Venom 3 villain will appear in future Marvel projects says director: "One movie could never do justice to Knull"

Knull in Venom: The Last Dance trailer.

Venom 3 may be the last movie in Sony's Venom franchise, but it looks like it won’t be the only time we'll see the threequel's villain, Knull, with director and writer Kelly Marcel confirming there's more to come from the comic book baddie. 

"This film introduces Knull, but it just touches the beginnings of his story," said Marcel in an interview with IGN. "We were always aware of Knull, but knew that we needed to lay the foundation of the Venom character, and his relationship with Eddie, before introducing him. This is just the beginning for Knull."

Officially titled Venom: The Last Dance, the third movie will see Tom Hardy's Eddie Brock and his symbiote buddy Venom battle strange alien forces once more, but this time the duo really have their work cut out for them as they face off against Knull. But who is the ominous villain? 

First officially introduced in Venom Vol. 4 in 2018, Knull is a powerful elder god who possesses superhuman strength and can manifest darkness to create weapons and living creatures, including different types of symbiotes. Aside from video game appearances and a Spider-Man promo, the only time we have heard of Knull on the big screen is in Thor: Love and Thunder. 

(Image credit: Marvel Comics)

We got our first look at the villain in the Venom 3 trailer, when fans spotted the hidden antagonist in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment. 

"Trust me, we know full well how important Knull is to the fans, so just as we laid a foundation for Venom, we hope we are doing the same for Knull," Marcel continued. "The King in Black is way too powerful for one and done. Marvel's greatest film villains are developed over time."

Alongside Hardy, the upcoming movie welcomes back Peggy Lu as Mrs. Chen and Venom: Let There Be Carnage's Stephen Graham as Patrick Mulligan. New faces include Juno Temple, Rhys Ifans, and Chiwetel Ejiofor. As it stands, it has not yet been revealed who's bringing Knull to life.

Venom: The Last Dance hits theaters on October 25. For more, check out our guide to upcoming Marvel movies and the most exciting upcoming movies coming in 2024 and beyond.