I’m begging Marvel not to repeat their Thanos recast with their biggest villain in the new film

Venom: The Last Dance introduced Marvel’s next big villain in the form of Knull, and I’m praying Marvel doesn’t repeat their Thanos recast. At the time of Venom: The Last DanceBy the end of, it became clear that Knull was being positioned as a major future villain in Sony’s Spider-Man universe. The many symbionts of Poison 3The story ended with the Xenophages at the end of the film, creatures sent by Knull to retrieve something called The Codex that would free him from his prison.

Poison 3Knull Easter eggs for Marvel Comics were plentiful thanks to this storyline, from the prison being the Klyntar symbiote’s home planet to the other symbiotes shown fleeing Knull’s impending carnage. Although popular Marvel Comics villain Knull didn’t succeed in his plan in Poison 3the film ended with a tease that he would return. While it’s currently unclear where or when Knull will return, I’m left with one overriding thought after this story’s teases: I hope he isn’t recast like Thanos was.

Venom 3’s low box office could mean Andy Serkis will end up being recast as Knull

Venom 3 is unfortunately underperforming domestically

In Poison 3In the cast of characters, Andy Serkis plays Knull. Serkis is a well-known motion capture actor who often doesn’t get the flowers he deserves from the broader Hollywood community. Outside of more conventional roles, like Gollum in The Lord of the Rings and Caesar in the reboot Planet of the Apes trilogy, Serkis has been underutilized mostly by major franchises. This was sadly summed up by his role in Star Wars: The Last Jedi like Snoke, in which the character was killed before Serkis could show off his capabilities.

Venom: The Last Dance was another film that underutilized Serkis as Knull, mainly due to the character’s setup for future films. This means that Knull’s future depends entirely on Poison 3 successful at the box office. Although it’s still early in the film’s screening, I’m not very confident Poison 3 will have the necessary legs to solidify Knull’s future. The film’s domestic opening weekend was the franchise’s lowest, grossing just US$51 million. While it fared better overseas with a $124 million opening weekend, it remains to be seen whether Poison 3 has legs at the box office.

Unfortunately, this means that Serkis could end up being recast as Knull, and it’s not lost on me that Marvel has no qualms about recasting major villains. After all, Thanos’ original actor – Damion Poitier – was replaced by Josh Brolin. While this is the right choice, it’s likely that replacing Serkis’ overhaul isn’t. As such, I’m waiting Poison 3The box office proves to have legs, allowing Serkis to continue as Knull in any future films Sony has planned for the character.

Andy Serkis as Knull Could Be the Casting of an All-Time Superhero Villain

As I mentioned, Andy Serkis’ Knull may prove to be one of the best superhero villain casting choices in the history of the genre. The reason for this stems from his proficiency in motion capture roles. Serkis never fails to imbue the CGI characters with intense emotions, making them not only feel tangible but often sympathetic. With Knull’s comic book history proving him to be an Avengers-level threat, having Serkis carry out this story could be truly epic.

Of course, Sony Pictures is aware of this as well, with the studio banking on Serkis to portray Knull again. Poison 3 be successful. Venom: The Last DanceSerkis’ post-credits scene made this clear, with Serkis’ Knull threatening both audiences and Sony’s Spider-Man universe that he would return and they would be forced to watch. Regardless of the quality of the previous films in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, the promise of Serkis as Knull makes the character’s future immensely exciting, making his dependence on Poison 3‘sand Kraven the Hunter‘s – even more vital box office.

If Venom 3 Fails, the MCU Should Steal SSU’s Knull Casting

Sony’s Spider-Man universe may not be Serkis’ last chance as Knull

If the worst happens and Venom: The Last Dance fails to impress at the global box office at the end of its theatrical run, Serkis’ Knull is hoping to get one last chance: the MCU. If Sony’s plans for a Knull movie fall through due to the franchise’s declining commercial success, Marvel Studios could cash in by taking Serkis and having him play the villain in the MCU. That said, Knull would likely have to be left for a post-Multiverse Saga story to be introduced, but it could be more beneficial for the character.

After all, I’m a little confused about how Knull could return after Poison 3is ending. The film emphasized that Knull could only escape his prison on Venom’s home planet of Klyntar by using the Codex, the mysterious key forged from Eddie and Venom’s bond. Venom’s death meant the Codex was destroyed, seemingly trapping Knull for good. For that reason, I’m not sure how his return would work.

However, if the MCU were to introduce its own version of Knull, it could follow the character’s established comedic storyline without the Codex’s fabricated storyline. This could then allow Serkis to flex his acting muscles as Knull as a potentially saga-ending villain that would see him come into conflict with the Avengers, Fantastic Four, X-Men, and Spider-Man, as he does in the comics. With this promise in mind, Venom: The Last DanceThe potential failure of may not be the end of the road for Knull and, more importantly, for Andy Serkis as a character.