry into the franchise yet"
Elden Ring
Fantasy Movies Elden Ring movie release date speculation, cast, director, and more
Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven in Stranger Things season 5 volume 2
Sci-Fi Shows Stranger Things season 5 finale review: “Shows off both the best and the worst of Hawkins”
  1. Entertainment
  2. Movies
  3. Action Movies
  4. Marvel Movies
  5. Venom 3

Venom: The Last Dance ending explained

News
By Lauren Milici published 25 October 2024

We break down the ending of the Venom threequel

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Venom: The Last Dance
(Image credit: Sony)
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Get the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
Subscribe to our newsletter

Venom: The Last Dance, the last installment in the Tom Hardy-led Venom trilogy. As with any Marvel movie... there's a lot that happens at the end.

Fear not, though, because we've rounded up every major event that takes place in the third act of Venom: The Last Dance. So if you missed something or if you're just masochistic when it comes to spoilers, you've come to the right place.

We'll start with a recap and then move onto your burning questions: who dies? Where does this leave Eddie Brock? Scroll on down for our guide – which is, and this is your last warning, bursting with huge spoilers – to the ending of Venom 3.

You may like
  • Tom Hardy as Venom symbiote in Venom 2018 Sony's Venom lives on with new animated movie from Final Destination: Bloodlines directors and producer Tom Hardy
  • Oona Chaplin as Varang in Avatar: Fire and Ash Avatar: Fire and Ash ending explained: who dies, what happens to Varang and Quaritch, and if it sets another Avatar film
  • Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven, David Harbour as Hopper and Linnea Berthelsen as Kali in Stranger Things season 5 volume 2 Stranger Things season 5 part 2 ending explained: who dies, what is the Upside Down, and how does it set up the finale

Venom: The Last Dance ending recap

Venom: The Last Dance

(Image credit: Sony)

After doing the opposite of laying low in Las Vegas, the feds aka Strickland (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and co. are able to track down Eddie (Tom Hardy) and Venom in Mrs. Chen's (Peggy Lu) penthouse suite. Eddie and Venom are taken back to Area 55 where Eddie is kept in a cell by himself and Venom is extracted and placed in the lab with the other symbiotes. Meanwhile, the hippy family aka Martin (Rhys Ifans) and co., manage to sneak their way into Area 51. The alien monster also makes its way into Area 55. Now that Strickland knows that the only way to keep the xenophages at bay and Knull from being released from his goopy prison is to kill Eddie and Venom, he takes over full jurisdiction of the lab, revokes Dr. Payne (Juno Temple) and Sadie's (Clark Backo) access.

Luckily, Sadie frees Venom, and he's able to reattach to Eddie so the two can take down the xenophage All of the alien symbiotes are released, and they all find hosts among the doctors at the lab. They team up to take on the xenophage...but it's not enough. Mulligan, whose blue symbiote turned him into Toxin, is eaten by a xenophage.

The xenophage 'phones home' and Knull (Andy Serkis) sends over another alien-monster. They manage to take one of them down – thanks to good ol' Martin wielding a rocket launcher – but Strickland is stabbed and three more xenophages touch down on earth. Dr Payne also briefly merges with a pink, super-fast speedster symbiote and briefly becomes Agony to help save Venom.

At this point, all of the Venom knows that Knull and the aliens won't stop until they can destroy the codex (that Eddie and Venom share) so sacrifices himself for the good of mankind and manages to trap all five of the xenophages before detaching himself from Eddie and allowing Strickland to set him and the xenophages on fire via hand grenade. Sadly, Strickland dies in the blaze.

Sign up for the Total Film Newsletter

Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Eddie wakes up in a hospital bed and is told by government officials that Venom is no longer apart of him. We then cut to Eddie walking through New York City as remembers all of the members he and Venom shared together.

Who dies in Venom: The Last Dance?

Stephen Graham in the Venom 3 trailer

(Image credit: Sony Pictures)

In terms of significant character deaths, Mulligan, who was fused with a symbiote to become Toxin, is eaten by a xenophage. Strickland is killed after throwing a grenade at Venom, which kills the xenophages and saves the world – but also kills Venom. It's also worth noting that all of the symbiotes, despite briefly finding human hosts that allowed them to fight the xenophages, are all killed. It's a sad end for everyone.

What happens to Venom?

Venom in The Last Dance

(Image credit: Sony)

Venom goes in a fiery blaze, dying a hero and saving the planet. However, a post-credits scene implies that this might not be the last we've seen of the alien symbiote.  In the brief scene, Cristo Fernandez's bartender character is seen climbing out of the wreckage of Area 55. As he looks around, we see an empty, broken vial and a cockroach. 

You may like
  • Tom Hardy as Venom symbiote in Venom 2018 Sony's Venom lives on with new animated movie from Final Destination: Bloodlines directors and producer Tom Hardy
  • Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven, David Harbour as Hopper and Linnea Berthelsen as Kali in Stranger Things season 5 volume 2 Stranger Things season 5 part 2 ending explained: who dies, what is the Upside Down, and how does it set up the finale
  • Oona Chaplin as Varang in Avatar: Fire and Ash Avatar: Fire and Ash ending explained: who dies, what happens to Varang and Quaritch, and if it sets another Avatar film

The broken vial in question is the one the feds used to collect the sample of Venom that was left on the change that Eddie paid with. You might also remember that Dr. Paine said that cockroaches can't be killed, and survive hundreds of thousands of years. This implies that that tiny sample of Venom was not destroyed and is, in fact, still out there.

