Film
‘Venom’ Star Tom Hardy ‘Would Love to Fight Spider-Man’; Director Teases Future With Knull: ‘There Are Many Symbiote Stories to Tell’
Tom Hardy Eager for Venom vs. Spider-Man
Although we know that ‘Venom: The Last Dance’ is going to be the last time for Tom Hardy to don the suit in Sony’s Spider-Man villain trilogy, the actor has shown interest in the particular event which the fans are eager to witness for a long time: Venom vs Spider-Man. More precisely, Hardy wants his character to challenge Tom Holland’s incarnation of the web-slinger. Even if the Australian has already completed his part in the trilogy, there is no denying that he has been looking forward to this match-up all this time.
During New York Comic Con, Hardy made a special appearance on stage Friday night to give fans a sneak peek into his upcoming movie Venom: The Last Dance. The film is set to hit theaters next week, and Hardy took the opportunity to not only discuss the final chapter in the Venom trilogy but also share his ongoing excitement for a potential battle between Venom and Spider Man. His enthusiasm was clear as he emphasized just how much he wants this iconic clash to happen as soon as possible.
In front of tens of thousands at Comic Con, Hardy didn’t hold back his feelings. He made it clear that he’s geared up to tackle Spider-Man, and he indeed wants to see the two clash in a fight. As Hardy put it, “I would love to fight Spider-Man. I would love to fight him now. There is no way I am not fighting Spider-Man today. I would never say never.” There was no hesitation from him on this matter. And these statements only reinforce the likelihood of the casting because Hardy said he would do it again, simply to see how the two characters meet, even though he played Eddie Brock.
Venom’s Journey from Comic to Big Screen
Hardy paused to consider Venom’s translation from comic books to the screen. He continued, “We were precisely configured to convert Venom into the movie format, which is what we have achieved. His words state the effort, struggle and commitment it required to achieve placing Venom in self-focused films.” The development of the Venom franchise has offered the symbiote a whole new platform away from Spider-Man’s tale, and fans have accepted it. In this trilogy, the audience has seen the rise of a complex and imposing Venom as fresh and golden as ‘the heart’ of Hardy.
As we all know that the trilogy is coming to an end, Director Hardy spoke regarding the last installment and its importance stating ‘The Last Dance is the final piece in that trilogy, and we’re really excited about that’. The elaboration on how Hardy and the rest of the team went into detail concerning the trilogy and its end leaves fans in admiration as to why they went on to proceed. Of course, there is more. He expresses a kind of eagerness when he says that there is still a great deal for who will fight against Venom. It can only be assumed he is either looking to combat Spider-Man or Hercules as those are some of the famous challenges that will impose great storyline for Venom.
In Venom: The Last Dance, Hardy aims for his final performance as Eddie Brock the avatar for Venom symbiote, One that has been explored on a couple of previous films in which Eddie and Venom formed a partnership. This role has been considerably central to the character’s overall story, and has become iconic in its own right with Eddie and Venom sharing a unique partnership.
A Long-Awaited Battle
Despite the fact that the Venom films have existed independently from the Spider-Man universe, the possibility of a crossover has always existed. There have been suggestions of a face-off between both bio-suit characters over the years, and John Hardy has gone on several occasions to touch on this, knowing fully well that Spider fanatics have been salivating at going against Spidey for Venom. The idea may have been touched on a number of times over the years, including by the actor himself, but the characters is yet to clash on screen.
With Strong statements on his appeal to see him face Spider-Man, it’s possible that this story is not entirely over, as Hardy has been quoted as saying, “I would never say never.” This possibility offers a ray of hope to fans as the crossover can still happen. It is therefore not in doubt that Hardy has an affinity towards the character and his zeal to fight for that battle and outcome remains. Whether or not this battle happens, what is evident is Hardy’s commitment to the role, which fans admire and want him to deliver on with his commentary and the potential scenes cut from the film.
With Venom: The Last Dance putting a conclusion to Eddie Brock’s arc, this still does not indicate that the era of symbiote franchise has reached its conclusion. Perhaps there are still some movies based in the universe of symbiotes that are yet to be released. In the recent Venom trailer, fans were shown a potential future foe in Knull who created the symbiotes which appeared in recent Marvel comics.
Knull’s Arrival in the Venom Universe
When Knull makes his eventual debut in the Venom franchise, it is clear he will not go unnoticed and brings in some much-needed new direction and depth to the story in the movies. In the trailer, there’s a brief but noticeable shot of Knull seated on a dark, imposing throne. He is depicted with long, stringy white hair, looking almost identical to his portrayal in the comics. This visual cue alone has excited fans who are familiar with the character’s menacing presence in the Marvel universe. Knull is mentioned to be a huge menace, and if he is a part of the symbiote comics narrative, it makes it clear that this universe can grow bigger than the trilogy have shown.
