Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 came out exclusively for the PlayStation 5 on October 20, 2023. The game features an array of antagonists like Sandman and Kraven the Hunter. The highlight of the rogue’s gallery, however, is the symbiote Venom.
Venom is one of the most loved antagonists in the Spider-Man universe, and fans received the announcement of his presence in the game very well. In Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Tony Todd lends his voice to the iconic villain. In an exclusive piece published on Marvel’s official website, Tony Todd explained his workflow as he began his voice work on Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.
How Todd Prepared To Play Venom in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
After it was announced officially that Venom would be in the game, fans also got a look at the famous Symbiote suit in the game. This confirmed that Venom would be bonding with Peter Parker after all. This meant that the pitfalls of bonding with a symbiote apart from the perks would be witnessed by players first-hand.
In the article, Venom actor Tony Todd and Marvel Games VP and Creative Director Bill Rosemann are read, going back and forth on Venom’s influence in the game. They also shared why they felt like rooting for him.
Talking about the beginning of his workflow, Todd gave some insights into his preparations and approach:
Personally, it started with finding the right voice, and then once you’ve found the voice, then just embracing it and not being afraid of it.
Todd continued:
I try to approach every job with a sense of love. I mean, I’m blessed. Both my kids went to college and I left with very little debt. I had a great career and I’m a happy person.
Talking about his work in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and how taxing it is to lend one’s voice to one of the most iconic villains in the Spiderverse, Todd explained:
There’s never been a character that I didn’t like, and there’s never been a job that I took for granted. So, you have to be fully invested.You have to be rested before you go to work, because voice work is extremely taxing, if you don’t treat yourself right. You’ve got to rest the night before, and drink lots of tea and honey, and be prepared.
Tony also revealed that sometimes he doesn’t get the script copy beforehand, so he has to deep-dive into the character’s lore to do justice to the part.
Todd’s Delightful Experience While Recording His Part for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, His Inspiration and Why He Roots for Venom
He talks about his experience bringing Marvel’s Spider-Man 2’s Venom to life; Todd also revealed that he finds Venom one of the most remarkable characters Marvel wrote. He exclaims:
I think Venom is one of the coolest Marvel characters ever created! Every time I think of going in and recording him, I’m smiling all the way from Marina del Rey to Burbank and I can’t wait to step into the booth.
Relating the character to himself, Tony Todd shared a fascinating outlook and recalled his days as a student who experienced a growth spurt. He elaborated on what that feels like and drew parallels by saying:
I grew up an only kid, right? He’s like a guy when you go into that growth spurt—I had a very high voice until junior year, and all of a sudden, everything changed, but I was uncoordinated and all the coaches laughed at me.
Todd continued:
It was an English teacher who gave me a copy of The Tempest that changed my perspective and said, ‘Oh, I can do that!’
Tony also mentioned how there are going to be various people who will experience Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. Among them, a subset will be rooting for Spider-Man and Miles Morales, and some will be in Venom’s favor.
Todd said:
I think, when people play this game, there’s going to be different sides—of course people are rooting for Spider-Man and Miles, but I think there’s going to be a whole section of people that are saying, ‘Well, what can Venom do, and why do I like him?’ Because he’s just doing it with abandon!
Rosemann agreed to that and admitted that some people just like Venom. He also discussed that there is a lot of darkness associated with Venom. What is also admirable about him is that there is a lot of single-mindedness to the character.
Venom is one of the most celebrated villains when it comes to Spider-Man, and it isn’t a surprise that some people will be rooting for him. It will be interesting to see if Insomniac’s take on the character can provide a fresh take on the character.
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