Writer-Director Kelly Marcel Introduces the Ideal Villain for Knull After ‘Venom: The Last Dance’

Venom: The Last Dance premieres this Friday worldwide. This film is expected to be the final chapter of the SSU’s Venom franchise and Tom Hardy’s farewell to the character. Knull is also slated to appear in the movie, though it has been confirmed that his role will be relatively minor and he will not serve as the main villain.

There are much larger stories to explore with Knull, which is understandable given that he is one of Marvel’s most formidable and gruesome villains. One film simply isn’t enough to fully introduce him, and frankly, no one currently in the SSU possesses the power to confront him and survive the encounter.

Writer-Director Kelly Marcel has clearly put considerable thought into this. As the cast and crew participate in a press tour leading up to the release, Tom Hardy and Marcel recently sat down with ComicBook to discuss potential future directions for the franchise.

When asked about who Knull might face as a new villain—assuming it’s not Venom—both Marcel and Hardy exchanged knowing looks, with Hardy remarking that they “can’t go there.” This suggests that some plans are already in motion, but they’re unable to share details due to potential spoilers. Nonetheless, Marcel provided some intriguing insights to ponder:

I’ll say who I think it should be. I think that Toxin should be a great adversary for Knull. As he is in the books.

Source: ComicBook

Before the release of the movie’s second trailer, there was considerable speculation that Toxin would appear as one of the villains. While he may still make an appearance, it seems his role will be less significant given the focus on Knull.

Toxin shares abilities with Venom and Carnage, including enhanced strength, speed, agility, and the power to generate tendrils and web-like structures. Additionally, Toxin can camouflage itself and has regenerative abilities. Its power level is notably higher than that of other symbiotes, as it combines the strengths of both Venom and Carnage.

It’s also worth mentioning that Knull is rumored to be the main villain in Spider-Man 4, leaving us uncertain about whether a potential showdown with Toxin would occur in Knull’s native SSU or in the MCU. There are also rumors of other symbiotes crossing over as well.

Do you have any thoughts to share? Let us know in the comments below!