Battle at the Box Office: Venom vs. A Star is Born
It’s always exciting when two highly anticipated films are released on the same weekend. But just how do Venom and A Star is Born compare to each other?
On October 5th, Venom and A Star is Born were released into theatres after both had been receiving excited buzz. Venom is the first Spider-Man universe film released by Sony after the studio joined a partnership with Marvel Studios that allowed them to mutually benefit by having Spider-Man in their films. A Star is Born is a remake of a beloved classic, also being the directorial debut of actor Bradley Cooper and the film debut of Lady Gaga.
This box office weekend didn’t come without its drama. Buzzfeed reported that Lady Gaga fans were creating fake Twitter accounts to spread negative reviews of Venom, which caused tension between the fandoms. But it was up to the box office numbers and overall quality of the films to speak for themselves.
Box Office Earnings
The initial box office predictions for Venom were $55 million for the three-day launch while A Star is Born was predicted to have up to a $40 million opening. Venom ended up shocking everyone and set an October box office record by earning an estimated $80 million while A Star is Born also exceeded expectations with $42.6 million for the weekend.
Venom
While Venom defied critics’ negative reviews and topped the box office, it wasn’t the motherlode that is typically expected from the superhero film genre, namely those from the Marvel Universe. For example, Thor: Ragnarok (released Nov 3) made a whopping $122 million its opening weekend. Or if we wanted to make the comparison to a superhero film that was the first of its series, like Venom, Doctor Strange (released Nov 5) earned $85 million, which is closer to what Venom made.
But seeing as Venom is arguably the most well-known villain of the Marvel universe, it may still be fair to compare the film’s weekend box office performance to Thor: Ragnarok, since Doctor Strange is a more obscure comic book character. It may just be a matter of release dates since most superhero films are released in the summer. Or it may be the fact that the film was coming from Sony rather than Marvel Studios. Either way, Venom had a weaker weekend box office performance compared to most of the other films of its kind.
Venom had a budget of $100 million and has earned $176 million as of Oct 25.
A Star is Born
A Star is Born, on the other hand, outperformed the industry analysts’ predictions. Unlike Venom, A Star is Born received rave reviews from critics and audiences alike. The film had also been receiving Oscars buzz on top of boasting a star-filled cast. It’s no wonder audiences were going out to see it for themselves on the opening weekend.
A Star is Born had a budget of $36 million and has earned $134 million as of Oct 25.
The Films Themselves
It’s one thing to have the #1 spot in the box office, but just how did the films measure up in quality? Although it is comparing apples to oranges because they are completely different genres and appeal to different audiences, there still is a measure of quality.
Venom
Venom falls short of the expectations it set for itself. Audiences are excited to see a well-known Spider-Man villain take the spotlight, but Venom and Eddie Brock don’t cross paths until over an hour into the film. It’s almost agonizing sitting through an introduction that feels far too long, one that could have been shortened into half an hour. The film loses the time they needed to explain plot lines like an alien invasion from the symbiotes or Riot’s introduction to the story. You know, actual plot lines that audiences came to see. Instead, you learn more about the woman who runs the convenience store that Eddie Brock frequents than you do about the important storylines.
While Eddie Brock and Venom’s cantankerous relationship (like a sitcom with two college roommates that are harmonious, comedic opposites) makes the film bearable, some of the dialogue is too cheesy and awkward. My expectations dropped as soon as I saw the second trailer and Venom says, “You will be this armless, legless, faceless thing, won’t you, going down the street like a turd in the wind!” The film struggles to create clever connections to earlier dialogue and inside jokes that are just as awkward the second time around as they were the first.
Tom Hardy’s performance was possibly the one factor that saved this film. But even as well as he played Eddie Brock, and even Venom, it doesn’t make up for the fact that the audience walks out of the theatre with more questions than answers. There’s a promising outlook for the series with an end credits scene that hints at some Carnage down the road. Hopefully the filmmakers have worked out the kinks in this introductory chapter and find their footing to create more entertaining misadventures with Eddie Brock and Venom.
A Star is Born
A Star is Born completely lived up to the all of the hype it received. It’s no wonder there has been so much talk about Oscar nominations in the future. It’ll be a crime if the soundtrack, at the very least, doesn’t receive a nomination. The emotion conveyed in this film is spectacular, the audience easily growing an attachment to the characters. Bradley Cooper nailed it at his first time directing a film. The cinematography was so well-done and beautiful in its subtlety, namely in the pacing of a devastating scene towards the end (no spoilers!).
Lady Gaga STUNS on the screen. She not only demonstrates her talent that everyone knew she possessed as a singer, but as an actress as well. Right from her first scene where she’s in a bathroom at work, having just gotten off a phone call and screaming in rage, Gaga has already proven herself extremely capable to hold her own in the film. Her emotional, powerful performance of “I’ll Never Love Again” will surely be remembered in cinema throughout the ages.
A Star is Born exceeded every expectation of mine. I knew I would enjoy it, but I had no idea how much it would emotionally resonate with me. The audience lives with these characters through their triumphs and their downfalls. An incredible soundtrack seals the deal as arguably one of the best films of the year, one that will be expected to make an appearance when awards season nears.
The Verdict
While the numbers show that Venom won the “Battle at the Box Office,” holding its title as the winner through the following weeks, I would argue that A Star is Born is the true winner. It was so beautifully written and acted, that it really does stand above a lot of 2018 releases. Venom may have been entertaining, but there were too many factors that need improvement.
Both films have earned praise from different audiences and it depends on individuals’ taste in films. But if you’re trying to decide which film to see, “Maybe It’s Time” to see A Star is Born.
What do you think? Did you enjoy Venom or A Star is Born more?
