Tom Hardy has officially arrived on the set of Sony's Spider-Man spin-off Venom. The studio shared the first behind-the-scenes image of Hardy looking on as notes are prepped on set. The movie features an all-star ensemble that is led by Michelle Williams, Riz Ahmed, Reid Scott, Jenny Slate, and Scott Haze.

Venom is the first movie in Sony's new standalone Marvel universe that will loosely connect with Disney and Marvel's own MCU, with stories that take place just on the peripheral of those adventures. Spider-Man does exist in this world, but that doesn't mean we'll see Tom Hardy right away. And he has never been confirmed for a cameo here. The movie will be followed by Silver and Black, which follows the adventures of Silver Sable and Black Cat, introducing plenty of infamous Spider-Man villains along the way.

Scott Rosenberg (Pain & Gain, Jumanji), Jeff Pinkner (The Amazing Spider-Man 2) and Kelly Marcel (Fifty Shades of Grey) have all collaborated on the Venom screenplay. Zombieland director Ruben Fleischer has been hired to mastermind the look and tone of this Sony Marvel Universe, which will lead directly into a number of different solo adventures that could find Kraven the Hunter and Mysterio getting their own movies next. Original Spider-Man movie producers Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach are back to help shape and mold this new venture, with Amy Pascal also on board as a producer.

No Venom story details have been shared at this time. But Riz Ahmed is expected to be playing the main villain Carnage. And Michelle Williams has been semi-confirmed to be playing Bride of Venom, though it's not clear if she will make that transformation in this first movie or if it will be saved for a sequel.

Venom first appeared in the pages of Marvel's The Amazing Spider-Man #252, way back in 1984. The character actually started out as an alien costume worn by Peter Parker that begins to manipulate his emotions and actions. Several years later, Peter ditches the costume, which became attached to photographer Eddie Brock, who used it to become the anti-hero Venom. Throughout the years, Venom has taken on many different forms and served several different hosts. Tom Hardy is confirmed to be playing Eddie Brock in the movie.

What isn't known is whether or not the movie will be curbing from the Ultimate Marvel Universe version of the character. There, the suit was created by Parker and Brock's scientist parents in an attempt to cure cancer. In the current run of comics, the Venom symbiot has been moving between hosts, joining up with The Scorpion and Parker's old high school nemesis Flash Thompson.

Venom first appeared on the big screen in Sam Raimi's final Spider-Man sequel Spider-Man 3, with Toper Grace playing Eddie Brock. But fans weren't really down with that iteration in a movie that was overstuffed with villains as it was. Hopefully Sony will do the Venom character justice this time around. Take a look at the first set photo thanks to Sony Pictures