Over the past 24 hours, a rumour has surfaced on social media which suggests Venom: The Last Dance will feature the debut of Knull, one of Eddie Brock's greatest enemies on the page.
It's said that he'll be the one who sends the symbiote-eating Xenophage after the Lethal Protector because he needs him to "execute a secret master plan." As of now, there's no word on who would play Knull or how big of a role he'll likely play in the threequel.
However, other reliable social media scoopers have since chimed in, and it sounds like there's at least some truth to this (in a movie which, despite the goofy first trailer, will seemingly lean heavily into horror territory).
Knull was introduced by writer Donny Cates and artist Ryan Stegman and first appeared in 2018's Venom #3. The villain is an ancient, malevolent deity and the creator of the symbiotes, including Venom and Carnage (he also has ties to Gorr the God Butcher).
Knull's origin dates back to the early universe before the existence of the Celestials. He dwelled in the void, a dark space before creation, and was disturbed by the emergence of light. In response, Knull created the first symbiote, a living darkness known as the All-Black Necrosword, which he used to slay a Celestial. This act of rebellion led to his exile, during which he crafted an army of symbiotes to spread his influence.
Knull's power is immense, capable of manipulating darkness and symbiotes at will. He views himself as a God of darkness and has a profound hatred for light and life, and very nearly conquered the Marvel Universe in the present day.
If this is Venom: The Last Dance's endgame, it's a shame Sony Pictures hasn't better set the stage for his eventual debut. The fact he wasn't hinted at in the trailer seems to suggest Knull will be a surprise, though he may well appear in the next trailer.
In Venom: The Last Dance, Tom Hardy returns as Venom, one of Marvel’s greatest and most complex characters, for the final film in the trilogy. Eddie and Venom are on the run. Hunted by both of their worlds and with the net closing in, the duo are forced into a devastating decision that will bring the curtains down on Venom and Eddie's last dance.
The movie stars Tom Hardy, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Juno Temple, Peggy Lu, Alanna Ubach, Stephen Graham, and Rhys Ifans. Kelly Marcel directs from a screenplay she wrote, based on a story by Hardy and Marcel. The film is produced by Avi Arad, Matt Tolmach, Amy Pascal, Kelly Marcel, Tom Hardy and Hutch Parker.
Venom: The Last Dance will be released in theaters on October 25.