Andy Serkis inspired by Gollum for Venom: Let There Be Carnage

Andy Serkis took inspiration from ‘Lord of the Rings’ for ‘Venom: Let There Be Carnage’.

The 57-year-old star – who played both Gollum and Sméagol as a split personality in Peter Jackson’s fantasy trilogy – leaned on his own experiences when it came to directing Tom Hardy and Woody Harrelson for the upcoming blockbuster.

He told Empire magazine: “Yes, because I could relate to all the challenges they might face, although their dualities are manifested in different ways.”

Hardy and Harrelson play Eddie Brock and Cietus Kasady – and their symbiote alter egos – respectively in the highly anticipated sequel, but director Serkis has explained the differences between their roles and his own experience with a similar kind of character.

He added: “We didn’t use performance capture, as Tom had a very idiosyncratic way of working.

“When it was Tom talking to the wraith version of Venom, he recorded a scratch versio of the ialogue, which we’d then play into an earpiece for him to react to.

“So the soundscape was the driver for the placement of the CG character, which was fascinating.”

Meanwhile, filmmaker Serkis – who also played Gollum in ‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey’ – recently reprised the role of an audiobook reading of the whole ‘Lord of the Rings’ trilogy, which was an “emotionally moving” experience.

He said: “It was exhausting: six weeks of recording, sitting in front of a microphone, alone, for eight hours a day… I really feel like I’ve been there and back again, again!

“But it was really emotionally moving to be reconnecting to that material.

“At times it was nostalgic, but living through the journey afresh as the thing unfolded was a real treat.”