The actor is hitting the gym five days a week to prepare for his upcoming role
One byproduct of the modern era of superhero films is that pretty much every A-list actor, at some point, becomes a hulking beast. Tom Hardy is no stranger to looking like a giant sculpture made of meat, but his latest role as Venom, a comic-book antihero spun off from the Spider-Man universe, has required a particularly martial training regimen.
So what’s Hardy been up to in preparation for his foray into the Sony-Marvel-Disney wilderness of Spider-Man? Mostly, he’s been boxing.
Hardy has been working out with Nathan Jones, a professional MMA fighter, and trainer Mark Mene, according to Metro UK. Venom just started filming in Atlanta, but Metro reports that Hardy is working out five days a week. While Hardy has certainly had fight training before, it looks like he’s back in the ring as a core activity for this film, which will undoubtedly feature a few super-powered brawls.
There are non-boxing superhero workouts you could try, but it’s no mistake that many action movie stars figure in martial arts as a part of bulking up aesthetically for a role. Several of the stars of Blade Runner 2049 boxed or grappled to get set for Denis Villanueve’s continuation of the Ridley Scott sci-fi action classic, and Ryan Gosling in particular focuses on Muay Thai to stay in shape for active roles. Boxing is an intense, full-body workout that blasts through calories and builds strength at the same time. Some superhero workouts, like Josh Brolin’s jacked-up routine to play Cable in Deadpool 2 will focus on lifting heavy, but it’s a given that for most action roles you’re going to have to step in the ring.
Venom just started filming, so don’t expect to see Hardy’s ripped bod in a super-suit anytime soon. Riz Ahmed, Michelle Williams, and Jenny Slate are all co-starring, but some of their roles aren’t clear. We’ll have to wait and see what kind of weights they’re throwing around to get in character. Although to be fair, Hardy’s always had a head start in the bulk category.