While on stage, Kelly Marcel, the director, gave a glimpse of what Knull’s onset could mean for symbiote based movies in the future. Marcel made it clear that Knull is far too important to be just a one time character. Marcel illustrates, “This is just the introduction to Knull” and therefore allows fans to draw a conclusion that better things are bound to come from this villain. “He’s a massive, massive character so you can never be one-and-done with him. This is just a little taster of Knull. We get to meet him. What the future holds for him, who knows.”
With such statement, one can assume that Knull’s story is only beginning, and in the future films a significant role will be played by him. Knull’s introduction can perform even greater elaborate plot construction and develop the symbiote universe into more violent and darker plots. In a way, Marcel’s comments create a sense of anticipation of developing the plot over an extended period of time with Knull at its center.
The End for Eddie and Venom
As much as Venom: The Last Dance would mark the end of Eddie Brock and that of Venom, the director was clear that this is already not the last we have seen of symbiotes. “The story for Eddie and Venom is finished from this point”, Marcel clarified, bringing up the curtain when their arc came to an end. Nevertheless, she was quick to remind fans that there are a lot of symbiote narratives still to be explored. Information relating to symbiotes in the Marvel universe is quite prolific, and Marcel suggested that future movies may be developed exploring such unexplored narratives.
“There are lots of symbiote stories in the canon,” Marcel explained. This statement reinforces the fact that the symbiote universe is vast, filled with many characters and storylines that can be developed further apart from those depicted in the movies. From the several offspring of Venom, mainly Carnage, and new villains such as Knull, there’s hardly any news of a decline in new adventures.
With the release of Venom: The Last Dance, the conclusion or possible future of the symbiote universe left a lot of fans of the Venom franchise puzzled. Marcel hinted that there may be several “easter eggs” embedded into the film which may serve to begin future films. “For all the audiences we have lots of places to go and maybe there are a few easter eggs in here that might start that journey off ” said Marcel. These statements made by Marcel lead the audience to believe that the filmmakers have left hooks and clauses in the film that are meant to develop in the future movies. These Easter eggs could point to various directions the franchise could take. Perhaps it is the expansion of Knulls character, aquatic symbiotes that are yet to come.
A New Era of Symbiote Stories
The potential introduction of Knull and the possibility of more symbiote-focused stories in the future signal a new era for the Venom franchise. The Last Dance appears to be the sad story of the final part of Eddie and Venom, but even so there are clearly numerous openings for expansion into the symbiote universe in quite exciting and somber ways. This specifically has been captured in the introduction of Knull, which indicates the direction the franchise is taking and these are the origins of the symbiotes and greater threats that might exist in the marvel world.
The Last Dance appears to be K Brock’s last stand but it’s clear that the symbiote universe still has many stories left to tell. With Knull now entering the picture and the possibility of more symbiote films on the horizon, fans have plenty to look forward to.. Marcel’s suggestions about hidden gems and developments in the story simply provide even more excitement about the future of the narrative. We have not finished saying goodbye to the world of symbiotes and it is safe to say that the same will be populated with infinite opportunities.
The events in Venom: The Last Dance begin immediately after the events of the movie Venom: Let There Be Carnage released in 2021. Viewers anticipating this third sequel should be prepared to have a brief encounter with Eddie Brock and Venom as the two struggle with great odds appearing right away. As per the official synopsis, “Eddie and Venom are on the run.” This information suggests that they face an onslaught of enemy forces from Eddie’s world, as well as from Venom’s extraterrestrial ancestry. When they reach a point where they cannot be tormented from every angle, the two have a decision that will have a pivotal outcome.
A Star-Studded Cast
In addition, the cast comprises actors who would make the film an entertaining one with the likes of Tom Hardy, who has been playing both Eddie Brock and venom. Other notable actors making the lineup include: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Juno Temple, Rhys Ifans, Peggy Lu, Alanna Ubach, and Stephen Graham. Every actor has his own unique strengths that help in contributing to enhancing the final film of this trilogy. Given how strong the cast is in support of Hardy’s performance, it would be safe to assume that audiences would be treated to several intense action set pieces, emotional focus, and thrilling interactions throughout the movie.
Though Venom: The Last Dance is guaranteed to surely capture fans’ attention, 2024 has more to offer for those who love the Spider-Man universe. Kraven the Hunter is also scheduled to make his first appearance this year, bringing with him yet another prominent character of the Spider Man comics on the silver screen. Kraven played by Aaron Taylor Johnson is known in the comic book as a legendary big game hunter who is actively seeking Spider-Man’s life.
