Topher Grace Weighs in on Tom Hardy’s Venom

Prior to the debut of the first trailer for Venom, fans were apprehensive about how the character would translate into a live-action film, given the character previously appearing in Spider-Man 3. Topher Grace, who starred as Eddie Brock and Venom in the Sam Raimi film, recently shared his admiration for Venom star Tom Hardy and his portrayal of the Marvel character.

“To me — I truly mean this — I think Tom is the guy to play that role,” Grace shared with Inverse. “I’m thrilled to watch it as a fan. I really mean that. I think he’s just the best dude.”

Raimi delivered audiences Spider-Man in 2002 and set the standard for the potential of what a superhero film could be in the wake of the campy era that ended with Batman & Robin. The filmmaker tapped into time-honored characters and filmmaking styles with his first two films, though the third film incorporated fan-favorite villain Venom, resulting in an overcrowded film that was received more poorly than the previous two films.

“I understand Sam’s interpretation, which was to do a dark version of Tobey [Maguire]’s character,” Grace pointed out. “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.”

This isn’t Hardy’s first time portraying a beloved villain, with the actor having previously delivered audiences Bane in The Dark Knight Rises. Grace noted that Hardy could handle the challenge easily, pointing out, “He’s proven he can do comic book villains amazing.”

At San Diego Comic-Con, Venom director Ruben Fleischer shared more details about what to expect from Hardy in the new film.

“As you know, as a fan of the character, Eddie Brock and Venom is a unique character within the universe because it’s not just a singular experience,” Fleischer said. “It’s not like there’s a guy who gets imbued with powers or makes his own suit and the becomes a vigilante or he’s not an alien that comes to earth and has super powers. In our movie, or in the comics, it’s about the union of these two different parts to create a whole.”

Fans can see how Hardy’s performance stacks up to Grace’s when Venom hits theaters on October 5th.

Do you think the new incarnation of Eddie Brock will surpass Grace’s interpretation? Let us know in the comments below!

[H/T Inverse]