Tom Hardy debuted as Eddie Brock in 2018’s Venom, a film that received mixed criticism from the audience. Some commented on its haphazard plot, though others lauded the actor’s performance for bringing to life a strange connection between his human and symbiote characters.
In 2021, the sequel Venom: Let There Be Carnage also yielded a lot of negative reactions from critics. Although both films were commercially successful, the original earning $856 million and the second with $506 million against production budgets that range $110 million, the franchise was still not as revered as Sony hoped it to be.
Fans Campaign For Alan Ritchson As Eddie Brock/Venom
During his interview with Esquire, actor Tom Hardy revealed he had trepidations when it comes to portraying Eddie Brock and the overall performance of Venom. While he felt quite unsure if he would hit the nail with the character, Hardy wants the movies to land their mark among the roster of iconic superhero movies.
“There were other objectives with Venom, but they were minor compared to the main objective: can I land Eddie Brock and Venom as an established Marvel superhero? Venom and Eddie Brock are part of a universal canon among those who know about superheroes, so I don’t want to scratch the record. I’d like to be part of that legacy and not bugger it up completely. Not bring shame on it.”
The actor was praised for his performance as Eddie Brock, but some fans think Sony and Marvel Studios need an upgrade and it is time to recast the role. Interestingly, they want Reacher’s Alan Ritchson to pick up the mantle. Check out their tweets below:
why do we keep fancasting this man as Bruce Wayne that is literally Edward Brock Jr. https://t.co/d6UjiOU90Y
— Don Cheadle’s son (@darthwebhead) February 19, 2024
I've been saying Ritchson should be Eddie Brock for a long time, he'd be perfect
— Colleen Wing (@Colleen_Wing_) February 19, 2024
I was starting to think I was the only
One who saw it— Matt Murdock (@ronin20182020) February 19, 2024
100000% this is Eddie. He is ripped out of the pages
— The Last (Evan)ger 🧀 (@EvanAlioto) February 19, 2024
That’s what I’ve been saying.
— sebanatic thee 5000th (@sebanatic) February 19, 2024
omg your mind i see the vision we need to get on this
— 🇵🇸 mushy tushy 4eva 🍄🍑 FREE PALESTINE EDITION (@mikewas44760742) February 19, 2024
In the comics, Eddie Brock is a physically massive guy. Ritchson stands at 6 feet 2 inches. Moreover, his blonde hair and chiseled jawline are definitely straight out of the comics.
By features alone, fans can already see why a lot of people have been campaigning for Ritchson since the announcement of the Venom film. In terms of acting chops, he has proven himself an action guy in Prime Video’s Reacher series.
Alan Ritchson Is A Fan-Favorite Actor For Superhero Roles
Alan Ritchson is no stranger to comic book roles. He has played Arthur Curry, aka Aquaman in The CW’s Smallville, and Hank Hall, aka Hawk, in Titans. Recently, he has been rumored to star as Bruce Wayne/Batman in James Gunn and Peter Safran’s rebooted version of the DC Universe.
The actor admitted feeling honored to have been chosen by fans to play the Caped Crusader, though there’s a whole set of audience as well that see him as Eddie Brock. Prior to joining with the symbiote, he had Olympic-level strength from his rigorous weight-training exercises. In this description alone, Ritchson is more Brock than Tom Hardy.
In any case, Venom 3 is slated for a November 8, 2024 release with Hardy on the lead. Plot details are kept under wraps, though a lot of fans are expecting a Venom vs. Spider-Man showdown since the former has been transported to another dimension in the post-credits of Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Venom is available to watch on Netflix.
