Tom Hardy Gets X-Rated About Kathy Bates, Raps About Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin and Recites Shakespeare on His Wild New Album

This isn’t Hardy’s first foray into the world of capes and cowls. He famously brought the villainous Bane to life in 2012’s “The Dark Knight Rises,” and later inhabited the antihero Venom across three standalone films, in addition to a cameo in “Spider-Man: No Way Home.” His lyrical content leans heavily on these influences, as evidenced in tracks like “Raw Forever,” where he weaves in references to Martin Scorsese’s 1999 drama “Bringing Out the Dead,” Willem Dafoe’s take on the Green Goblin from 2002’s “Spider-Man,” Marvel’s Doctor Doom, DC’s Sergeant Rock, and Sidney Lumet’s 1975 classic “Dog Day Afternoon.” The verse is a dense tapestry of pop culture callouts, delivered with a commanding flow that mirrors his on-screen presence.

Elsewhere on the album, Hardy’s range of references expands even further. In “Mad Technology,” he drops namechecks of Stephen King adaptations “Cujo” and “Misery,” alongside a provocative—and admittedly eyebrow-raising—remark about the latter’s star, Kathy Bates. He also tips his hat to Marvel’s Thor and shouts out Shameik Moore, the voice of Miles Morales in the “Spider-Verse” films, who also starred in the 2015 drama “Dope.” The track “Grim-Visaged War” takes a theatrical turn, with Hardy reciting Shakespeare’s famous “Richard III” monologue in a tone that fans will instantly recognize as reminiscent of his Bane performance. Meanwhile, “Gnawing at My Rhyme Like a Poisonous Rat” includes a playful nod to “Titanic,” with a line about Leonardo DiCaprio’s pencil-drawing scene.

Though Hardy has remained tight-lipped about his Frankie Pulitzer persona, this isn’t his first time behind the mic. He previously contributed to other Czarface projects and released a few loose collaborative singles. Interestingly, his musical roots stretch back further than many might expect: in 1999, he recorded an album titled “Falling on Your Arse in 1999” under the moniker Tommy No 1, alongside producer friend Edward Tracy (also known as Eddie Too Tall). That record never saw an official release, but it surfaced online in 2018, offering a glimpse into Hardy’s early creative output. With this latest release, he continues to blur the lines between acting and music, proving that his versatility extends well beyond the screen.