Tom Hardy’s towering performance as the intense nemesis of Batman is more beloved than his fun portrayal of Venom.

Tom Hardy is one such actor who has surprised audiences with his choices of films and the intensity delivers with every role he plays. In compelling character-driven dramas like Warrior. Locke, Bronson, and The Revenant the actor played some complex characters that are morally layered. Hardy has also played two significant characters in both Marvel and DC films.

While he may have come back to the role of Venom more than once to have some ridiculous comic fun with the role, fans love him more for his intricate portrayal of Bane in The Dark Knight Rises. While some fans have been critical of the character’s voice, his performance towers over everything and one scene perfectly showcases Hardy’s powerful grip on the character.

Despite Tom Hardy Returning For Venom 3, Bane Remains His Best Comic-Book Role

Tom Hardy has dabbled in both the two major superhero franchises Marvel and DC, with two drastically different roles. With Venom, the actor relies on the comedic touches of the role and is committed to using his expressions and physicality to evoke humor. The actor is quite loose and is certainly having fun with the role, thus frequently returning to it (thrice now).

However, with Bane, the type of performance required is completely different. Hardy had to bulk up for the role as Bane is known for his intimidating physical presence. The role is comparatively more serious, and dark compared to Venom. Hardy was already known as an intense actor and thus committed to what he was asked to do.

The result was a very complex, intimidating, and powerful Bane who was hell-bent on accomplishing what Ra’s al Ghul wanted as a former member of the League of Shadows. Hardy’s evocative portrayal of the calculative side of the character was very interesting to witness. One of the peak character moments that fans loved was when he mocks Batman’s inability to defeat him. Tom Reagan’s Hat wrote on X,

Tom Hardy’s Bane voice is nutty beyond belief but then when he shifts gears in the same speech to deliver ‘members of the League of Shadows’ like that, I feel like he’s transcended time & space.

The way Hardy carried himself to show Bane’s confidence added to the intimidating element of the role. Fans agreed with what he said and expressed their admiration for Hardy’s compelling performance in the role. Here are some of the reactions on X,

Hardy’s Venom has its own quirks and weirdness that is an essential part of the dynamic between Eddie Brock and Venom. But it falls on the ridiculous side of things and more larger than life. Bane is more grounded and his motivations are more relatable. Hardy’s brilliant performance elevated the character and made it more beloved than his portrayal of Venom.

Tom Hardy Got a Lot More Creative Freedom And A Bigger Sandbox to Play With Venom 3

Tom Hardy is returning as Eddie Brock/Venom in the upcoming third film in the Venom trilogy titled Venom: The Last Dance. The trailer that was recently released teased a much bigger film where the duo has to face a dangerous alien invasion that relates to Venom’s home world while also being hunted by government agents.

In an interview with Forbes, Hardy revealed that he and the makers were given full creative freedom to push the narrative and go crazy with it. They swung for the fences and were able to put in a lot more ideas, within a much larger canvas. The actor said,

By the third one, we’ve been given so much creative support to do — to push it. It’s a much wider piece and there’s much more love — not that there was not love in the last ones. We’ve been allowed to put more of our ideas into it, and I’m really excited to see how they land […] I think you got to swing for the fences with these things.

Hardy also confirmed that the film will be the final Venom film and he wants “to go out with a bang”. Fans have been intrigued by the ridiculously fun trailer and are deducing every detail and possible easter eggs in it. In addition to Hardy, Venom 3 also stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Juno Temple, Rhys Ifans, Peggy Lu, Alanna Ubach, and Stephen Graham. Venom: The Last Dance hits theatres on October 25, 2024.

Fans can watch Hardy as Bane in The Dark Knight Rises on Max.