The upcoming Venom movie, starring Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock; is gauging mixed reviews from fans. While there are some that are utterly excited for the film, others have yet to decide if this is something that that is going to rock or tank. We all know that Hardy has tremendous acting chops and despite the skepticism, there’s no doubt that he will have given it his all no matter the outcome.
We mustn’t forget that Hardy is not the first time we’ve had the anti-hero symbiote on the big screen. Topher Grace, star of That 70s Show; donned the character Eddie Brock in 2007’s Spider-Man 3. Before there was Tom Holland or Andrew Garfield, we had Tobey Maquire. Still, arguably one of best renditions of Peter Parker (although Holland is my favorite), Maquire’s Spider-Man deserves all the praise, but we can all admit that the third one was terrible. So terrible that the idea of making a fourth one was scrapped and the studio decided to reboot the franchise, bringing in Garfield for The Amazing Spider-Man.
In Spider-Man 3, Grace plays fellow journalist Eddie Brock, who eventually turns into Venom. Speaking with Inverse, Grace expressed how much of a fan he was of the character growing up. He also acknowledged that he was aware that he wasn’t exactly a mirror image of the persona he’d read in the comic books. Believing that Hardy is truly deserving of the role, he had this to say:
“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.”
I think it’s really great of Topher to say this, with acknowledging his shortcomings with the character and giving Hardy praise. It’s nice to see actors supporting each other and recognizing that they are just simply two variations and interpretations of a role, with over a decade in between. I make such a point of this, as it was reported around the time of Spider-Man: Homecoming’s release that Kristen Dunst wasn’t particularly fond of the new movies, stating their trilogy was the best. How true this is, I’m not sure; but, regardless, it’s good to see Topher Grace himself excited for Tom Hardy to take up the mantle.
Venom hits theaters October 5, 2018.
A girl with too many fandoms to count.
