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Knull: Sony's Spider-Man Universe's Last Hope or Biggest Gamble?
Sony's Spider-Man Universe (SSU) has had a... rocky road. A few hits, but mostly misses at the box office, leaving its future looking pretty shaky. That is until one thing really started making this franchise feel potentially more hopeful: the introduction ofKnullinVenom: Let There Be Carnage! He's one ofMarvel'smost badass villains; appearing finally in live action, promising that whatever may happen, even the final Venom movie starringTom Hardymight still become a massive hit. Get ready, because this is where the insane possibilities begin.
This upcoming sequel, hitting theatersOctober 25th, isTom Hardy'sfinal outing asEddie Brock/Venom, making that an absolutely huge and climactic sendoff; especially when considering all the prior lackluster releases which almost entirely failed to generate momentum and overall excitement for the series and this very important release inVenom 3. AndKnull'sarrival opens up possibilities; completely rebuilding whatever hope is left for a franchise in serious need of a miracle!
Marvel'sInfinity Sagawas huge, all thanks toThanosbeing built up for years! He gave theMCUheroes a concrete goal, andKnullcould do the same for theSSU. HisMarvelcomics debut in2018showed what this insane level of threat means for the entirety of existence, providing a comparable, maybe even better antagonist for Sony's version, showcasing that same kind of compelling storytelling achieved within those later MCU films, that made them such massive blockbusters and worldwide events!
This very similar structure, using those elements learned from theMCUcould revitalize and give structure, thus making those long-awaited stories a real possibility, all using this newly introduced supervillain. It promises major changes to theSSU; and introducing him as an extremely capable adversary, capable of even taking down Venom andEddie Brock, generating hype which may increase box office potential. That could change everything and make the franchise hugely profitable.
TheVenommovies showcase alien symbiotes, but they avoid many key aspects of this species: origins.Knull'sarrival could change all that! InMarvel Comics,Knull'sa primordial deity, he battledCelestials(creating that army of symbiote soldiers!); potentially giving those aspects that fans crave the development to understand why and how that whole world and mythology works. ExploringKnull’screation of the first symbiote inVenom 3would really be impressive; adding huge amounts of depth; developing what those who play these kind of games; who are comic book fans would've greatly desired! The early trailers' emphasis onVenom’s"homeworld" hints towards something more substantial; completely changing how things might progress in that very storyline itself.
Knull'scomics roles have expanded, he’s now theKing in Black! That title holds more weight during those events involving multiple realities. InVenom (Vol. 5) #18we learn that theCelestialsactually madeKnullthe protector of this universe. YetKnulldoesn’t necessarily focus on his side alone;he also maintains order, controlling this huge and expansive reality!This also shows a relationship that was previously unrecognized and greatly impacted what that title meant, completely changing how people looked at this supervillain’s power.
And this has massive crossover potential! TheMCU'sMultiverse Sagaand theSSU'sconnection (thanks toEddie Brockappearing inNo Way Home) perfectly sets up a collision! Bringing those two major cinematic universes together could lead to major profits and revitalize interest from audiences across different segments of viewers! It’s simply inevitable given current trends.
He’sMarvel'smost epic villains. His amazing debut inVenom (Vol. 4) #3greatly expanded symbiote lore and completely established his infamy followingKing in Black. The visuals accompanying his rise? They’re legendary! He’s superhumanly powerful, he regenerates incredibly fast, and is capable of manipulation over hisdark energy, controlling his symbiote armies with relative ease.
And Sony seriously needs a big win! Knull’s an incredibly unique supervillain; the kind that completely reinvigorates a franchise, especially within that environment. He's this ridiculously awesome villain that’s greatly underused – a seriously needed shift to create momentum for an ultimately tired storyline and increase profitability for this seriously troubled franchise.
Knull’ssignature weapon isAll-Black the Necrosword; his creation and he uses this thing to decapitateCelestials! ThatCelestial’shead even becomesKnowhere!He uses it to forge even more insanely powerful symbiotes. This amazing weapon already got a live-action cameo!InThor: Love and Thunder,Gorrwieldedthis seriously cool weapon. It did get destroyed, but it being located in a different universe opens an amazing path to use that insane weapon within the context of this new film and the narrative that gets presented; a very convenient shortcut to a great tool which only improves this storyline overall.
Since2018,Knull'spopularity is HUGE amongst comic book readers. He’s known by hardcore fans and generates widespread anticipation. His inclusion inVenom 3could easily result in this already recognized reputation resulting in increased box office potential; this really could generate the kind of boost Sony really needs. And evenVenom’s2018 movie is the top performer; and all other movies perform progressively worse, meaning Sony's existing franchise seriously lacks something, a new plot point capable of generating this massive attention that makes Knull's inclusion truly vital for an improved performance from the current storyline.
This guy is absurdly powerful— immortal, near-unkillable. His strength, durability, and energy manipulation let him controlsymbiotic forcesuniversally! This is insane!
Sony’sSpider-Man Universeneeds something serious! Having that supremely difficult to defeat enemy is huge; emphasizing the kind of challenges involved for generating those higher stakes and giving both the antiheroes involved (mostly villains who have now taken on a somewhat antihero role), that extremely intense challenge they need; further elevating the overall story and increasing potential.
WithTom Hardy’sexit, this could only be the beginning forKnull! His incredible influence, those almost limitless potential stories– spinoffs,sequels—this very villain allows for this potential entirely! Even just those backstories– symbiote creation,Venom’sescape– these really need some serious consideration for building out this cinematic universe, all stemming from his debut, promising a vast world yet untapped, to fully explore, develop and build around; adding new avenues never before even explored; creating immense amounts of cinematic potential from one villain!
TheSSUhas mostly unconnected characters.Venom 3could change all that! This shows exactly just why Knull is an especially important supervillain: those pastMarvelcomics portray the extent of his power – requiring a fullAvengers-style team up; a powerful and intensely thrilling spectacle that all movie goers can find enjoyable.That brings together various elements – maybe even those previously unrelated characters, like theSpider-Women(fromMadame Web) to truly unite the entire franchise; showcasing potential beyond anything the franchise ever attempted to do; adding huge cinematic potential to something which seriously needed reinvigoration. Using the Marvel Comic story arc makes so much sense, folks!
TheSSUstill lacks a properSpider-Man. ButKnull’sarrival changes everything! It provides the ideal introduction: It's plausible thatTobey Maguire,Andrew Garfield,or evenTom Hollandcould appear; given those recent cinematic trends in other films and those successful crossovers! This generates anticipation; settingVenom 3up for major success— establishing this newSpider-Manin theSSU; allowing that possibility to develop across this franchise entirely and completely establishing that major character missing entirely.
Venom 3isSony’sbiggest gamble! If done rightKnullcould change everything for that franchise— those opportunities, including introducing new characters and setting those avenues that can develop and allow the existing cast and other related heroes to collaborate. This new, unexpected approach could breathe a completely new life into that stagnatingSpider-Man Universe.