Venom 3 Villain: Who Is the Main Antagonist in the New Movie?

The main antagonist in Venom 3: The Last Dance is Knull, the primordial god of the symbiotes and creator of Venom’s species. He’s not just another villain—he’s the dark deity pulling strings behind the scenes, introducing a cosmic-level threat to Eddie Brock and Venom.

Unleashing an Ancient Evil: Knull Explained

Knull is an elder god born from the void, the architect behind all symbiotes—Venom, Carnage, and their kin. In the film, he sends symbiote creatures to Earth hunting Venom for the codex embedded in him, crucial for his escape and cosmic domination plan.

This villain isn’t simply powerful; he’s near-omnipotent. His powers include shadow manipulation, shapeshifting, symbiote creation, flight, healing—plus immortality and mastery over a dark cosmic force called the Living Abyss.

Knull’s Role in the Trilogy: More Than a One-and-Done

Despite Knull’s menacing presence, the film’s director, Kelly Marcel, clarifies that this appearance is just the setup. She emphasizes it’s only the beginning of his narrative arc, intentionally leaving much of his story for future exploration.

Though The Last Dance is marketed as Venom’s final stand, it doubles as the launch pad for Knull’s deeper role in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe.

Who Brings Knull to Life on Screen?

Sony harnessed Andy Serkis’s motion-capture prowess to portray Knull, leveraging his legacy from roles like Gollum and Caesar to bring weight and presence to the character.

The character’s inclusion took even the original creators, Donny Cates and Ryan Stegman, by surprise—who then humorously remarked they might finally afford those fanciful moats.

How Knull Shapes the Movie’s Conflict

• Hidden Puppeteer: Though he rarely appears, Knull looms as the ultimate architect of chaos, manipulating events via dispatched symbiote forces.
• Cosmic Stakes: His pursuit of the codex raises Earth’s danger from local brawl to universal crisis.
• Dark Mythology: His introduction deepens the symbiote lore, anchoring the narrative in ancient, cosmic origins.

“This film introduces Knull, but it just touches the beginnings of his story. … The King in Black is way too powerful for ‘one and done.’”
— Kelly Marcel, director and co-writer

Summary

Knull, the cosmic god of symbiotes, is the main antagonist of Venom 3: The Last Dance. Though his presence is subtle, his influence is immense—raising the stakes and stretching the franchise’s mythology. Portrayed by Andy Serkis, Knull is poised to become a recurring nemesis in Sony’s broader Marvel universe. The movie may cap Eddie and Venom’s journey—for now—but it’s only the opening act for Knull’s story.

FAQs

Who is Knull in Venom 3?
Knull is the ancient, powerful deity who created the symbiotes. In The Last Dance, he sends symbiote creatures to retrieve the codex from Venom.

Is Knull the main villain of the film?
Yes. Though he’s not in the spotlight, Knull is the underlying threat shaping most of the film’s conflict.

Will we see more of Knull in future films?
Absolutely. The director has confirmed this film only begins his arc—more is coming in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe.

Who portrays Knull in the movie?
Veteran mocap actor Andy Serkis brings Knull to life, harnessing his iconic physical and vocal performance skills.

How powerful is Knull compared to other Marvel villains?
Knull ranks among Marvel’s most powerful foes, with near-godlike abilities including creating symbiotes, manipulating darkness, and immortal resilience.