The Iconic Venom Scene That Almost Never Happened
The first stand-alone "Venom" film, released in 2018, isn't without its faults. While it's funnier than the average superhero movie and makes good use of its San Francisco setting, it's dragged down by a slow, Venom-less start and a cookie-cutter, predominately CGI climax. One key component of "Venom" that even its biggest detractors would have a hard time disputing is that lead Tom Hardy, who portrays both reporter Eddie Brock and Venom, is wholly committed to his performance. On a purely physical level, Hardy not only built up muscle mass but trained in multiple martial arts for the role.
Hardy reprised both characters for the film's sequel, "Venom: Let There Be Carnage," which was released on October 1. In addition to his dual starring roles, Hardy was also credited as a writer, receiving a "story by" credit alongside Kelly Marcel, who authored the screenplay.
The Hollywood Reporter recently interviewed Hardy and Marcel in the lead-up to the release of "Let There Be Carnage." While their latest film marks Hardy's first official production credit in the franchise, they likewise discussed how he was similarly involved behind-the-scenes of the first "Venom" film, including coming up with the idea for an iconic scene just prior to its filming.
The lobster scene was Tom Hardy's idea
In the first "Venom" film, shortly after Eddie Brock becomes host to Venom, he's overcome by a sudden, symbiote-induced hunger for live flesh during a meeting at an upscale restaurant. In a resultant stupor, his body temperature begins to rise, and he submerges himself in a fish tank housing live lobsters to cool off. Then, he bites into one of the lobsters to satiate his craving. According to THR, this moment, which was "one of the [the film's] more celebrated scenes," was "a last-minute Hardy pitch."
By comparison, Hardy's credited involvement in the production of "Venom 2" meant that his contributions behind the camera benefited from additional planning. "The lobster tank conversation was prior to us even getting on the floor filming this time," Hardy said.
Nevertheless, Marcel described shooting the first film's lobster scene as a tumultuous experience. "The lobster day was utter, utter chaos," he said. By comparison, in "Venom 2," viewers can expect "four or five of those," according to Marcel. "The movie clings to that feeling of joy and fun and madness."
"Venom: Let There Be Carnage" is in theaters now.