Picture this: a notorious comic book villain ditches his spine-chilling menace for a side-splitting laugh track, turning heads in the superhero world. That's the jaw-dropping twist of 2018's Venom, and trust me, the inspiration behind it comes from a place you'd never guess. But here's where it gets controversial – did this shift betray the character's dark origins, or was it the genius move that saved the franchise? Stick around as we dive into the surprising comedy roots that redefined Eddie Brock and his symbiote sidekick, exploring how a 41-year-old cult classic reshaped a modern blockbuster.
Jordan Iacobucci, a lifelong enthusiast of books and films, has always been that friend who's knee-deep in Marvel lore and Star Wars sagas. Known affectionately among pals as the ultimate nerd for all things superhero, he even penned a 30-page college thesis on Spider-Man. His passion shines through his work as a staff writer for Screen Rant and CBR, where he delights in spreading the joy of pop culture to eager audiences worldwide.
Fast-forward seven years since its debut, and Venom still stirs a mix of emotions among comic fans. The 2018 film worked tirelessly to undo the harm inflicted on the character in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 3, a decade before. With Tom Hardy at the helm, this iteration highlighted Venom's protective, heroic traits, dubbing him the 'Lethal Protector.' It outperformed Topher Grace's portrayal in reception, yet this film version feels worlds apart from the comics' brooding antihero. For beginners just tuning in, think of Venom as a symbiotic alien that bonds with a human host – in this case, journalist Eddie Brock – creating a powerful, conflicted entity that blurs the lines between villainy and heroism.
What's more, Venom ignited Sony's ambitious Spider-Man cinematic universe, a saga that fizzled out last year with Kraven the Hunter. With that chapter officially closed, director Ruben Fleischer is spilling the beans on the film that started it all. In candid chats, he credits a whimsical comedy from over 40 years ago for infusing Venom with a lighter, more humorous vibe, morphing the terrifying monster into an unexpectedly funny antihero.
The big reveal? Steve Martin's 1984 hit, All of Me, was a key muse for Venom's tone. And this is the part most people miss – how a screwball comedy about body-sharing could influence a superhero flick. In a fresh interview on The Playlist’s Discourse Podcast, Fleischer shared his vision to dial down the seriousness compared to other big-screen heroes. He emphasized the absurd core of Venom: a guy involuntarily cohabitating with an extraterrestrial parasite. Sure, there's still some body horror – those eerie, transformative scenes that might make you squirm – but the movie amplifies the ridiculousness, especially in the banter between Tom Hardy's Eddie Brock and the symbiote, also voiced by Hardy. Fleischer believes this comedic spark is why Venom clicked with viewers, spawning a whole franchise built on their chaotic partnership. He pinpointed All of Me as a major influence on the humor:
“But I think something that people love about ‘Venom’ is that he’s funny. You know what I mean? It doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s kind of a ridiculous premise that you have an alien living inside you and sharing space with you... I kind of leaned into the—I don’t know if it’s really body horror—but ‘All of Me’ with Steve Martin was a big inspiration. ‘An American Werewolf in London’ was another one. Both are tonally on the more humorous side of things,” he explained. “I think ‘Venom’ is darker among the superhero franchises, just in terms of the way the character looks and his attitude. But he’s also really, really funny. So Tom Hardy was able to realize that wonderfully. And I think the charisma of Tom and of Venom himself is largely what has made it so popular among audiences.”
All of Me might not be Steve Martin's most famous romp – it's one of those hidden gems that comedy buffs cherish – but the parallels to Venom are strikingly evident. In the film, Martin's character, Roger Cobb, sees his orderly life upended when he's accidentally infused with the spirit of his client, the affluent widow Edwina (played by Lily Tomlin). They end up sharing one body, with Roger commanding the left side and Edwina the right, leading to hilarious clashes as they pretend to function normally. Venom mirrors this setup, but flips the script: here, the alien symbiote dominates, and Eddie Brock is the reluctant passenger, tagging along on Venom's over-the-top heroics. To clarify for newcomers, this is like an extreme roommate scenario where one tenant is an unstoppable force and the other is just trying to survive the chaos.
