Venom Co-Creator Names the Star He Wants to Replace Tom Hardy in the MCU

Venom co-creator David Michelinie already has a favorite to play Eddie Brock if the character hits the big screen again, and yeah, the pick makes a lot of sense if you have seen Reacher.

What happened

On X, voice actor and content creator "TheDoctorX11" said they asked Michelinie if Reacher star Alan Ritchson would be a faithful Eddie Brock. Michelinie did not just give a thumbs up - he said he has literally called this before. For context, Michelinie co-created Venom and is also credited as a co-creator of Carnage, Ant-Man, and War Machine.

"I once posted pics of Ritchson - shirtless and one of him yelling - and said he would make the perfect Eddie/Venom. So we are on the same page."

The exchange was posted on December 7, 2025.

Why this is interesting

Alan Ritchson has the build, presence, and slightly unhinged intensity that Eddie Brock demands, so creator approval here is not exactly shocking - but it is still a fun endorsement to see out in the open.

It also lands right as Tom Hardy's run as Brock looks like it may have wrapped with 2024's Venom: The Last Dance. Sony has not spelled out what comes next for the character. There are ongoing rumors that Venom could pop up in future Spider-Man projects over at Marvel Studios. Hardy has said he would love to share the screen with Tom Holland's Peter Parker at some point, but that remains very much a question mark.

• Live-action Eddie Brock so far: Topher Grace in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 3, then Tom Hardy in Sony's Venom movies - Venom (2018), Let There Be Carnage (2021), and The Last Dance (2024).

If Sony does move forward with a new Eddie, Michelinie putting Ritchson at the top of the list is a clear signal of the vibe he thinks works: big, loud, and dangerous. This note was first flagged by Anthony Nash at SuperHeroHype.