On the latest episode of Bingeworthy, host Mike DeAngelo dives into the violent and dysfunctional criminal underworld of “MobLand,” the new hit Paramount+ series that blends London gangster drama with Shakespearean tragedy. The series stars Tom Hardy as Harry Da Souza, a streetwise fixer trying to hold his mob family together as rival clans threaten to tear everything apart. The show also features standout performances from Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Paddy Considine, and more (read our review here).
While the opening scenes showcase Hardy’s character executing brutal clean-up jobs with unnerving calm, the show slowly peels back the layers of its characters, revealing deep family wounds, conflicting loyalties, and a criminal hierarchy on the verge of collapse. As Hardy described it, “It may be wrapped up in a gangster genre, but there’s a lot more going on… It’s like ‘Game of Thrones’ in Bermondsey.”
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Hardy, who also serves as executive producer on the series, was drawn to the project by its unique tone—a hybrid of Guy Ritchie’s bombastic style and Jez Butterworth’s character-driven emotional depth. “I wanted to find a character that was believable in any film or shot, and ride between styles to see if that was possible,” Hardy explained. “It’s packaged with the Guy Ritchie vibe, but Jez’s writing has a Greek myth kind of backdrop. You’ve got Oedipus, Agamemnon, all these classical references interwoven.”
Harry, as Hardy describes him, is a man of contradictions—smooth, diplomatic, emotionally elusive, but capable of shocking violence. “He’s a concierge, a wheel greaser,” Hardy joked. “He can look after everyone else’s family but not his own.”
Beyond “MobLand,” the conversation turned to Hardy’s long-awaited collaboration with director Gareth Evans (“The Raid“) in the Netflix action film “Havoc.” Though plagued by delays, Hardy promises it’s been worth the wait. “It’s like a massive firework display,” he said. “Gareth’s choreography is immaculate—he strips everything down into its absolute. It’s what he’s best at.”
Hardy also reflected on his time with George Miller on “Mad Max: Fury Road,” calling the grueling production a learning experience: “That set me up really well for the rest of my career. That was like basic training—but it wasn’t basic at all.” Regardless, he’d gladly return to the role of Max if the opportunity arose. “That was a rocket. It wouldn’t take much to get me back. I’d be happy to go.”
On the superhero side, Hardy addressed the long-standing fan demand to see Venom and Spider-Man share the screen. “We got as close as I could possibly imagine getting, apart from doing a film together,” he said. “The kids don’t understand why their favorite characters aren’t in the same movies. I’d love to do it—for them.”
He also commented on the creative boundaries of the Sony “Venom” films: “We were given a set of boundaries and were privileged to play with a much-beloved IP. We poured ourselves into it within the remits of what we were allowed to do.”
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Hardy also shared his love for the “Star Wars” franchise, noting that one of his favorite characters growing up was Han Solo. He fondly recalled shooting a deleted scene for “The Last Jedi,” in which he played a stormtrooper with a thick Southern accent—modeled after his character from “The Revenant.” “I’ve always wanted to be in a ‘Star Wars’ [movie], so playing a stormtrooper was fantastic,” he said. “And I took Fitzgerald from The Revenant and put him in the stormtrooper outfit. I wanted to give a little bit of a nod to Alejandro.”
While he’s not officially lined up for more adventures in that galaxy far, far away, Hardy made it clear he’s ready: “I’d be well up for doing ‘Star Wars.’”
“MobLand” is now streaming on Paramount+.
The Playlist Presents: Tom Hardy’s Film/TV Recommendation Playlist:
- “Bluey” (2018–)
- “MobLand” (2025)
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