New 'Venom' Image Shows Spot-On Look for Marvel Anti-Hero

A new image from Venom has been released, showcasing how spot on Tom Hardy's Marvel anti-hero will look in the Sony Pictures film.

The image was released by Entertainment Weekly, as the San Diego Comic Con preparation is in full swing. Sony Pictures will be bringing Venom to the convention, showcasing a new look at the film at 6:15 pm on Friday night as the studios takes over Hall H. The film stars Tom Hardy in the titular role.

"As far as Marvel characters, I have to say for me, Venom looks the coolest," Hardy said. "That sounds a bit shallow! But I appreciate that he has a kind of brazen swagger and a zero foxtrot attitude."

In the film, Venom's human counterpart Eddie Brock will be reeling from a scandal, trying to find work as a journalist. Desperate to find some clout again, Brock begins investigating the Life Foundation and its leader, Dr. Carlton Drake (Riz Ahmed). This ultimately leads to Brock being exposed to a slimy, tar-like alien which Marvel Comics fans are familiar with, known as the symbiote. As a result, he earns some extraordinary panels and an alternate personality as it resides in his head.

"There's a tragic clown element, which I find funny and is harmonious with some of the work that I like to do," Hardy said. "There's something funny about the circumstances of having a gift but it's a tragic gift. It's a superpower you don't really want, but at the same time, you love it. It makes you feel special. He's a reluctant hero and an anti-hero."

Director Ruben Fleischer took pride in the inspiration for how Venom carries himself in the film. "Usually a human gets imbued with powers or an alien comes from outer space and has to figure out how to live on our Earth," Fleischer said. "But this is really about a relationship between two people who have to work together to create this hybrid symbiotic relationship."

Hardy, at the same time, is enthused by acting out both sides of the character. "It's a bit like Ren and Stimpy, you know?" Hardy said. "They have different sounds. I always saw Venom as sounding like a James Brown lounge lizard, and Eddie Brock is kind of…" — he switches to an aw-shucks American accent — "I don't know, an everyday kind of guy. But he's inherited this massive ego, this beast."

Venom is set for release on October 5.

(via EW)