Tom Hardy is set to end his tenure as comic-book alien Venom in Venom: The Last Dance, but the actor has revealed he could be tempted to return to the character if given the chance to fight Spider-Man.
Sony’s Venom films have typically occurred away from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), but there has been some cross-over. In Spider-Man: No Way Home, Hardy showed up in a mid-credits scene set in the MCU, while Holland briefly appeared in a post-credits scene in Venom: Let There Be Carnage.
Now, IGN reports that Hardy announced at New York Comic-Con: “I want to fight Spider-Man. I want to fight Spider-Man right now. I’m well up for it... Never say never.”
In an interview with ComicBook.com the following day, Hardy was asked which version of Spider-Man he’d want to fight.
“Tom Holland, without a shadow of a doubt,” he replied.
Early viewers of Venom: The Last Dance largely say they’ve been blown away by the final installment in the trilogy.
Although the film is not out for another three days, some people – including critics and journalists – have attended preview screenings of the movie, sharing their reactions on X/Twitter.
“Venom: The Last Dance takes you on a wild and exhilarating journey from start to finish,” wrote Screen Rant’s Joseph Deckelmeier. “It’s a fun popcorn movie that reminds me of the early 2000’s comic book movies.
“The action is great and is a tribute to action films from the 80’s. There’s a ton of funny moments,” he continued. “Are there plot holes and some issues with the story? Yes. [Is] it fun? Also, yes.”
Digital Spy film editor Ian Sandwell agreed, writing that the film is “the most entertaining of the trilogy”.
He added: “It’s largely a funny and sweet road trip with Eddie and Venom living their Thelma & Louise fugitive dreams, including car karaoke and dog rescuing. You might even find yourself getting emotional.”
Meanwhile, The Wrap’s Drew Taylor added: “Venom: The Last Dance is the best of the Venom movies – the insanity has been ramped up significantly but so has the heart. It’s not perfect but it’s super entertaining.”
Other viewers called the film’s final act “bonkers” and admitted Venom: The Last Dance is “classic guilty pleasure cinema” that “stretches its PG-13 rating as far as it will possibly go.”
Venom: The Last Dance will be released in cinemas on October 25.