Venom: The Last Dancehas introduced several new characters to the big-screenMarvelworld, and their Knull casting repeats an excellent trend from recent comic book movies. Theending ofVenom 3saw the big bad Knull teasing future appearances, although what those appearances might be remains to be seen. With all ofVenom’s Easter Eggs and references, many suspect the villain could carry into the MCU. Whatever the case, there certainly do appear to be plans for the character, making his casting that much more significant.
Actors playing multiple roles in superhero movies is not rare, and some have playedmultiple roles even in just the MCU. Actors like Rhys Ifans are a part ofVenom 3’s cast, but even this seems to be in a way that ignores his previous appearances as Curt Connors in the Spider-Man films. Performers from Ben Affleck to Christian Bale have played different characters from different superhero franchises with varied levels of success, and it appears that the future plans forVenom and the other symbioteswill involve doing exactly that.
Venom: The Last Dance Continues Andy Serkis' Casting Success In Superhero Movies
Andy Serkis Has Been Cast As Knull In Sony’s Universe
Venom: The Last Dancefeatures a short performance by Andy Serkis as Knull.Knull is one of Marvel’s most powerful characters, and the villain’s cosmic abilities and terrifying history mean a strong performer is required to play him effectively. With special effects set to play a massive part, hiring Andy Serkis - the director ofVenom: Let There Be Carnage- for the role makes sense. The actor is already tied in with theVenomfranchise and has an incredible resume of motion-capture work in his past.
Serkis is perhaps best known for playing Gollum inThe Lord of the RingsandThe Hobbitfilms.He became so acclaimed for his motion-capture work that the actor has gone on to be known as perhaps the best in the business. From there, he devoted his body to roles like King Kong in the titular Peter Jackson film and Caesar in thePlanet of the Apesreboot trilogy. Following this trajectory, while the actor has more recently broken through in live-action roles, he is sure to make something compelling from Knull.
The Actor Has Previously Played Live-Action Roles In Superhero Films
Andy Serkis first entered the realm of superhero cinema in 2015’sAvengers: Age of Ultron, where he played the character Ulysses Klaue. In a move theBlack Pantherdirector regretted, Serkis made his second appearance as that same character in that film, where his character was killed, although another version appeared inWhat If…?. Serkis has also gone on to portray Alfred inThe Batman, and appears set to continue in the role for the upcoming sequel.
The actor has been a standout in each of these roles.Serkis created a different kind of AlfredinThe Batmanthat does not resemble earlier iterations, and his screen time in the MCU turned a fairly disposable character into something exciting and compelling.Andy Serkis clearly has the skill and commitment to the figures he portraysthat allow him to pull something new and unique out of every casting.It seems Knull will follow in that fashion, crafting a memorable villain for Sony’s Marvel universe and potentially persisting in the role in future instalments .
Why Knull Could Be Andy Serkis' Biggest Superhero Movie Role Yet
Knull Utilizes The Best Of Serkis' Abilities
While Serkis has previously appeared in 4 superhero films, it is notable that none of these have been motion-capture roles. While the actor clearly has the ability to perform and hold his own against other excellent actors, Serkis rose to fame for his proficiency and skill with motion-capture. As a result,it is exciting to see him taking on a role that utilizes this technology moving forward. With this in mind, there is incredible potential for what Andy Serkis may be able to do with the role moving forward.
Knull is set up to be anAvengerslevel threat, although where the character goes from here remains to be seen.Knull could potentially appear in films likeKraven the HunterorSpider-Man 4, however what seems most likely is that Sony has big plans for their own universe. These could involve an Agent Venom storyline, or something else to do with symbiotes that could lead into aSinister Sixmovie. Whatever the plans Sony has, Knull is sure to be a big part of that trajectory moving forward.
10 King In Black Moments That Marvel Probably Can’t Adapt After Knull’s Arrival
With Knull having made his live-action debut, there are actually many elements of his King in Black story that likely won’t make it to the big screen.
Andy Serkis is an excellent actor, and it is exciting to see him inVenom: The Last Dance.While he only has a short time onscreen in the new film, the filmmakers have already promised that more of Knull will follow. Audiences eagerly anticipate what this means, and what will be done with the character moving forward. Whatever choices are made, Knull has the potential to be a major superhero villain in the future, and his short appearance inVenom: The Last Dancemay set him up for greatness.
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.
