Launched on Thursday (24) in Brazil, the film Venom: The Last Round ends the trilogy starring Tom Hardybut it doesn’t necessarily put an end to the antihero franchise. The film has two post-credits scenes, and the first of them makes it very clear that the story does not end there.

[Atenção: este texto contém spoiler!]

Throughout the entire third chapter of the saga, journalist Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) and Venom (voice of Hardy) are hunted by xenophages, interdimensional creatures sent by the terrible Knull (Andy Serkis), a kind of ancient dark god and creator of symbiotes.

Trapped in Klyntar, the villain needs the codex formed by Brock and Venom to use as a key to free himself. To capture them, he plans an invasion of Earth and is willing to destroy the entire planet until he gets what he wants.

At the climax of The Last Round, dozens of xenophagists appear in Area 51 for the final battle with the antihero, the scientists who study symbiotes and the North American army. As the creatures regenerate and are practically indestructible, Brock and Venom realize that the only way out is sacrifice.

The symbiote then has a rare altruistic attitude and ends its own existence, also destroying the codex desired by Knull — much to the sadness of Eddie, who wakes up in the hospital wishing it had all been a dream.

In the first post-credits scene, Knull appears in Klyntar with a threatening speech. He claims that the xenophagic invasion was just his first move and that he will return soon to destroy Earth — although it is unclear how exactly he intends to free himself, as the key no longer exists.

There are rumors that the creator of the symbiotes is the big villain of Spider-Man 4, already confirmed by Tom Holland and which should be filmed in the middle of next year. He may also appear in other Sony films set in the arachnid hero’s universe, such as the upcoming Kraven the Hunter.

The second scene, shown only after everyone involved in The Last Round has been listed, is more comical and focuses on the bartender played by Cristo Fernández (Dani from Ted Lasso).

The Mexican talks to Brock and sees Venom in action at the beginning of the filmis approached by military officer Rex Strickland (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and then captured by the army. He disappears for the remainder of the film, but reappears in the final moments, leaving the secret base in Area 51 and finding a setting completely devastated by the final battle.

With the feeling that he is the only survivor of a nuclear hecatomb, he despairs and walks aimlessly, screaming. Meanwhile, the camera focuses on a cockroach that passes through a test tube with a symbiote inside — an indication that, as cockroaches survive everything, Venom may also have resisted its own sacrifice and just needs a new host.

There is also the possibility that the franchise will continue with scientist Teddy (Juno Temple) taking the lead. After all, in the final battle she finds her own symbiote and becomes Agony, a purple version of Venom.