The introduction of Knull in Venom: The Last Dance was initially met with excitement, promising a significant shift in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe (SSU). As a cosmic entity of immense power within Marvel lore, Knull, and the actor portraying him, held the potential to redefine the stakes for Venom and the wider franchise. Trailers heavily hinted at Knull’s pivotal role, and many, including myself, eagerly anticipated how Sony would handle this god-like being. Writer/director Kelly Marcel further fueled this anticipation by suggesting Knull would be a recurring presence in future SSU projects.
However, Venom: The Last Dance is positioned as the concluding chapter of Venom’s SSU trilogy. While Knull’s comic book history involves clashes with numerous Marvel heroes, predominantly those under Marvel Studios’ umbrella, his primary adversary is often Venom. This setup presented an intriguing, if somewhat perplexing, scenario: Knull, a Thanos-level threat, seemingly relegated to facing off against lesser-known characters within Sony’s universe. Ultimately, the execution of Knull’s introduction has left a sense of disappointment, prompting questions about the character’s future and the overall direction of the SSU.
Knull: The SSU’s Missed Opportunity for a Thanos-Level Villain
The Post-Credit Scene Tease and Unfulfilled Promise
Knull, in Marvel Comics, is the progenitor of all symbiotes and an ancient deity residing in the void between universes. His godhood places him among Marvel’s most formidable characters, surpassing even many established MCU villains in raw power. This includes Thanos (without a fully powered Infinity Gauntlet), suggesting Knull could have rivaled the Mad Titan’s iconic villain status. In a striking display of his might in the comics, Knull famously bisected Sentry, Marvel’s equivalent to Superman.
Venom movie logo with Knull's symbiote tendrils wrapping around it
Alt text: Venom: The Last Dance movie logo subtly incorporates Knull’s symbiote influence, hinting at the cosmic villain’s presence in the final Venom installment.
Sony mirrored Marvel Studios’ approach in introducing Knull. Similar to Thanos’s initial, shadowy role in Guardians of the Galaxy before his more prominent appearances in Avengers: Age of Ultron and subsequent films leading to Avengers: Infinity War, Knull’s role in Venom: The Last Dance was initially presented as that of a manipulative force operating from his Klyntar prison. The post-credits scene of Venom: The Last Dance strongly implied a looming threat to Earth, seemingly setting the stage for Knull to follow a similar trajectory as Thanos – a build-up to a major, universe-altering event. However, with recent developments, this setup feels increasingly inconsequential.
The Uncertain Fate of Sony’s Spider-Man Universe Post-Kraven
Reports of Live-Action Spinoffs Being Halted
Recent reports from The Wrap indicate a potential shift in Sony’s strategy for its Spider-Man Universe. The studio is reportedly pausing the development of live-action spinoff movies “for now,” shifting focus towards animated projects like the Spider-Verse franchise, the upcoming Spider-Noir series, and collaborations with Marvel Studios on Spider-Man MCU films. This news surfaced following lukewarm early reviews for Kraven the Hunter, which is now speculated to be a potential concluding point for Sony’s interconnected cinematic universe. An unnamed Sony insider reportedly conceded, “The movies just aren’t good,” echoing the critical sentiment surrounding recent SSU releases.
| Sony’s Spider-Man Universe Movies | Worldwide Box Office | Rotten Tomatoes Critics Score |
|---|---|---|
| Venom (2018) | $856,081,053 | 30% |
| Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021) | $501,546,922 | 57% |
| Morbius (2022) | $162,759,437 | 15% |
| Madame Web (2024) | $100,298,817 | 11% |
| Venom: The Last Dance (2024) | $472,447,179 | 41% |
| Kraven the Hunter (2024) | TBA | 15% |
While Kraven the Hunter has garnered a more favorable fan score on Rotten Tomatoes (73%) compared to critics (15%), its domestic opening weekend performance was notably weak. Public sentiment leading up to Kraven the Hunter‘s release was largely characterized by indifference and skepticism. Given this context, Sony’s reported strategic shift is understandable. However, it raises serious questions about the purpose of introducing a character of Knull’s magnitude without a clear plan for his future within the SSU.
