“Yes, I did co-create”: Knull creators seek compensation after Venom: The Last Dance reveal

The trailer for Venom: The Last Dance offered the first look at Knull in the upcoming film. The character, who is known as the God of Symbiotes in the comics was created by Donny Cates and Ryan Stegman, and first appeared in June 2018, in Venom (Vol. 4) #3, and paved the way for many major events including the King in Black comic special.

However, the creators of Knull only found out after the trailer was released that Venom: The Last Dance will feature their creation. Ryan Stegman confirmed this in a post on X saying that he only learned on the day of the trailer's release that Knull will be featured in the upcoming Venom film.

"Yes, I did co-create knull. No, I didn’t know until today that he was gonna be in Venom: The Last Dance. Yes, I do expect to finally be able to afford that lazy river moat around my house," said Ryan Stegman via X.

On the other hand, the other co-creator of Knull, Donny Cates, had a pretty simple response to seeing the character appear in the trailer. In a funny way, he flipped the Venom logo which coincidentally spelled out money.

Previously, Insomniac Games also used Donny Cates and Ryan Stegman's ideas for their hit 2023 game Spider-Man 2, and the creators weren't credited there. Marvel Comics has been embroiled in a controversy for a long time where its creators haven't been compensated well enough for their characters being used in the films.

However, with Stegman and Cates having made their disappointment apparent online, Sony or Marvel might reach out to them. You can check out Knull on the big screens when Venom: The Last Dance releases in theatres on October 25, 2024.

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Who is Knull in the comics?

In the comic books, Knull is the Eldritch god of darkness and the creator of symbiotes who resides between the sixth and seventh Cosmoses. However, the Celestials eventually find him and come knocking on his door by invading his kingdom. Wanting to make him the King in Black, Knull rejects the responsibility and ends up decapitating one of them with the Necrosword - the first symbiote.

He then used the head to refine his blade which linked him to the Celestial. He would follow this up by waging his war on the light and would become one of the most feared beings in the universe. However, his Necrosword would be stolen by someone which would leave him stranded on an unknown planet.

There, though, he experimented with his powers and figured out that he could bond with lesser creatures and control them through the help of his living abyss. This led him to then try and conquer worlds through the help of symbiote dragons.

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What is Venom: The Last Dance about?

The upcoming Venom: The Last Dance is the final film in the Venom trilogy and is directed by Kelly Marcel. The official synopsis reads as:

"Eddie and Venom are on the run. Hunted by both of their worlds and with the net closing in, the duo are forced into a devastating decision that will bring the curtains down on Venom and Eddie's last dance."

Starring Tom Hardy, Juno Temple, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and more, the film releases in theatres on October 25, 2024.