With the confirmation that Knull, the ancient god of Symbiotes, will play a significant role in Venom 3, many fans are both excited and concerned. Knull is a character of enormous importance and power in the Marvel universe, often compared to villains like Thanos due to his sheer strength and cosmic influence. However, Sony’s decision to introduce him in the Venom franchise raises questions about their long-term plans for one of Marvel’s most terrifying villains.
Who Is Knull? Knull is a relatively recent addition to Marvel comics, but he has already left an indelible mark. As the dark god who created the symbiotes, Knull wields immense power, including the ability to manipulate darkness and the living symbiote species. He’s a character tied to the cosmic side of Marvel, often compared to figures like Galactus or Thanos in terms of threat level.
His introduction suggests that sony is ramping up the stakes for their Venom series, moving beyond Earth-bound threats to potentially cosmic-level conflicts. This is a bold move for the studio, which so far has not explored the larger Marvel universe in their Spider-Man-centric films.
Concerns About Knull in the Sony-Verse There’s no doubt that Knull is a fascinating villain with the potential to offer rich storytelling. However, many fans are concerned about how sony plans to handle such a powerful figure without the broader Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) context.
In the comics, Knull’s storyline is intricately tied to characters like Thor, the Avengers, and the Guardians of the Galaxy, which are all under MCU control. Sony’s Venom universe, however, is largely disconnected from these entities, raising questions about how Knull’s immense power will be represented without other key Marvel heroes to challenge him.
Moreover, some worry that Knull’s inclusion in Venom 3 could rush the character’s development, undermining his potential as a Thanos-level villain. Thanos had the advantage of being slowly introduced over multiple films, allowing his character to be fleshed out. Knull, on the other hand, might be introduced in one movie with limited buildup, which could diminish his impact as a major villain.
The Future of Sony's Spider-Verse Sony’s handling of its Spider-Man spin-off universe has been hit or miss. While Venom and Venom: Let There Be Carnage have been commercially successful, critical reception has been mixed. The same goes for Morbius, which struggled to find its footing despite fan interest in the character.
With Venom 3 potentially setting up Knull as a major antagonist, sony may be positioning themselves to create a more interconnected universe, similar to what the MCU achieved. This could be a double-edged sword: if they can pull off a well-executed, multi-film storyline, Knull could serve as an effective central figure. However, given the studio’s track record, there’s reason to be cautious about how they handle such an ambitious plot.
Final Thoughts The inclusion of Knull in Venom 3 is certainly a bold choice by sony, and it could go either way. If handled correctly, Knull could be a terrifying, game-changing villain that brings new depth to Sony’s Spider-Verse. However, the lack of MCU integration and concerns over rushed storytelling could undermine Knull’s true potential.
As fans, we can only hope that sony has learned from past mistakes and gives Knull the attention and development he deserves. In a landscape filled with complex villains like Thanos, there’s no room for half-measures when it comes to introducing a villain of this caliber. Let’s see if sony is up to the task.