The cinematic universe of Hollywood has seen several actors and actresses seize their big breaks in unexpected ways. In this regard, the Star Trek franchise plays a pivotal role in launching the careers of numerous A-listers. However, among the list of such stars, Dwayne Johnson stands the tallest with his appearance on Star Trek: Voyager.
This was just a steppingstone for Johnson, who would then go on to become one of the biggest stars in Hollywood. For this, the credit goes to Star Trek producer Rick Berman, who gave Johnson his big break. However, not just Dwayne Johnson, but Berman also deserves credit for launching Tom Hardy in the movie business as well.
Rick Berman’s Star Trek paved the way for Tom Hardy in the movie business
Movie directors and producers surely have a keen eye for talent. This has further resulted in better opportunities and portrayals of characters on screen. Such is the case with Rick Berman, who claimed in a recent interview to have been responsible for the careers of not one but two industry superstars.
In addition to creating Star Trek: The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine, among other shows, Berman was instrumental in the resurrection of Star Trek and the four Star Trek movies that starred the Next Generation ensemble. In an interview with StarTrek.com, the producer discussed choosing Dwayne Johnson and Tom Hardy for their pivotal Star Trek roles. He added:
People like Dwayne Johnson, whose first acting job I think was on Voyager, and he’s a world-renowned movie star now. You could say the same about Tom Hardy, who never had a role bigger than a couple of lines prior to getting his role in Nemesis.
While there is a lot of luck involved in show business, Berman continued, it feels good to give someone their big break and see them take full advantage of it. In addition, he expressed great delight in watching them succeed in their individual careers.
Interestingly, Dwayne Johnson was the undisputed champion of the WWE rings before he started his career in movies. But his breakthrough performance came in the 2000’s Star Trek: Voyager in Season 6, Episode 15, titled Tsunkatse, playing an unnamed alien from the Pendari race. After this, there was no looking back for the actor, and he went on to grab another significant role as the Scorpion King in The Mummy Returns (2001), solidifying his reputation in Hollywood.
On the other hand, Tom Hardy played the role of the antagonist Shizon in Star Trek: Nemesis (2001). However, despite the movie’s box office failure, Hardy went on to participate in a number of well-acclaimed movies, such as The Dark Knight Rises (2012), Mad Max: Fury Road (2015), and, not to forget, the Venom franchise, to name a few.
Tom Hardy to create the Venom magic for the last time with Venom: The Last Dance
Following several months of conjecture and anticipation, Sony CEO Tom Rothman himself announced via Deadline that Venom: The Last Dance would, in fact, be the last movie in which Hardy’s alien vigilante Eddie Brock narrative would reach its conclusion.
June Temple plays the key role in the upcoming movie, which would be the fifth chapter in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, alongside Clark Backo and Chiwetel Ejiofor. Further, the movie would also mark the directorial debut of Kelly Marcel, who has written the scripts for all three Venom movies.
Given the difficulties Sony had with its earlier non-Spider-Man spin-offs, like Madam Web and Morbius, the Venom movies left a lasting impression on fans. Venom and Venom: Let There Be Carnage, the first two Venom films, performed remarkably well at the box office, with the latter earning more than a staggering $500 million worldwide (via Collider).
The fans will have to wait until October to witness the enchantment of Tom Hardy on the big screen. But based on what the first two films have shown, Venom: The Last Dance looks like it will be even better, at least based on the trailer.
Venom: The Last Dance scheduled for a theatrical release on October 25, 2024. You can stream Star Trek: Voyager on Paramount+ and Star Trek: Nemesis on Max.
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