What happens to Eddie Brock?

Venom: The Last Dance

(Image credit: Sony)

After Eddie wakes up in the hospital, he's told to never utter a word of what happened to anyone – or he'll be put away for a very long time. Fulfilling Venom's wish to see the Statue of Liberty, he heads to New York. As he recalls his memories, both fond and otherwise, of his time with Venom, he looks at Lady Liberty and says, "I'll never forget you, buddy."

Eddie's fate is more or less unknown, though we're hoping that his brief stint on Earth-616 means that we'll see him properly join the MCU eventually.

What happens to Knull?

Venom: The Last Dance

(Image credit: Sony)

Knull's goal throughout the film is to destroy the codex, which will free him from his goopy, drippy prison on the alien planet where all the symbiotes originated from. As a refresher, Knull is the creator of the symbiotes – who subsequently betrayed and imprisoned their own creator in a Frankenstein's monster sort of way. Because the codex is not destroyed, Knull is not released from his prison. In the mid-credits scene, he looks directly at the camera and vows his revenge: "Your champion has fallen. Planets will be mine! The King in Black is awake! I will kill your world!  Everyone will burn and you will watch!"


Venom: The Last Dance is in theaters now. For more, check out our guide to all of the upcoming Marvel movies and shows you need to know about, as well as our guide to how to watch the Marvel movies in order.

CATEGORIES
Superhero Movies
Lauren Milici
Lauren Milici
Social Links Navigation
Senior Entertainment Writer

Lauren Milici is a Senior Entertainment Writer for GamesRadar+ based in New York City. She previously reported on breaking news for The Independent's Indy100 and created TV and film listicles for Ranker. Her work has been published in Fandom, Nerdist, Paste Magazine, Vulture, PopSugar, Fangoria, and more.

Read more
Tom Hardy as Venom symbiote in Venom 2018
Sony's Venom lives on with new animated movie from Final Destination: Bloodlines directors and producer Tom Hardy
 
 
Oona Chaplin as Varang in Avatar: Fire and Ash
Avatar: Fire and Ash ending explained: who dies, what happens to Varang and Quaritch, and if it sets another Avatar film
 
 
Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven, David Harbour as Hopper and Linnea Berthelsen as Kali in Stranger Things season 5 volume 2
Stranger Things season 5 part 2 ending explained: who dies, what is the Upside Down, and how does it set up the finale
 
 
Winona Ryder as Joyce and Noah Schnapp as Will in Stranger Things season 5
Stranger Things season 5 finale explained: who dies, does it set up a spin-off and what happens to Eleven?
 
 
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Simon Williams in Wonder Man.
Wonder Man ending explained: Simon's fate and how does it affect the wider MCU?
 
 
Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson walking together with an image of Spider-Man fighting Venom in the background
Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson come together for a "heart-to-heart" in Venom #258
 
 
Latest in Marvel Movies
Spider-Man, Hulk, and Punisher posing in the jungle alongside a carved stone head
Writer Jonathan Hickman is bringing Spider-Man 4 stars Spidey, Hulk, and Punisher together just in time for the movie
 
 
Chris Evans as Captain America in Avengers: Endgame
Marvel fans are remembering the moments they were genuinely scared for their favorite heroes
 
 
Delroy Lindo as Delta Slim in Sinners
Sinners star Delroy Lindo told director Ryan Coogler that he wants to be in Black Panther 3 "if the stars line up"
 
 
Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse
Spider-Verse 3 producers know it's taking a long time: "There's no one that puts more pressure on us than ourselves"
 
 
Thunderbolts
More Avengers: Doomsday reshoots are on the way, but Disney executives are reportedly pleased with footage of the film
 
 
Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides in one of the best sci-fi movies of all time, Dune Part 2.
Dune 3 takes first victory over Avengers: Doomsday on Dunesday thanks to IMAX exclusivity window
 
 
Latest in News
Battlefield 6
Battlefield 6 designers say developers have a "responsibility" to make games intuitive
 
 
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Gustave winces
"The first track spoils the whole game": Clair Obscur Expedition 33 dev confirms it was filling your ears with spoilers
 
 
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 lead Gustave faces a gommage
Clair Obscur Expedition 33 took inspiration from a surprising anime - Soul Eater creator's Fire Force
 
 
A close-up of Grace talking with someone through glass in Resident Evil Requiem
Resident Evil Requiem leads let actors re-do "technically" perfect scenes if it made them happy, says Grace actor
 
 
Kratos approaches Aphrodite's bedchamber in God of War 3
"The God of War sex mini-games were designed by women," which is why Aphrodite's bed looks "like a labia"
 
 
Alan Ritchson in Reacher season 3
Reacher star Alan Ritchson says season 4 is coming this year: "It's by far the best season we've had yet"
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Emily Rudd as Nami and Iñaki Godoy as Monkey D. Luffy in Netflix's One Piece
    1
    One Piece season 2 ending explained: Who is Mr. Zero? Who dies? Will there be a season 3?
  2. 2
    Where to read in the manga and what episodes to watch after Netflix's One Piece season 2
  3. 3
    One Piece season 2 review: "It's hard to imagine a better version of One Piece in live action"
  4. 4
    One Piece season 3 release date speculation, story, cast, and everything else we know so far
  5. 5
    As a long-time One Piece fan, I strongly recommend watching these 10 anime shows after you wrap up season 2 on Netflix

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...