Tom Hardy recently appeared on The Discourse Podcast from The Playlist, where he revealed that a crossover between his Venom and Tom Holland’s Spider-Man “got as close as I could possibly imagine getting” before ultimately falling apart. The Oscar-nominated actor refrained from providing a specific reason for the project’s collapse but hinted that studio politics played a significant role.
“We got close,” Hardy said. “We got as close as I could possibly imagine getting, apart from doing a film together, which I would have loved to have done because that just means so much fun.”
When podcast host Mike DeAngelo asked if studio politics were the reason behind the crossover’s failure, Hardy cryptically responded, “For all the reasons that you explained ultimately in there.”
The Importance of a Venom-Spider-Man Film
Hardy expressed his personal desire to see a Venom-Spider-Man film come to life, particularly for younger audiences.
“Fundamentally, for me, it would be for the kids,” Hardy said. “As much as adults love superhero films, I think I’m constantly reminded by children how important these characters are. And they don’t know why their favorite characters aren’t in films together.”
The Evolution of Venom in Sony’s Universe
Hardy first took on the role of Venom in Sony’s Venom (2018), which grossed an impressive $856 million worldwide. He reprised the role in Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021) and Venom: The Last Dance (2025), the latter being marketed as his final outing as the character. The Last Dance amassed a total of $478 million globally.
Reflecting on his journey as Venom, Hardy said, “We were given a set of boundaries, and we were just really privileged to be able to play with a much-beloved IP like Venom in a way that we were allowed to. We poured all of ourselves into it within the limits of what we were allowed to do. And we loved doing it.”
Original Plans for a Venom-Spider-Man Meeting
Ruben Fleischer, who directed Venom (2018), previously stated that the goal was always to build toward a crossover with Spider-Man. In a 2019 interview with Fandom, Fleischer confirmed that “that’s where it’s all going to lead.”
“We changed the origin of Venom [for the first movie]. In the comics, he evolved from Spider-Man, but because of the Marvel-Sony thing, we weren’t able to do that,” Fleischer explained. “And so the thing I think it’s building towards, and will be exciting to see, is when they actually do confront each other.”
Hardy Remains Open to Fighting Spider-Man
Despite the failed crossover attempt, Hardy remains enthusiastic about the possibility of facing Spider-Man on the big screen.
“I would love to fight Spider-Man. I would love to fight him now. I’m happy to fight Spider-Man today, 100 percent. I would never say never,” Hardy told Variety at the Venom: The Last Dance premiere last year.
While the Venom-Spider-Man crossover never materialized, Hardy’s comments confirm that the idea was heavily considered. Whether future projects will bring the two iconic characters together remains uncertain, but fans continue to hold out hope for a showdown between Venom and Spider-Man on the big screen.