The Rock should have been cast as Venom
instead of Tom Hardy.
shareI disagree. He doesn't have the right voice for Eddie Brock.
shareTom Hardy is too small. Eddie Brock is supposed to be a big muscle bound guy. It doesn't matter how much Hardy works out. He's a little guy. The Rock would've been a great choice. Years ago, I even suggested Vin Diesel.
shareTom Hardy is a much better actor than Diesel or Rock.
And if they surround him with little tiny co-stars, he can look large. Cast Emilia Clarke as his girlfriend and have her wear flats, and it's no problem!
I don't think you necessarily need a great actor to play Venom. There aren't many big men that are considered good actors today, but I think The Rock is one of them. He's gotten better and better over the years. And if you look at the size of The Rock, that's the size Venom should be. I understand they can use tricks to make actors look bigger, but trying to make Tom Hardy look big would be some trick. He's so small. It would be like trying to make Tom Cruise look big. It just can't be done. Tom Hardy is also only an inch taller than Tom Holland.
shareActually, I've been of the opinion that anyone casting a superhero film should get the best actor they can, ever since "Batman Returns". A really good, really skilled actor can play bring extra levels of depth and believability to a superhero movie, can make the silly or unnatural events there seem real; a really good actor can make a script better without changing a word.
I'm not saying that Hardy is always that good, because he can be, but not always. But I am saying that movie directors can compensate for physical size, but they can't compensate for lack of ability, so they should hire the best actor they can get. No offense to the likeable Mr. Johnson, who is always fun, but he'd probably be the first to admit he's no master thespian.
I agree about getting the best actor (especially for a role like Bruce Wayne/Batman). But I also think the physical appearance is very important. With Wolverine, you got the best of both worlds. Jackman was a great actor and he got himself to look like a superhero. I think The Rock would've been a skilled enough actor for this part. I mean, it's not like they're doing Hamlet.
With Bruce Wayne/Batman, you can get away with not having a muscle bound actor. But with characters like Superman, they have to have the size and the muscle. I feel the same way about Venom. I have the image Eddie Brock in my head from the comics. My favorite Venom appearances were; The Amazing Spider-Man #300 and The Amazing Spider-Man #317. I loved Eddie Brock's look in #300. They the way I was hoping Brock would've looked on the big screen.
I'm SO glad you brought up Jackman as Wolverine, because his height is off from the comic book character's by a solid foot! Yup, Wolverine is officially 5'3" tall in the comics, if very muscular, and Hackman is officially 6'3". But he was so damn good that everyone forgave him for being the wrong height, and dude you just won the argument over casting for me.
But I agree with your other points. James Bond or Batman can look like almost anything, Catwoman can be any size or color as long as she's hot, but Superman has to be the big tall guy with dark hair and blue eyes, by any means necessary.
I know Hugh Jackman was tall. But that was definitely something that didn't hurt. How can you make Tom Hardy look like Venom? Eddie Brock was a big muscle bound guy. Hardy did put on muscle for when he played Bane, but he still looked too small. I didn't find it believable at all when he lifted up Batman over his head. When I mentioned Jackman, I was trying to point out that you can have a talented actor and a muscular guy in one. Some people would say that it's better to get someone that can act instead of someone that is muscular. Hugh Jackman got himself into that kind of shape. I didn't find Jackman's height distracting at all. With Hardy I would. Hardy is too small. It doesn't matter how much he works out. He's a little guy. Eddie Brock looked like Schwarzenegger in the comics. Also, Venom, being so big and muscle bound, is supposed to be so much bigger than Spider-Man. In my opinion, size does matter with Venom.
shareFunny how nobody ever holds a tall man's height against him, only the shorties.
And I think you're alone in your insistence that Venom be massive, I think most people who know the character from the comics will engage the willing suspension of disbelief and go with it, if the movie and the actor are any good. And BTW not much was done in that "Batman" movie to make him look tall, all his co-stars towered over him except for Marion Cotillard, and he was what, 4th billed? Making him look bigger wasn't a priority. Put him front and center and surround him with eensy co-stars and platform boots and he'll look huge, and if the film is a hit Hardy will spend the next ten years hearing "I thought you were taller" from fans.
PS: Care to rant about casting Tom Cruise as "Jack Reacher"? Reacher was supposed to be a foot taller than Cruise in the books, and several times more massive.
Well, first off, Otter, I'm not as passionate about Jack Reacher because I'm not a Jack Reacher fan. And with that, it's a little different. He was described in a book originally. With Venom, that quintessential image of him in the comics is what's ingrained in my mind. And I'm not ranting. I thought we were just having a discussion. Listen, I just think it's absolutely necessary for Venom to be massive. He's supposed to be a heck of a lot bigger than Spider-Man. He's supposed to be this massive beast that Spider-Man wants to run from. The OP suggested The Rock for the part. Years ago, I had suggested The Rock back in the days when the message boards were elsewhere. I agree that he would've been a great choice. He could've pulled it off and he has the perfect build. I guess with CGI, they can make Venom look big in this movie and he will probably be all CGI in the movie. But there will still be Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock, who was huge in the comics.
shareBigger than Spider-Man? No worries, now that they've hired a tiny little boy to play him! Robert Downey Jr. looks massive next to him, I'd look massive next to him, my kitten would look like a lioness next to him.
And give Hardy enough steroids, and he'll be massive again. That's what actors do these days.
He will look bigger next to little wimpy Tom Holland. I agree there, Otter. I wish we could see Venom onscreen with a different Spider-Man. The only good thing I can say is that Eddie Brock will be older than Peter Parker, as he should be. Tom Hardy is an inch taller than Holland, but I'm sure they can make him look even taller than him. In the teaser (I know it was short) Tom Hardy didn't look that ripped, but hopefully he really got buff to play Brock. I hope even more so than he did for Bane. I guess we'll see. I'm thinking a little more positive now ;).
shareA lot of people may not be aware of this, but despite Wolverine's small stature, his look, demeanor, and character was based off Clint Eastwood who is 6'4". Just watch any Clint Eastwood films from the 60s and 70s. Jackman was chosen yes for his charisma and ability as an actor, but also because of his facial similarities to Clint Eastwood. Look at the other actor that would've played Wolverine, he also bears a resemblance to Eastwood somewhat.
shareVin Diesel is tiny as well...
share