Venom on Venom: Topher Grace thinks Tom Hardy is 'the guy to play that role'

Topher Grace, Hollywood’s original Venom, has seen the trailers for the new take on Venom, starring Tom Hardy, and has officially extended his blessing. And he wants to emphasize, he “truly means” it.

“To me — I truly mean this — I think Tom is the guy to play that role,” Grace, who played Eddie Brock in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 3, told Inverse when asked about Hardy’s film. “I’m thrilled to watch it as a fan. I really mean that. I think he’s just the best dude.”

Noting Hardy’s take on Bane in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises, Grace added, “He’s proven he can do comic book villains amazing.”

In the world of Spider-Man comics, Venom is the union of journalist Eddie Brock and the alien symbiote parasite that takes over his body. Together they form the titular villain/Spider-Man nemesis/anti-hero. In Hardy’s film, directed by Ruben Fleischer, Eddie is said to be more of the anti-hero facing multiple other symbiotes.

While Grace said he was “thrilled” to land this role for Raimi’s film, he admitted it wasn’t the same character from the comics. “I understand Sam’s interpretation, which was to do a dark version of Tobey [Maguire]’s character,” he said. “I was thrilled because I was such a fan of the character, but I was aware of how it was different from what I had grown up reading. I thought it was cool, but I’m really excited to see [Hardy’s version]. That’s the character I grew up with.”

Fans still seem hesitant to embrace Venom after the first teaser failed to introduce a full-on shot of the tongue-flicking character and the second full-length trailer featured a line involving “a turd in the wind.”

“I just wanted to say that I give you my word of honor that I’m going to do everything I can to deliver the best Venom that I possibly can muster,” Hardy vowed at Brazil Comic-Con earlier this year.

Venom, also starring Michelle Williams and Riz Ahmed, will debut in theaters this Oct. 5.