SPIDER-MAN 3 Star Topher Grace Gives His Seal Of Approval To VENOM: "Tom Hardy Is The Guy To Play That Role"
While on the press tour for his upcoming release, BlacKkKlansman, former Spider-Man 3 star Topher Grace shared his thoughts on the upcoming Venom movie and gave his seal of approval to Tom Hardy.
While many modern comic book movie fans may have forgotten its importance, Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 3 was easily the biggest comic book movie of all-time when it debuted in 2007, capping off what is still considered to be one of the best superhero trilogies of all-time. Now, while the third installment wasn't as well received as its two now-iconic predecessors, it was still received positively by the majority of critics and was a monumental blockbuster at the worldwide box office, grossing over $890 million by the end of its theatrical run.
One of the biggest criticisms the film has faced to date has been the casting of Topher Grace (That '70s Show) as the fan-favorite Spidey villain Eddie Brock, a.k.a. Venom, a character that was reportedly a late addition to the film's script, and was a far cry from the vicious antihero many know and love from the comics. The reception to his portrayal has softened over the years as fans have come to appreciate the character he was asked to play, but the demand for a more accurate big-screen version of the character is something that's only gotten louder and louder.
Luckily, for those fans, Sony, after the success of Spider-Man: Homecoming, was quick to go into production on a live-action Venom solo feature, starring Tom Hardy as the titular antihero with Ruben Fleisher (Zombieland) directing. It may not have Spider-Man involved (as far as we know), but it does sound like Grace is very much onboard with Hardy tackling the role.
While speaking with Inverse, at the press junket for Spike Lee's BlacKkKlansman, Grace enthusiastically gave his seal of approval to Hardy and said he's the absolute right man for the job. “To me — I truly mean this — I think Tom is the guy to play that role. I’m thrilled to watch it as a fan. I really mean that. I think he’s just the best dude.” He also cites Hardy's role as Bane in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises as more than enough reason to believe he can and will do the part justice. “He’s proven he can do comic book villains amazing.”
He continues on to share how he was a huge fan of Venom growing up, having read Todd McFarlane's Spider-Man run in middle school and how that initially attracted him to his role in Spider-Man 3, although he now admits that he did initially have reservations about accepting the part when he learned how the script handled Venom, but it wasn't an opportunity he could pass up. “I understand Sam’s interpretation, which was to do a dark version of Tobey [Maguire]’s character. I was thrilled because I was such a fan of the character, but I was aware of how it was different from what I had grown up reading. I thought it was cool, but I’m really excited to see [Tom Hardy’s version]. That’s the character I grew up with.”
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 features:
Director: Ruben Fleischer
Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock/Venom
Michelle Williams as Anne Weying
Riz Ahmed as Carlton Drake/Riot
Scott Haze in an undisclosed role
Reid Scott in an undisclosed role
Jenny Slate in an undisclosed role
Woody Harrelson in an undisclosed role
Venom unleashes in theaters October 5