Venom: The Last Dance it made some of the hopes I had for Keanu Reeves appearing in the Marvel movie no longer feel like a disappointment. Poison 3 had an excellent cast, but that roster was notably missing a figure that had been theorized at release – namely that of Keanu Reeves in the role of Knull. Instead, Andy Serkis took on the role for the film, providing audiences with their first look at Marvel’s big bad on screen.
With Kraven the Hunter set to be the next Marvel film of 2024, it’s unclear where Sony’s franchise is headed, and while teases have been made that more Knull can be expected in the future after the Venom: The Last Dance Ultimately, how this will play out is also uncertain. Based on this – and the way the film uses Knull himself – Keanu Reeves not appearing in such a prominent role may have been for the best.
Knull’s role in Venom: The Last Dance would have probably wasted Keanu Reeves
Knull’s role in Venom 3 would have disappointed those hoping for an action-packed casting for Keanu Reeves
Knull has incredible powers and was created to be a significant force in the Sony universe, but he doesn’t get to do much actively in it. Venom: The Last Dance itself. The villain had almost no screen time in Poison 3and was only shown trapped inside the prison he is trying to escape from throughout the film. As such, hopes that Keanu Reeves would show Knull in all his murderous glory would have been raised by his appearance and then dashed in a major way if he had actually been cast in the role.
Keanu Reeves has had limited appearances in the superhero genre, with anticipation for his return as the titular hero in Constantine 2 making it seemingly clear that any other potential appearances in the genre would also receive considerable attention. With that in mind, while Keanu Reeves is a great actor with excellent charisma who would have been fun in the role, there simply wasn’t enough for him to do in the film for this casting to not feel like something that would end up disappointing those. viewers when the extent of Knull’s presence at the launch became clear.
Andy Serkis’ Knull Casting Makes More Sense for Venom 3
Serkis was revealed to be Knull when the film was released
Firstly and most importantly when it comes to Knull’s casting, it’s worth remembering that Andy Serkis was already attached to the Poison franchise in advance. This is no small link either, as Andy Serkis directed the previous film in the series, Venom: Let There Be Carnage. This connection shows that the actor already has a significant relationship with the filmmaking team behind this new film, and his return feels especially appropriate for that reason.
Additionally, Knull was primarily a computer-generated character in the new film. Andy Serkis is perhaps Hollywood’s most famous motion capture actormaking it more suitable for this type of performance. The actor received acclaim for his roles as Gollum in The Lord of the Rings and Caesar in Rise of the Planet of the Apes and its sequels. With that in mind, Serkis makes a lot more sense for the role of Knull, which would have seen Reeves’ famous face covered in CGI animation.
Keanu Reeves not being cast as Knull makes his dream roles more likely
The actor expressed interest in other roles in the MCU
While a cast like Knull wouldn’t stop Keanu Reeves from competing for another Marvel role – with Poison 3 starring Rhys Ifans and Chiwetel Ejio having also played other Marvel roles – this would have made it less likely for the actor. Still, with Keanu Reeves already having voiced his dream Marvel roles, there are arguably better opportunities for the actor. Reeves made reference to wanting to play the Silver Surfer or Ghost Rider in the MCU, and both would apparently be a much better fit for the actor, especially the latter.
No connection with the Poison franchise, Reeves being able to take on one of those roles would be much more likely to happen. I really hope to see Reeves play a character like Johnny Blaze, which would suit his charisma, looks, and acting skills.. While it would have been great to see Reeves appear as Knull in Poison 3the overall result seems to have been disappointing, especially compared to these other possibilities.
Keanu Reeves has been a major performer in Hollywood for decades, and his career has taken revitalizing turns whenever his star seemed to fade a little. Tthe actor would be a great asset to the Marvel Cinematic Universebut I can safely say that it would have been wasted on Venom: The Last Dance. With all sorts of major new projects ahead in the MCU with the Multiverse Saga and beyond, there are plenty of other suitable roles awaiting Reeves. Hopefully he finds the right fit in the universe soon.
Venom: The Last Dance is the third and final chapter in Sony’s symbiote trilogy, starring Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock. It follows the events of Let There Be Carnage, where the antihero fought serial killer Cletus Kasady, and Spider-Man: No Way Home, where Brock was briefly transported to the MCU across the multiverse.
- Director
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Kelly Marcelo
- Release date
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October 25, 2024
Release Dates for Sony’s Upcoming Marvel Movies
- Release date
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December 13, 2024