Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Venom: The Last Dance
Venom: The Last Danceends with Knull the Symbiote God referring to himself as “The King in Black”. Originating from the comics, “King in Black” is an incredibly important title, one that carries some major multiversal significance beyond the Symbiote God himself. That said, it’s a pretty big deal that Knull has also been confirmed as the King in Black in live-action, especially considering all that it could mean for the future of Sony’s Spider-Man universe (and beyond).
At theend ofVenom: The Last Dance, Knull’s symbiote-hunting Xenophages fail to retrieve Venom and Eddie Brock’s codex, the key to ending his imprisonment on the world of Klyntar. However, the post-credits scene forThe Last Dancesees Knull still trapped on his throne yet confident that he’ll eventually be freed, referring to himself as the King in Black before promising that everything will burn.Here’s what “King in Black” means in the original Marvel Comics, and what it’s setting up for the future of Sony movies beyondVenom: The Last Dance.
Why Knull Refers To Himself As The King In Black
A Cosmic Title Bestowed By The Celestials
In the comics,“The King in Black” is a title that was bestowed on the void-god Knull with the emergence of Marvel’s Celestials who brought with them light and creation, pushing the preexisting void and Knull’s abyss of darkness into the corners of the multiverse. Also known as the Onyx King, it was the job of the King in Black to serve as a counterpart to the Beyonders aka the Kings in White or Ivory Kings, maintaining order throughout the multiverse.
24 Venom: The Last Dance Easter Eggs & Marvel References Explained
Venom: The Last Dance features all kinds of Easter eggs and Marvel references amid all the crazy symbiote mayhem and Knull the Symbiote God.
That said,Knull ultimately rejected the responsibility that came with his new title and openly defied the Celestials for encroaching upon his dark domain with their light. Using his powerful sword known as the All-Black, Knull decapitated one of the Celestials before he was banished back to the abyss. Likewise,The Celestial’s severed head would eventually become Knowhereas seen in theGuardians of the Galaxymovies.
All-Black the Necrosword was eventually wielded by Gorr the God-Butcher in the comics. While Knull’s sword can be seen inVenom: The Last Dance, Gorr similarly made his live-action debut in the MCU’sThor: Love and Thunder.
Marvel Comics King In Black Crossover Event Explained
Knull’s Invasion Of Earth (With Symbiote Dragon Hordes)
From the abyss, Knull created his symbiotes who later betrayed and turned on him due to his desire to bring life and light to an end, returning all to darkness. To that end,The King in Black had long been imprisoned on the world of Klyntar(the symbiotes' word for “cage”). However, it was Carnage who eventually came to serve Knull and brought about his freedom in 2019’sAbsolute Carnageevent. This served as a key prelude for 2020’s majorKing in Blackcrossover event.As such, here are the biggest things you need to know about theKing in Blackcrossover,and how Knull was finally defeated:
While there’s a lot more to theKing in Blackcrossover and its various tie-in issues, the above timeline features the biggest and most important events. It shows just how massive of a Marvel crossover it truly is, and what could be coming down the line for Sony’s universe now that Knull has been introduced in live-action.
How Sony Could Adapt The Marvel King In Black Storyline
Adapting King in Black Will Demand The Biggest Marvel Movie Sony Has Ever Done
Considering just how sprawling the comics’King in Blackcrossover was across the entire Marvel Universe,it’s hard to imagine how Sony might adapt its ownKing in Blackstoryline on-screen. That said, perhaps Sony’s version will end up being more Spider-Man-focused,either using variants from across the Spider-Verseto combat the King in Black and/or using its Spider-Man adjacent villains. After all, the threat of Knull is a danger to all existence.
Every Symbiote In Venom: The Last Dance Explained
Venom: The Last Dance features a sizable roster of new symbiotes and their hosts, going beyond Tom Hardy’s Eddie Brock and Venom alone.
It’s also worth noting that even the MCU takes liberties when it comes to adapting the comics. As an example,Captain America: Civil Waris not a direct adaption of the comics’Civil War, and the same goes forAge of Ultronor any other projects that share names with original comic events.Keeping that in mind, expecting a completely faithful adaptation ofKing in Blackfeels pretty impractical, whether it’s coming from Sony alone or not. However, one can still hope that some core elements will be maintained, which may necessitate studios once again coming together.
Will Sony’s King In Black Feature MCU Characters?
Knull Could Be The Next Major Threat After The Multiverse Saga
Obviously, the comics’King in Blackstoryline uses a lot of characters that currently reside in the MCU’s universe of Earth-616. After all, certain MCU characters like Thor and Silver Surfer were crucial to Knull’s defeat. As such,one would naturally hope that Sony and Marvel Studios could perhaps come together as they have for the MCU Spider-Man movies, sharing their resources and characters to provide a truly epic blockbuster event.
Given the multiversal importance of the King in Black title andthe lack of future live-action projects for Sony beyond this year’sKraven the HunterandSpider-Man 4,perhaps aKing in Blackmovie could happen before the Multiverse Saga reaches its end withAvengers: Secret Warsin 2027. Conversely, it’s also not a stretch to guess thatKing in Blackwould come afterward. Sony and Marvel Studios would then have plenty of time to collaborate and develop what would be a truly impressive crossover event now that Knull has made his on-screen debut.
Venom: The Last Danceis now playing in theaters from Sony Pictures.
Venom: The Last Dance
Cast
Venom: The Last Dance is a film directed by an undisclosed director, featuring the character Venom in a thrilling narrative. The movie explores the alien symbiote’s latest challenges and transformations as it navigates through a world full of danger and new adversaries.
