When it comes to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man is largely considered the hero who started it all. But in terms of the Sony Pictures Universe of Marvel Characters (aka Sony's Spider-Man Universe), it can be argued that it all began with English actor Tom Hardy and his role as Venom's Eddie Brock.
Following the box office success of 2018's Venom, Hardy returned to the role for 2021's Venom: Let There Be Carnage, which included a post-credits scene linking Brock and Venom to the MCU. While fans speculated as to where this crossover could lead, Hardy's moment in Spider-Man: No Way Home only transferred him back to his own universe.
However, Sony and the MCU's Multiversal connections aren't the only aspects of the Venom franchise that audiences find confusing. Recent stats suggest that Venom's Tom Hardy is actually the hardest-to-understand celebrity in Hollywood in terms of his vocal performance.
Venom Star Tom Hardy Ranked as Most Confusing Voice
As reported by The Wrap, via a survey by Preply, Venom star Tom Hardy was ranked as the top celebrity with the most confusing voice. His UK gangster series, Peaky Blinders, also earned the top spot in terms of the hardest-to-understand television series.
This survey was the result of a study into why more Americans, and particularly younger generations, are watching content with closed captioning or subtitles now more than ever.
While Hardy is considered the most difficult actor to understand, actress Sofia Vergara was ranked second, followed by Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sean Connery.
It's worth noting, however, that those polled were Americans and that U.K.-based shows or those with casts from the U.K., such as Derry Girls and Game of Thrones, dominated the list of television series that Americans struggle to understand. And, in Peaky Blinders, Hardy, who also happens to be an English actor, relies on the use of an accent.
A Less Than Symbiotic Relationship with Sound
While Hardy has been criticized for his voice and lack of enunciation in the past, again, his accent in Peaky Blinders likely contributed to him earning this top spot, as well as his reputation for working with directors who often draw backlash for their sound mixing, such as Christopher Nolan.
Even so, audience complaints don't appear to have hurt the actor's career or his future within the Venom franchise.
In addition to utilizing an American accent for Venom's Eddie Brock, Hardy also voices the symbiote Venom with the help of voice modulation. And, despite Morbius' poor reception, Sony is moving forward with Venom 3, which is currently in development, along with Kraven, Madame Web, and El Muerto. Whether Tom Hardy will ever cross paths with these characters, or if his character has a future post-Venom 3, remains to be seen.
Venom 3 has yet to receive an official title or release date.
