The trailer for Venom: The Last Dance has dropped, and has seemingly obliterated two prevalent multiverse theories that connect it with the MCU. The SSU’s Venom: The Last Dance is the final installment in the Venom trilogy starring Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock/Venom. Following a surprise appearance from Hardy in the Spider-Man: No Way Home post-credits scene, many viewers theorized a multiverse related narrative for Marvel’s fourth Spider-Man movie. However, the Venom: The Last Dance trailer has scuppered two of the most promising multiverse theories.

Tom Hardy’s Venom movies are part of Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, sharing a continuity with Morbius and Kraven the Hunter. Sony shares the rights to Spider-Man himself with Marvel, allowing him to appear in the MCU timeline – but he has yet to appear in the SSU itself. With the franchise-melding narrative depicted in No Way Home and Hardy’s cameo in the post-credits scene, it seemed a story for both Spider-Man 4 and Venom: The Last Dance was teased, but these have been countered by the Venom: The Last Dance trailer.

Venom: The Last Dance Kills The MCU Symbiote Theory

In the No Way Home post-credits scene, it was revealed that Eddie Brock was also transported into the MCU’s primary universe and spent the movie watching the action on a television in a bar. When Dr Strange’s spell returned everybody to their original universe, Eddie was also transported back to the SSU timeline, but a small piece of the Venom Symbiote was left behind. This small blob of Symbiote was left on the bar, prompting many to speculate that this could lead to Tom Holland’s Spider-Man becoming Venomized in the MCU’s Spider-Man 4, connecting the two franchises further.

However, in the Venom: The Last Dance trailer, Chiwetel Ejiofor’s character can be seen placing a glass over the Symbiote, trapping it before it can bond with anyone. Consequently, the Venomized Spider-Man narrative cannot occur as the Symbiote could not encounter Peter Parker, and this scene suggests that the Symbiote was not left behind in the primary MCU timeline. While the consequences of this in Venom 3 are unclear, a connection to the MCU’s Spider-Man 4 appears far less likely.

Rhys Ifans’ Venom 3 Appearance Destroys A Spider-Man Theory

Another theory suggested that Tom Hardy’s Venom would be connected with or encounter Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man as depicted in The Amazing Spider-Man and its sequel. Garfield’s Peter Parker was celebrated but short-lived, and after starring in No Way Home, many wondered if he could reprise the role again in Venom 3. This has also been undermined by the Venom: The Last Dance trailer, which depicts Rhys Ifans in an undisclosed role.

Rhys Ifans previously played Dr. Curt Conners/The Lizard in TASM. If he is playing a new character in Venom 3, then the movie could not exist in the same timeline as Garfield’s Spider-Man. However, if Ifans is indeed reprising the role of Dr. Conners (with a distinctly scruffier appearance), then this appearance would therefore support the Garfield universe theory. Regardless, Venom: The Last Dance is already toying with audience expectations.