Fleischer also nodded to the 1981 movie An American Werewolf in London for its body horror elements, which blend seamlessly with Venom's darker scenes. This fusion created a unique dark comedy edge that set the film apart in the crowded superhero arena. The payoff? Venom raked in over $850 million at the box office, reigning as Sony's top Spider-Man Universe entry by a wide margin. For context, imagine a werewolf transformation that's equal parts terrifying and laugh-out-loud funny – that's the tonal balance Fleischer aimed for.
This comedic pivot totally reshaped how fans perceive Venom, morphing him from a comic book terror into something more approachable. In the original comics, Venom emerges as a fusion of a desperate reporter, Eddie Brock, and a revenge-hungry symbiote spurned by Spider-Man. Together, they're one of the web-slinger's most feared foes – so intimidating that Mary Jane Watson was haunted by the sight of Spider-Man's black suit, associating it with Venom's eerie resemblance. Later stories softened the horror a bit, but Venom remained a source of dread until the 2018 movie. There, he became a squabbling duo much like Steve Martin and Lily Tomlin in All of Me – funny, yes, but arguably not true to the comics' intensity. For example, newcomers might compare it to classic buddy comedies like The Odd Couple, where mismatched personalities drive the laughs.
As expected, the sequels ramped up the humor after the first film's triumph. Venom: Let There Be Carnage and Venom: The Last Dance leaned hard into the 'odd couple' dynamic, structuring the stories more like rom-coms than action-packed hero tales. The 'will they or won't they' tension between Eddie and the symbiote took center stage, ending with Venom's heartbreaking demise in The Last Dance. This version crafted its own cohesive narrative, but it might leave die-hard comic fans wanting the grittier original. If you've only watched the movies, you might forever see Venom as the witty antihero instead of the nightmare villain.
But here's where it gets controversial: Did sacrificing darkness for laughs weaken the character, or was it a smart way to broaden appeal? Some argue it made Venom relatable and fun, while others cry foul, saying it diluted his menace. What do you think – should franchises always stick to source material, or adapt for modern tastes?
Looking ahead, hope isn't lost for Venom enthusiasts. We could get a fresh take, maybe one truer to the comics, in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Eddie's brief MCU cameo in Spider-Man: No Way Home left behind a symbiote sample on Earth-616, teasing a resolution in the sequel. Odds are, this MCU Venom will echo the comics' hulking, fearsome form. Rumors swirl that it might skip Eddie Brock entirely, bonding instead with Mac Gargan – better known as Scorpion – who becomes Venom post-Eddie's cancer battle. With Tom Hardy's version still fresh, it makes sense for the MCU to explore Gargan for variety.
On the flip side, fans might revisit Tom Hardy's Venom for one more showdown. Hardy has openly expressed eagerness for his character to clash with Tom Holland's Spider-Man. Though a post-credits tease in Venom: Let There Be Carnage sent them to the MCU, it never panned out. Yet, events in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars could pave the way for an epic face-off on Battleworld during the Multiverse Saga's grand finale, uniting these rivals as realities crumble. Imagine the chaos: symbiote versus spider, with the fate of universes hanging in the balance – it's the crossover dream since 2018!
Ultimately, Venom's story isn't over after The Last Dance. Fingers crossed future portrayals honor the comics' shadowy essence, swapping trilogy laughs for the intense darkness the character truly deserves.
Venom is available for streaming on Disney+.
Release Date
September 28, 2018
Runtime
112 minutes
Director
Ruben Fleischer
Writers
Jeff Pinkner
Producers
Avi Arad, David B. Householter, Kelly Marcel, Matt Tolmach, Stan Lee, Tom Hardy, Amy Pascal, Howard Chen
Sequel(s)
Venom: Let There Be Carnage
Franchise(s)
Marvel
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Michelle Williams
Anne Weying
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Tom Hardy
Eddie Brock / Venom
