In a recent trailer release for Venom: The Last Dance, a huge potential connection to Spider-Man 4 and Avengers: Secret Wars has been revealed, centering around Knull, the creator of the symbiotes. Let’s dive into how this villain could play a pivotal role in upcoming MCU storylines, bringing Venom, Spider-Man, and even the multiverse together.
Who Is Knull?
Knull is an ancient being, existing before the creation of the universe, embodying darkness and destruction. When the Celestials began creating life, as we've seen in the MCU’s Eternals, Knull waged war against them using a powerful weapon, the Necrosword, forged from his dark magic. He even decapitated a Celestial, creating the massive severed head known as Nowhere, which we've seen in Guardians of the Galaxy.
The Necrosword also holds significance in the MCU, having appeared in Thor: Love and Thunder, wielded by Gorr the God Butcher. While in the MCU it wasn’t officially tied to the symbiote species due to copyright reasons, in the comics the Necrosword is the first of the symbiotes, hinting at a deeper connection that could be explored in future movies.
Knull and the Symbiote Hive Mind
After being defeated by the Celestials, Knull retreated to a desolate planet, where he created the symbiote species. These creatures operate as a hive mind, with consciousness spreading across the multiverse—a concept referenced in Venom: Let There Be Carnage. This multiversal connection could be a key to tying Venom into future MCU storylines, particularly as the Multiverse Saga and Secret Wars approach.
Venom and Spider-Man's Connection to Knull
One of the most exciting possibilities teased by the trailer is how Venom could be more deeply intertwined with Spider-Man in the MCU, potentially even setting up a storyline where Tom Holland’s Spider-Man dons the infamous black suit. Fans of the comics know that Spider-Man first acquired the black symbiote suit in Secret Wars, and this could be an opportunity for Marvel to revisit that iconic moment.
However, rather than the more light-hearted Venom that has possessed Eddie Brock, this suit could be an iteration of the Necrosword symbiote. If Spider-Man wears this dark symbiote, it could unlock a more vengeful, cruel side of the character—something fans haven’t seen in Tom Holland’s portrayal yet.
A Multiverse of Venoms
Sony has teased multiverse crossovers in recent years, especially with the brief cameo of Tom Hardy’s Venom in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Since Venom exists as part of a multiversal hive mind, it’s plausible that he could share memories and experiences from other universes. This means that Hardy’s Venom could be aware of other Spider-Men, like Tobey Maguire’s or Andrew Garfield’s versions, opening up the possibility of a massive multiverse event featuring multiple Venoms and Spider-Men.
With Avengers: Secret Wars on the horizon, this could be the perfect opportunity for Sony and Marvel to explore this connection. Rumors suggest that every movie between Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars will take place on Battleworld, the multiverse-hopping setting of the 2015 Secret Wars storyline. This could mean that Spider-Man 4 won’t be a typical street-level story, but rather a multiversal epic involving various Spider-Men, Venoms, and other symbiote-related characters like Madam Web and Kraven.
Could Venom 3 Introduce Knull?
A key element in these future MCU events is the involvement of Knull. As a cosmic-level threat, Knull could serve as a formidable adversary, even going toe-to-toe with characters like Doctor Doom or Kang the Conqueror. There’s speculation that Venom 3 may be laying the groundwork for this, potentially even introducing Knull as a major villain leading into Secret Wars.
There are also theories about the casting choices in Venom: The Last Dance. Some fans speculate that Reese Ifans, seen in the trailer, might be portraying Knull, adding weight to the idea that the symbiote god will play a significant role in the film and the broader MCU multiverse saga.
The Future of Venom and Spider-Man in the MCU
While Sony’s live-action Spider-Man universe has had its ups and downs, the Venom storyline has been one of its more solid offerings. By integrating Venom and other symbiote-related characters into the MCU, Sony and Marvel could build a crossover event of epic proportions. Secret Wars provides the perfect backdrop for this, potentially featuring multiple Spider-Men, including Tom Holland, Tobey Maguire, and Andrew Garfield, as well as multiverse variants like Spider-Gwen or even Miles Morales.
Venom’s connection to Knull, the symbiote hive mind, and the Necrosword could serve as a critical bridge between the Sony and Marvel universes. If handled well, this could lead to some of the most exciting and ambitious crossovers we've seen yet in superhero cinema.
As the Multiverse Saga ramps up, the inclusion of Knull, Venom, and Spider-Man in future MCU projects seems more likely than ever. Whether through Spider-Man 4, Venom 3, or Avengers: Secret Wars, the possibilities for these characters are endless—and fans are eagerly awaiting what comes next.
