Summary

• Topher Grace's version of Venom in "Spider-Man 3" is superior because it accurately portrays the character's unlikeable and hateful nature, staying true to the source material.
• Tom Hardy's version of Venom in the current franchise lacks the mean streak and hatred that made the character threatening.
• Marvel has yet to perfect Venom in live-action, but with the upcoming reboot in the MCU, they finally have the potential to get it right.

With superhero movies from the '90s and 2000s being rebooted at a frightening pace, it's hard to avoid comparisons between the originals and the new versions in their stead. Spider-Man is already experiencing such, while Blade and Fantastic Four are yet on the horizon. And with Sony's Venom franchise releasing two entries in recent years, the eponymous antihero has joined this discussion as well.

Tom Hardy brings the iconic Spider-Man villain to life in Venom and Venom: Let There Be Carnage, years after Topher Grace did the same in Sam Raimi's much-maligned Spider-Man 3. However, as well-liked as Tom Hardy's Venom is, Grace's version is still superior for one main reason. Strangely enough, the success of Grace's Venom involves his unlikeability as a character, which ties into the essence of Eddie Brock and Venom in Marvel Comics. While it would not be true to say that Hardy botches the character, there remains something about Topher Grace's version that stands out and really gets to Venom's core.

Updated on October 22nd, 2023 by Jordan Iacobucci: Venom remains one of Marvel's most popular characters moving forward. In addition to the expansion of Sony's so-called Venomverse, which includes the upcoming Venom 3, the character is also set to appear in several other projects in the coming years. Venom features as a major antagonist in Insomniac's Spider-Man 2, marking the character's long-awaited introduction to the video game franchise. Moreover, Venom is expected to appear in some capacity during Tom Holland's second Spider-Man trilogy in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As such, Marvel is clearly putting the spotlight on the character of Venom moving forward, all the while muddying the waters regarding the best portrayal of the beloved antihero.

Topher Grace's Venom Should Be Unlikable

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While Sony's Spider-Man 3 was criticized for its depiction of Venom, it may be time for audiences to reassess its version of the iconic comics character. In the film, Topher Grace's Eddie Brock is a jealous jerk who lies, steals, and cheats to displace Peter Parker as a photographer at the Daily Bugle. His jealousy only increases when he loses his job and his girlfriend, Gwen Stacy, to Peter. This leads Eddie to bond with Venom in a mutual attempt to kill Peter, who is secretly the superhero Spider-Man. Through it all, both Eddie and Venom remain completely unlikable, coming off as selfish, egotistical, and narcissistic--just like the source material on which the characters are based. This left fans rooting for Spider-Man to take them out once and for all.

The same cannot be said for Tom Hardy's iteration of Eddie Brock, who admittedly has a different dynamic as the host of the Venom symbiote. Hardy's Venom is not a villain, but rather an anti-hero, changing the character altogether. Moreover, there is no history or rivalry with Spider-Man to make Venom or Eddie Brock miserable. But, as Let There Be Carnage tries to make Venom unlikeable by forcing Eddie to eat criminals while throwing hissy fits, the whole thing falls apart. Because Eddie is so likable, one can't help but laugh at Venom's tantrums. This takes away the edge of the character, making him come off as nothing but a spoiled brat. Had Eddie been a jerk back rather than a nice guy, it would have helped their chemistry when they eventually reunite to stop Carnage.

A Purely Heroic Venom Doesn't Work

Tom Hardy's Venom franchise has been popular, with a third film on the way and a cinematic universe forming around it. As it stands, however, the duo lacks a mean streak, which is the wrong move because, even with a heroic Eddie in the books, he's still an insufferable character at his core. Grace and his Venom, on the other hand, had a raw hatred for each other, having only a single goal in common. But their nasty attitudes made the symbiote more of a threat, which is a far stretch from the punchline it's become in Hardy's version.

Although certain versions of the formerly villainous symbiote have portrayed Venom as an antihero in Marvel Comics, the more antagonistic side of the character has always been the most popular. Tom Hardy's version of the character fully embraces his heroic side, with a few minor hiccups along the way. Topher Grace's version, however, is purely evil, which works in the character's favor, even if the film itself misses some of the nuances found in the original comic books. When it comes to characterization and alignment, Spider-Man 3 offers a more accurate version of Venom than the current Venom franchise does.

Marvel Still Hasn't Perfected Venom In Live-Action

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Even with two versions under its belt, Marvel has yet to deliver a perfect Venom in live-action. In each rendition thus far, Venom's live-action portrayals are always missing key parts of the character present in the comics. Topher Grace's version lacked the size, power, and nuance of the original comics character. Tom Hardy's version, on the other hand, while more faithful to other aspects of Venom and the symbiotes from Marvel Comics, misses the character's original intent by making him a hero. Moreover, the character is also missing his connection with Spider-Man, which is meant to define Venom. Without Spider-Man, Hardy's Venom feels hollow and incomplete.

Thankfully, Marvel may still have another chance at nailing a live-action Venom. With Tom Hardy possibly retiring from the role after Venom 3, the MCU may finally be getting its chance to reboot Venom once more. The mid-credits scene of Spider-Man: No Way Home hinted that the symbiote could bond with Peter Parker in the next installment of the franchise. This suggests that the MCU is committed to depicting Venom's comics-accurate origin, which began with Peter Parker's symbiote suit era. The MCU's Spider-Man 4 can take its time in setting up Venom, beginning with the symbiote suit saga and eventually building up to what could be the most comics-accurate version of Venom that audiences have ever seen in live-action.

Venom's popularity in Marvel Comics makes it necessary for live-action films to finally get the character right. After multiple attempts spanning over a decade, the MCU may be the franchise to finally depict Venom accurately, blowing Topher Grace and Tom Hardy's versions out of the water.