Academy Award-nominated actors like Chiwetel Ejiofor can slip in and out of their roles seamlessly and make the task look easy on-screen. However, Ejiofor admits there is a big difference between the part he plays in Venom: The Last Dance, which is General Rex Strickland, and his more well-known Marvel character, Karl Mordo, of Doctor Strange fame. Ejiofor elaborated in an interview with ComicBook.com by saying:
“It’s just such a different character, and I think that’s the main thing. I think for Strickland, General Strickland, just how organized everything is, and the kind of responsibility — how Earthy it is. It’s all just built on reality and on these really high stakes for him, and this attempt to keep in line the military part of this incredibly secret facility.”
In the Marvel comic books, Strickland’s codename is Tyrannosaurus. However, in the interest of not divulging spoilers about The Last Dance, his connection to the symbiotes won’t be revealed here. Nevertheless, it’s safe to say that Ejiofor’s character has his hands full in the final installment of Sony’s symbiote trilogy. The actor continued by saying:
“And it’s in his life, being so complicated, in many ways, by the scientific wing of that facility, headed by Doctor Payne [Juno Temple]. And so they end up in this kind of conflict about what’s best, and the best ways to proceed with these alien life forms. And all of that, all of those dynamics, were really interesting to play. And fun to play, with Juno. So, I think that’s what made it very special.”
Chiwetel Ejiofor Dishes About Venom 3 & Bridget Jones 4
Tom Hardy has already teased more Venom in the future, even if he won’t be portraying the character. On the other hand, though, Chiwetel Ejiofor remains tight-lipped when it comes to possibly playing Baron Mordo in the MCU again. However, the actor is incredibly “excited” for not only Venom: The Last Dance, but also joining the rom-com world of Bridget Jones (Renée Zellweger) in next year’s Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy. Ejiofor said in an interview with Variety:
“I’m really excited about Venom: The Last Dance and working with Kelly Marcel and Tom Hardy. That whole world is really an exciting thing, and it’s fabulous to jump into that with such brilliant actors. And Bridget Jones, I think, is just wonderful. Renée is just amazing in this role. It’s a very different speed for me in way, and that’s something very engaging.”
When Ejiofor was asked how he felt about being a part of Jones’ hilarious and heartwarming world, which is famously a Working Title Films’ production, the actor responded by saying one word: “Wonderful.” The actor also starred in another of the movie studios’ most-beloved rom-coms, Love Actually, back in 2003. Ejiofor continued:
“There’s such a warmth to those films. They’re funny and engaging and beautifully acted and so well made […] They have the sort of warmth of their humanity as well as engaging in the sort of the politics in the world of the modern day, and having something to say about the world we live in. But it’s always with a sense of optimism, hopefulness and sometimes actually just the very best of our possibilities. And I love that.”
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Venom: The Last Dance could be the perfect guilty pleasure.
Catch Chiwetel Ejiofor in Venom: The Last Dance when the film drops in theaters on October 25, and look for Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy on Valentine’s Day 2025. However, for those superhero fanatics who just can’t wait to see Eddie Brock (Hardy) and his smart-ass symbiote together again, fans can check out Venom’s appearance in a hilarious Hot Ones promo right now. Will the Spider-Man anti-hero reach for the milk, or will he emerge victorious against the mouthwatering spicy sauce challenge?