Knull’s Introduction Feels Pointless Without a Clear Future Plan
Did Sony Ever Intend to Fully Utilize Knull’s Potential?
Pre-release promises from Kelly Marcel about Knull’s recurring role in the SSU were met with initial skepticism, particularly given the sparse release schedule for Sony’s Spider-Man Universe at the time. Post-Venom: The Last Dance, this skepticism has morphed into cynicism. It’s difficult to envision how the franchise could effectively depict Knull’s cataclysmic invasion without Venom’s central involvement, especially if the SSU live-action films are indeed being scaled back.
Venom movie logo with Knull's symbiote tendrils wrapping around it
Alt text: Actor Andy Serkis embodies Knull in Venom: The Last Dance, his shadowy portrayal hinting at the character’s primordial and menacing nature.
Reflecting on the narrative choices, it begs the question: did Sony ever truly intend to develop a long-term storyline for Knull? It increasingly appears as though the cosmic villain was strategically inserted into Venom: The Last Dance primarily to generate hype – a tactic that, admittedly, proved somewhat effective. The intention might have been to retroactively integrate him into future projects, even without Venom as a direct conduit. Furthermore, Venom: The Last Dance‘s conclusion seemingly saw Venom preventing Knull’s escape from Klyntar, effectively neutralizing the god’s immediate threat to Earth. If this is the definitive outcome, then Knull’s introduction feels like a narrative dead end, especially considering Venom’s apparent sacrifice.
While Venom: The Last Dance wasn’t a box office failure, grossing $475 million globally and outperforming Morbius and Madame Web, it marked the lowest-grossing entry in the Venom trilogy, falling short of the original Venom‘s impressive $856 million haul. In contrast, the MCU’s Spider-Man movies have consistently seen box office growth with each installment. Interestingly, Knull could potentially be a catalyst to continue this upward trend, but perhaps not within the SSU.
Redeeming Knull in the MCU’s Spider-Man 4
The MCU as a Potential Venue for Knull’s Story Continuation
A recurring critique of Sony’s Spider-Man Universe is the noticeable absence of Spider-Man himself. Prior to the reported shift in Sony’s strategy, there was hope that Knull’s arrival could finally necessitate Spider-Man’s involvement, perhaps even leading to a multiversal team-up of Spider-Man variants. While the SSU’s future is uncertain, this possibility isn’t entirely extinguished. Spider-Man 4 in the MCU could potentially capitalize on Knull’s untapped potential.
Considering Knull’s dominion over the interdimensional void in Marvel Comics, it wouldn’t be narratively challenging to introduce him into the MCU.
Venom movie logo with Knull's symbiote tendrils wrapping around it
Alt text: Comic book illustration depicting Thor confronting Knull, highlighting their established rivalry and Knull’s god-level threat within Marvel Comics.
While concrete plot details for Spider-Man 4 remain scarce, it’s widely anticipated to delve further into multiversal narratives. Whether this involves the return of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Men remains to be seen, but Spider-Man 4‘s release window between Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars – the Multiverse Saga’s culminating films – suggests a continuation of multiversal themes, potentially even exceeding the scale of Spider-Man: No Way Home. Knull’s multiversal influence in the comics makes him a logical fit for the MCU’s current trajectory.
Knull has a history of conflict with Thor in Marvel Comics and is intrinsically linked to Gorr the God Butcher through the creation of the Necrosword. He is arguably the ideal villain to escalate the stakes beyond Thanos in the MCU. His defeat in the comics required the combined efforts of numerous Marvel Studios-owned heroes. Spider-Man: No Way Home‘s post-credits symbiote tease could serve as a narrative bridge to Knull’s involvement, given his control over symbiotes across the multiverse. If Marvel Studios and Sony are aiming to expand Spider-Man’s cosmic adventures, Knull presents himself as an unparalleled arch-villainous threat.
Ultimately, Knull is too compelling a character to be discarded. While Spider-Man 4‘s proximity to Avengers: Doomsday suggests Doctor Doom might be the primary antagonist, leaving limited space for Knull, the post-Venom: The Last Dance tease leaves open the possibility of Spider-Man 4 incorporating Knull as a future, overarching MCU villain, even if in a limited capacity initially.
