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Thanks in no small part to a bumper opening weekend in China (the second-biggest for a superhero movie after this year’s Avengers: Infinity War), Sony’s Venom has now taken its global box office haul beyond the $700 million mark.

It’s certainly an impressive feat for the Tom Hardy-headlined film, considering the heavy criticism that Sony came in for when it first announced that it would be moving ahead with Spider-Man spinoff movies sans Marvel Studios, not to mention a negative reaction to the first Venom-less trailer, and stinging reviews from critics.

The $100 million-budgeted blockbuster is now expected to reach $800 million globally, which would put it ahead of The Amazing Spider-Man ($757.9 million) and The Amazing Spider-Man 2 ($709 million), along with Sam Rami’s Spider-Man 2 ($783.8 million). Last year’s Spider-Man: Homecoming, a co-production between Marvel and Sony, earned $880.2 million worldwide.

SEE ALSO: The success of Venom may stop Spider-Man’s rights returning to Marvel

Are you surprised by Venom’s box office success? Is it well deserved? Let us know your thoughts in the comments…

One of Marvel’s most enigmatic, complex and badass characters comes to the big screen, starring Academy Award nominated actor Tom Hardy as the lethal protector Venom.

Venom is directed by Ruben Fleischer (Zombieland) and features a cast that includes Tom Hardy, Riz Ahmed, Michelle Williams, Woody Harrelson, Jenny Slate, Reid Scott, Scott Haze, Sope Aluko and Ron Cephas Jones.