What makes Kraven the Hunter stand out from its predecessors is its rating. The previous Venom movies and Morbius all conformed to the PG-13 rating but Kraven will be the first spinoff of any Spider-Man related to be rated R. This is the first sign that we’ll be seeing a darker retelling of the character which will include stronger themes and violence. This is bound to change the things up for Kraven and give something new to the fans in the Spider-Man universe.
A Stellar Cast for “Kraven the Hunter”
In addition to Aaron Taylor-Johnson, several other notable actors participate in Kraven the Hunter. Kraven’s back story is balanced with deeper shades, thanks to Kraven’s father, played by Russell Crowe. Meanwhile, Kraven’s love interest, Calypso, is played by Ariana DeBose, adding another layer to Kraven’s narrative. Some Kraven’s brothers and master of disguise, Chameleon, is played by Fred Hechinger, while Nivola is cast as the evil Rhino. Finally, the last cast member is Christopher Abbott, who is a contractor known as the Foreigner. Together, this cast promises to deliver a gripping and multifaceted story that fans of the Spider-Man universe won’t want to miss.
2024 would be an interesting year for the Fandom of Spiderman as Kraven the Hunter would be the first ever R rated spin off and venom the last dance gives closure to the series. Both films are guaranteed to deliver different aspects of the same character because they are very different in nature, with the emotional finale of Venom: The Last Dance and the dark and mature aspects with Kraven. Boosting the expanding spider man universe, more films like these promise to bring more entertaining plots and interesting characters in the years to come.
Upcoming Releases
As of today, the only films with specified release dates in the fast-expanding universe of Spider-Man characters owned by Sony are Venom: The Last Dance and Kraven the Hunter. These films will definitely introduce new stories and characters, but they are just the first of what the fans might see in the long run. In addition to these movies that fans are looking forward to, there is also a last part of the animated film about Spider Man- Beyond the Spider-Verse which is going to be the last one of the series about Miles Morales and other Spider heroes who visit different dimensions. However, this particular animated movie has not been released yet and instead, fans are still waiting on new updates when it will be coming out because it has also been postponed.
However, this project has not yet been officially announced, which was the reason why the web-slinger fans were at the brink of what quests are in the future. Now with Cretton directing the film, fans can look forward to a different take and new concepts that could further elevate the franchise into the success and growth it so rightly deserves.
In an interesting twist, Tom Holland recently shared some fascinating aspects of Spider-Man 4 when he was appearing on a podcast. He pointed out that both he and his fellow actor Zendaya have come across the script for the forthcoming film. Holland did not disappoint, saying, “We’ve got a creative, and we’ve got a pitch and a draft, which is amazing.” This particular piece of information also increases the interest of the fans who hope to see the plot of the film growing through this chapter of the arc of Spider-Man.
A Collaborative Effort
Neither did Holland stop there; he however stressed that while the draft is good, it is not ideal as of now. “It needs work, but the writers are doing a great job,” he said, bestowing his confidence to the creative team working on the movie. In another instance, he expressed his appreciation by saying that he read the script only three weeks ago and it was “quite something for me”. This clearly suggests that this is not just an ordinary sequel of sorts, but one that offers great potential to both the cast and the viewers.
Holland recalled the moment with particular warmth when he finally convinced Zendaya to sit down with him and read the script. It was obvious that both had been swept away because Holland said that sometimes they felt like “bouncing around the living room like this is actually a movie that the fans deserve.” The visible chemistry and excitement of both the stars complements the endless efforts they have put into the project to ensure that they do not disappoint their fans. Their reactions emphasize the intensity with which they approach their duty and the story; that it will be a pleasure for users to watch.
The Future of the Spider-Man Franchise
With these developments in mind, we are quite certain that the fans of the Spider-Man universe are set to be entertained as well. There is plenty of optimism in the air with Venom: The Last Dance and Kraven the Hunter at the fore, coupled with the anticipation that exists for Spider-Man 4 as well, there is plenty of potential to the Spider-Man universe. Each particular project has its own set of storylines, characters, and creatives which guarantees diversity and stimulating content for the audiences. As fans around the world wait for new details, including the launch of the highly anticipated film Spider Man: Beyond the Spider Verse, it is safe to say that there will be a great number of fans eager to see the next phase of this franchise.
To summarize, it can be said however that the Spider Man universe has still a lot in store for the audiences as there are significant releases on the way, new stories to tell and great people to add to the project. And as these franchises and movies come to life one by one, there will be thrilling escapades that will pay homage to the vast history of Spider-Man and his universe.