OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.
The Venom franchise has become a cultural phenomenon, with Tom Hardy’s portrayal of the iconic symbiote host Eddie Brock captivating audiences worldwide. However, the character’s evolution on screen has sparked varied opinions, especially from the very people responsible for his creation. Todd McFarlane, one of Venom’s co-creators, recently shared his thoughts on the Venom movies and the portrayal of his monstrous creation in a way that might surprise fans.
A Brief History of Venom’s Origins
To fully understand McFarlane’s perspective, it’s essential to revisit the character’s origins. Venom first emerged in the pages of The Amazing Spider-Man in 1988, when McFarlane and writer David Michelinie introduced the character as a terrifying, symbiotic villain. Venom was originally conceived as a foil to Spider-Man, a creature that embodied everything Peter Parker’s alter ego was not: dark, dangerous, and ferociously anti-heroic.
The character’s origins are intertwined with Spider-Man’s costume, which originally appeared as a simple black-and-white suit. It wasn’t until later that the black suit was revealed to be a living, sentient symbiote, which would bond with Eddie Brock, a disgraced journalist, to form Venom. From the beginning, Venom was designed as a menacing villain, complete with sharp teeth, a monstrous appearance, and a deep hatred for Spider-Man.
The Venom Movies: A New Interpretation
Fast forward to 2018, and Venom became a surprising box office success. Directed by Ruben Fleischer, the film featured Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock, whose bond with the alien symbiote resulted in the creation of Venom. Despite some mixed critical reviews, the movie grossed over $850 million worldwide and spawned sequels, including Venom: Let There Be Carnage in 2021 and the upcoming Venom: The Last Dance in 2024.
What’s interesting is that the films chose to reimagine Venom not as a villain but as an antihero. Instead of the ruthless, menacing creature from the comics, the movie version of Venom is portrayed with humor and even empathy at times, becoming more of an unlikely, quirky protagonist. This shift has led to widespread love for the films, particularly due to Hardy’s eccentric and sometimes oddball portrayal of Eddie Brock, which some viewers have likened to a bizarre yet endearing queer romance between Brock and Venom.
McFarlane’s Take on the Venom Movies
So, how does McFarlane feel about this cinematic reinvention of his creation? Surprisingly, he’s not angry or frustrated with the direction the films have taken. In fact, he expressed a surprisingly calm and diplomatic stance during a recent interview at 2025’s MEGACON Orlando. When asked about the Venom movies, McFarlane acknowledged that while he wouldn’t have made the films in the same way, he didn’t mind the direction they took.
“I got to meet [Tom Hardy] for the first time, and he was super cool,” McFarlane said. “If you’re asking the basic question, would I have written and directed exactly like they did, of course not, right?” This statement shows that while McFarlane respects Hardy’s portrayal, he would have approached things differently.
However, McFarlane’s biggest objection to the films centers around the portrayal of Venom as a “good guy.” As the co-creator of Venom, McFarlane sees the character as a villain at his core. Venom’s evolution into an antihero in the comics and films, he believes, dilutes the character’s original essence. “Venom’s not a good guy,” McFarlane emphasized, explaining that in his mind, Venom was always meant to be a dark and villainous figure, not a hero.
Venom: The Violent Antihero
McFarlane’s comments echo his dissatisfaction with how Venom’s character shifted after his departure from Marvel in the 1990s. While Marvel’s decision to portray Venom as a more sympathetic antihero helped boost his popularity, McFarlane feels it betrays the character’s darker, more dangerous nature.
“I think my tendencies are always to go sort of dark and serious,” McFarlane said, adding that he would have made the Venom films much grimmer. He would have preferred the character to remain menacing and violent, to the point where he believes the film should have carried an R-rating. Instead of leaning into the humor and likability of the character, McFarlane envisions a Venom film closer to a horror movie, where the symbiote’s terrifying nature would dominate.
A Hero or Villain? McFarlane’s Legacy and Venom’s Future
Despite McFarlane’s differing view, it’s clear that the Venom films have found their own unique identity. Hardy’s portrayal, complete with its odd humor and dark charisma, has resonated with audiences, making Venom one of Marvel’s most popular antiheroes on screen. While McFarlane may have preferred a more villainous approach, the success of the films suggests that this new interpretation of the character is here to stay.
McFarlane’s reaction is a reminder that adaptations of beloved comic characters are bound to spark debates. However, his acknowledgment of Hardy’s performance and his willingness to accept the films’ direction shows a level of grace and understanding that is rare among comic book creators. In the end, while McFarlane’s vision for Venom may have been different, he can take pride in the fact that his creation has made such a lasting impact, both on the page and the big screen.
Fans of both the comics and the movies can agree on one thing: Venom remains one of the most complex and intriguing characters in superhero lore, regardless of how he’s portrayed. And for McFarlane, that’s something worth celebrating, even if the journey to that point was not exactly what he had envisioned.