Tom Hardy has amassed a wealth of experience throughout his acting career, which has propelled him into stardom. His first encounter with director Guy Ritchie came on the set of the 2008 film “RocknRolla,” a production where his interaction with Ritchie was minimal. Hardy recalls their initial collaboration, “I didn’t have very much to do with him,” due to his role not being among the leads. However, this glimpse into Ritchie’s filmmaking process left an impression. Over the years, Ritchie has grown into a celebrated director, while Hardy’s career has soared with notable roles such as Bane in “The Dark Knight Rises” and the lead in Marvel’s “Venom.”
The pair recently reconvened for the new series “MobLand,” a gritty narrative following Hardy’s character, Harry Da Souza, a fixer for a criminal family in London trying to avert a disastrous gang conflict. Hardy was eager to revisit working with Ritchie, “I wanted to go and play with him, actually, and see what that was like now I’m older, and it was good fun.”
The Paramount+ original is the creation of Ronan Bennett, known for his work on popular crime series, and was penned alongside playwright Jez Butterworth. Ritchie serves as both an executive producer and the director of the first two episodes. Originally conceived as a spinoff from “Ray Donovan,” “MobLand” evolved into its own entity.
Joining Hardy is the Academy Award-winning Helen Mirren, who plays the shrewd Maeve, the manipulative matriarch of the crime family, alongside Pierce Brosnan as her mob leader husband. This project marks a reunion for the actors, having shared the screen previously in “The Long Good Friday.” Mirren speaks fondly of the role, which challenged her in new ways. “That’s one of the sort of beauties of my job, actually, is to constantly be entering into such very, very different worlds.”
Mirren was particularly interested in collaborating with Hardy, whom she praises for his natural charisma. “Tom’s got that. You know what? It’s called star power,” she reflects. The ensemble cast further includes notable actors such as Paddy Considine, Joanne Froggatt, and Lara Pulver, adding depth to the series.
Brosnan, known for his portrayal of James Bond, found the allure of working with Ritchie irresistible. Speaking about Ritchie’s creative approach, he admires, “He’s naughty. He’s cheeky. He’s bold. I love his work.” This project gave Brosnan the opportunity to return to London, which played a role in his decision to join.
Aside from “MobLand,” Hardy has future projects on the horizon, including the crime drama “Havoc,” set to premiere soon. There is also buzz about potential follow-ups to past successes like “Mad Max: Fury Road” and the second season of the series “Taboo.” Discussing speculation about a crossover with “Spider-Man” and “Venom,” Hardy clarifies that the idea never materialized. He laments, “I’m no longer working with ‘Venom’ … it is a shame because my kids would love to watch Venom and Spider-Man together.”
The second installment of “MobLand” is set to be streamed on Sunday on Paramount+, offering audiences more of the intricate world crafted by its creators.