Tom Hardy is no stranger to action movies, having played a number of action-heavy roles going all the way back to the actor's first appearance in the Band of Brothers TV series. Along the way, Hardy played what may have been his most popular role yet in The Dark Knight Rises.
In it, Hardy played the villain Bane, a man dedicated to bringing Gotham City to its knees. Hardy took what could have been a simple, over-the-top supervillain and made him a more realistic threat that could stand toe-to-toe with the Batman.
It proved that Hardy could play someone powerful, a villain that could truly crush the world underneath his boot. If the latest casting buzz out of Hollywood is any clue, Hardy may be playing another similar role soon.
In a report from The Wrap, word has it that 20th Century Fox is currently looking at Hardy for the titular villain in the upcoming X-Men: Apocalypse. Amidst rumors of casting in several different films, Hardy's appearance in Apocalypse makes the most sense.
The rumors began with casting news out of Marvel's Doctor Strange production. When Joaquin Phoenix declined to take the role of the Doctor, several other names popped up almost immediately. Benedict Cumberbatch, Keanu Reeves and Colin Farrell among others were all rumored to be up for the part. Hardy's name was mentioned, but it seems the actor may have been recruited for other projects before serious negotiations could begin.
One of those projects is supposedly DC's Suicide Squad, which is scheduled for release in August 2016 following Batman v. Superman. The other, of course, is X-Men: Apocalypse, which is scheduled for a May 2016 release. While it's possible that Hardy could do both given the right schedule, it's highly unlikely that would happen. Apocalypse was first shown during a post-credits scene following X-Men Days of Future Past, though the character's body and face were covered. Because of how the scene was shot, the part could easily be played by anyone.
Taking the role of Apocalypse would mark a return to comics for Tom Hardy, and depending on the route Bryan Singer and the production team take in regards to creating the character, Hardy could be a great fit. Bane was a physically demanding and imposing character, just like Apocalypse's original form in Marvel's comic books, so if the filmmakers choose to go in that direction, Tom Hardy could be a perfect fit.
