Years after it came and went, it’s hard to forget how close we came to the MCU using the perfect way to introduce Knull to the franchise. As the creator of symbiotes like Venom and a god of darkness, Knull is something of a big deal in Marvel, to say the least. While one of the newer creations to hit the printed page – having first appeared in the 2010s – Knull has quickly earned a spot as one of Marvel’s most dangerous and most interesting villains, naturally raising curiosity about the prospects of a live-action story with him in it.
Though the MCU timeline delved into territory that could’ve easily been used to set up Knull in the universe, the franchise has currently abstained from bringing the cosmic threat into the fold in lieu of focusing on other figures. With the Sony Spider-Man Universe’s Knull debut in Venom: The Last Dance, however, questions around when and how the MCU could feature the character have only increased. As it stands, though, the franchise already missed a perfect opportunity to introduce the character, leaving the question of whether the character will appear open for upcoming MCU releases to answer instead.
Gorr’s MCU Introduction Could’ve Been The Perfect Way To Bring Knull Into The Franchise If He’d Arrived Only A Little Later
When it was announced that Gorr would debut in Thor: Love & Thunder, there were many conversations about what this could lead to for the franchise. While Gorr himself is a huge Marvel villain in his own right, his comic lore also offered mᴀssive ways to expand the franchise and the overall MCU mythos surrounding Thor. The most hyped of these possibilities was that Gorr would use All-Black the Necrosword in the movie, and that the sword’s ties to Knull – who created it – would allow for the setup of the immensely powerful villain for future Marvel movies.
While Gorr did indeed bring the Necrosword into Thor: Love & Thunder, the weapon’s ties to Knull aren’t explored, and indeed the All-Black itself often looks more like a regular metal sword than its more conventional and creepier comic depiction – though it is able to summon shadow creatures. Gorr obtains the Necrosword after its previous wielder dies, and while its MCU lore is delved into, any connections to Knull are avoided, and the weapon is shattered and permanently destroyed by the end of the movie, seemingly dodging any potential future follow-up.
Avoiding linking the story to Knull does make sense for Thor: Love & Thunder, as the villain hadn’t previously even been referenced in live-action Marvel movies. This means that the 2022 movie would’ve had to explain the crucial elements of the character’s history alongside all its other story elements, which would have no doubt complicated its overall narrative. Painfully, however, if the movie had come out just a few years later, the groundwork for bringing Knull into the world would have already been set in place, and priming the MCU for an easier time adapting the character.
2024’s Venom: The Last Dance introduced Knull to cinemagoers, providing a viable setup that the MCU could piggyback off in order to build its own Knull story – something that audiences have expressed a considerable hope will happen, and something that would make particular sense now that Sony’s Spider-Man Universe appears to have concluded before its Knull narrative could even really get going, ending on him teasing his return. Had Gorr hit the big screen after this, a Knull tie would not only have been logical, but also a choice way to tease big things for the MCU’s future.
Gorr’s Ties To Knull Would’ve Improved His MCU Story
Gorr’s overall menace factor was arguably undermined in the MCU by the limited capacity in which we learn about both him and the Necrosword he wields. Gorr’s villainous nature is said to be heavily influenced by the All-Black in Thor: Love & Thunder, but the fact that the franchise only provides brief details about the weapon – with Thor explaining that it’s an artifact that’s as old as time – takes some of its comic mystique and makes it into a more generic fantasy object, especially since the MCU weapon doesn’t appear to be made from a symbiote.
As such, explicitly discussing how Knull made the weapon and thus introducing him into the MCU could’ve effectively worked to counter this, and to make Gorr more interesting as an antagonist by making the idea that he’s been corrupted by the Necrosword more exciting. Since Gorr was set to die in Thor: Love & Thunder anyways, having him build up a new major antagonist helps the bigger picture of the MCU, and also stands to make Gorr’s final redemptive moments all the more potent as a stand against this colossal cosmic force as well as Gorr’s own grief.
I’m Still Holding Out Hope The MCU Will Use Knull In Its Future
With Robert Downey Jr’s Doctor Doom on the horizon as the main antagonist of Avengers: Doomsday – and the stage set for either him or the MCU’s Incursions themselves to be the final focal issue the Avengers have to deal with in Avengers: Secret Wars – the prospective major antagonists of the Multiverse Saga seem already sketched out, following Kang being replaced as the villain of Avengers 5 in 2024. That said, I can’t help but hope Knull ends up being one of the next key villains for the MCU in its future, as there would be so many benefits to this decision.
With Venom: Let There Be Carnage‘s post-credit scene having already established that the Sony Spider-man Universe and MCU are in the same multiversal – and that traversal between them is not unheard of – bringing Sony’s Knull into the MCU is still a tangible possibility at this point in time.
There was a clear interest in Knull following his appearance in Venom: The Last Dance that the MCU could now build on, be it by bringing the Sony iteration into the MCU directly, or by crafting their own version better suited to the Marvel movie empire. Either approach would make sense, as Knull’s integral role in some of the newer big stories in Marvel Comics offers a chance for the MCU to adapt something fresh that ties many strands of the world together.
Knull’s links to the Celestials and Symbiotes alike could be used to great affect to build a story that feels more cohesive than the Multiverse Saga has been accused of being, and even the loosest adaptation of his King In Black storyline would provide some truly epic moments to draw audiences in, as well as giving the MCU’s heroes another behemoth villain for them to band together to face. Altogether, the Lord of the Abyss could build a brighter future for the MCU, and hopefully the villain’s promise is capitalized on at some point by the franchise down the line.
Upcoming MCU Movies
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Captain America: Brave New World
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February 14, 2025
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Thunderbolts*
- Release Date
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May 2, 2025
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The Fantastic Four: First Steps
- Release Date
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July 25, 2025
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Avengers: Doomsday (2026)
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Spider-Man Homecoming 4
- Release Date
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July 24, 2026
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Avengers: Secret Wars
- Release Date
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May 7, 2027
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