There’s no question that Tom Hardy is seriously committed to fitness, especially when it’s time to prep for a movie role. So it’s no surprise that the actor is engaging in some hardcore training for his latest villainous role in Marvel’s “Venom.”
To transform into the beastly antihero from the Spider-Man franchise, Hardy has been working with professional MMA fighter Nathan Jones and trainer Mark Mene. But, of course, a few workouts a week ain’t enough for Tom. According to an interview with Jones (see below for the video), the British actor is busting his butt five days a week — sometimes twice a day — boxing, kickboxing, doing MMA and grappling.
“He’s got power. I like that. He’s got that fight in him,” Jones explained about his client. In addition to learning the techniques, he is also putting combinations together. “It’s learning how to deal with shots coming at you. What would you do if and when and learning how to fight,” he continued. And no matter how difficult the fight or how “dark” it gets, Hardy keeps on trudging. “Most people, you give them the choice, they will always take the easy option. ‘You want more? No, I’m OK.’ But not Tom. There’s always room for one more,” he said.
This isn’t the first time Hardy has set foot in the world of MMA fighting. He trained in kickboxing, boxing and muay thai to play an MMA fighter in the critically acclaimed film “Warrior” and also for his roles in “The Dark Knight Rises” and “Mad Max: Fury Road.” For the latter, he shed a ton of weight fight training seven days a week for more than three months. If you aren’t convinced that he’s superhuman, let’s revisit that time he heroically took down a bike thief on the streets of London, vaulting walls Parkour-style. “It was mental — like he’d switched to superhero mode in an action movie,” onlooker Arun Pullen told The Sun at the time.
“He went off like a shot in pursuit and looked furious. I asked Tom what happened, and he told me he chased him through my back garden and caught him around the block — but the route was like an assault course.” Despite the fact he’s in better shape than most fictional superheroes, Hardy has a modest opinion of himself. “I don’t think he classes himself as an athlete,” said Mene, “but he trains like one.” According to the trainer, Hardy is going to revolutionize the term “villain” with his latest role. “What the world is going to see is one of the darkest, most powerful supervillains that Marvel has ever created,” he said. “It’s going to be carnage.”
“Venom” is currently shooting in Atlanta with an October 2018 release date. And to say we can’t wait would be a total understatement.