Venom Would Be a Disaster with Tom Hardy

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At CinemaCon 2025, the title for Spider-Man 4 was unveiled, shedding light on some intriguing details about the forthcoming Marvel film.

Nevertheless, disappointing tidings for Spider-Man enthusiasts emerged when Tom Hardy shared insights about his new crime series, MobLand, in a conversation with The Playlist. When asked about the long-speculated Spider-Man/Venom crossover film, he confirmed that it will not materialize.

He replied, “I’m not sure I can answer that question,” he said. “We came incredibly close. Closer than I ever thought we might, except for perhaps collaborating on a movie project, which would have been fantastic because it represents such an enjoyable experience.

Regrettably, it appears that behind-the-scenes conflicts may have hindered the production of what could have become an exceptional superhero film. However, considering its collapse, there are reasons to rejoice about this turn of events, and I’ll share some insights on why you might feel the same way.

Venom in name only

I’d like to apologize. Despite the fact that the Venom movies are amusing, the Venom portrayed in the SUMC (still using that acronym?) wasn’t the real deal. Sony’s version of Venom appeared correct and sounded appropriate, but it never seemed authentic. It’s not just that Venom is goofy; he’s a living nightmare for Peter Parker. In other words, it didn’t feel like the real Venom we know from the comics.

In simpler terms, let’s talk about Venom – the original one, not Tom Hardy’s portrayal. While they share some similarities, such as being a bit goofy and having a complex, almost romantic bond with their “Other,” these traits don’t fully encapsulate who Venom is. For the first two decades of his life, he was defined by his malicious, vengeful nature. This obsession with seeking revenge against Spider-Man (Peter Parker) was a significant part of his character.

In my gaming world, this creepy, stalker-ish character stood out as an extraordinary and powerful menace to Spider-Man, or Wallcrawler, as we call him here. He was privy to all of Peter’s hidden truths and deepest longings, ready to pounce at any moment. But in the Sony movies, Venom was more like a quirky, glowing stick-loving guy who found sand between his toes amusing, quite different from the terrifying comic book version. Yes, he had a thing for eating heads, but he never instilled the same level of fear that the comics portrayed.

If Marvel Studios chooses to bring the Venom tale to life, which appears highly probable given the character’s fame and the Black Suit, it would be best for them not to inherit the Venom from Sony Pictures Universe.

It seems difficult to portray the character as threatening when considering Hardy for the role, because he comes across as too kind and approachable. Crucially, there’s no backstory established for him to harbor intense hatred towards Spider-Man, which is essential in creating a captivating villain.

It’s clear that some Spider-Man comic enthusiasts might argue otherwise, but in the broader perspective of popular culture, Venom has always been portrayed as a villain, with Eddie Brock and his symbiote suit being antagonists to Spider-Man. This is a well-established fact.

It’s possible that a film featuring Tom Holland and Tom Hardy as Spider-Man and Venom, respectively, could have been entertaining, but is that truly the direction we were aiming for? Given that the Venom storyline is one of Spider-Man’s most renowned arcs, I prefer to see it portrayed faithfully on the silver screen.

I’d prefer a narrative focusing more on Eddie Brock’s descent into darkness, the struggle between Spider-Man and an alien symbiote gradually dominating his being, and above all, keeping the classic Venom design with the white spider emblem on his torso. I can do without the scenes of them engaging in EDM music, clubbing, or TikTok dances.

As a passionate gamer, I firmly believe that squandering the chance to bring the Venom story to life in a respectful manner would amount to damaging our shared gaming culture. And honestly, I can’t help but feel that we both see eye to eye on this.

As a die-hard fan, the prospect of an upcoming Secret Wars adaptation (where Peter dons the Black Suit) has me on the edge of my seat. It takes guts to complete this project, and if that means parting ways with Hardy, then I’m ready to take that leap. Essentially, Sony’s had their turn. Now, it’s time to get Venom spot-on right!

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2025-04-01 14:50