With Kraven the Hunter set to be the next 2024 Marvel movie, it's not clear where Sony's franchise is heading, and while teases have been made that more Knull can be expected for the future following the Venom: The Last Dance ending, how this will unfold is also uncertain. Based on this - and the way in which the movie uses Knull himself - having Keanu Reeves not appear in such a prominent role may have ultimately been for the best.
Knull's Role In Venom: The Last Dance Would've Arguably Wasted Keanu Reeves
Knull's Role In Venom 3 Would've Disappointed Those Hoping For An Action-Packed Keanu Reeves Casting
Knull has incredible powers and has been set up to be a significant force in Sony's universe, but he doesn't actively get to do that much in Venom: The Last Dance itself. The villain had barely any screen time in Venom 3, and was only shown trapped inside the prison he is attempting to break out of for the entire film. As such, the hopes Keanu Reeves would show Knull in all his murderous glory would've been raised by his appearance and then crushed in a major way had he actually been cast for the role.
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Keanu Reeves has had limited appearances in the superhero genre, with the hype for his return as the titular hero in Constantine 2 making it seemingly clear that any other prospective appearances in the genre would also receive considerable attention. With this in mind, while Keanu Reeves is a great performer with excellent charisma that would have been fun in the role, there simply wasn't enough for him to do in the movie for this casting to not seem like one that would ultimately disappoint those viewers when the extent of Knull's presence in the release 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 crucially when it comes to Knull's casting, it's worth remembering that Andy Serkis was already linked to the Venom franchise beforehand. This isn't a 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 installment, and his return feels especially appropriate as a result.
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In addition to this, Knull was primarily a computer-generated character in the new film. Andy Serkis is perhaps the most famous motion-capture actor in all of Hollywood, making him more suited to this kind of performance. The actor has 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 this in mind, Serkis makes much more sense for the Knull role, which would have seen Reeves’ famous face covered in CGI animation.
Keanu Reeves Not Being Cast For Knull Makes His Dream Roles More Likely
The Actor Has Expressed Interest In Other MCU Roles
While a casting as Knull wouldn't preclude Keanu Reeves from being able to vy for another Marvel role - with Venom 3 stars Rhys Ifans and Chiwetel Ejiofor having also had other Marvel roles - it would have made it less likely for the actor. Still, with Keanu Reeves having already expressed his Marvel dream roles, there are arguably better opportunities for the actor. Reeves has made reference to wanting to play either the Silver Surfer or Ghost Rider in the MCU, and both of these would seemingly be a much better fit for the actor, especially the latter.
With no connection to the Venom franchise, Reeves being able to take on one of these roles would be that much more likely to happen. I really hope to see Reeves take on a character like Johnny Blaze, which would be well-suited to his charisma, his look, and his abilities as an actor. While it would have been great to see Reeves appear as Knull in Venom 3, the overall result does appear like it would have ultimately been disappointing, especially compared to these other possibilities.
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Keanu Reeves has been a major performer in Hollywood for decades, and his career has made revitalizing turns whenever his star seems to fade even a little. The actor would be a major asset to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but I can confidently say that he would have been wasted in Venom: The Last Dance. With all kinds of major, new projects ahead in the MCU with the Multiverse Saga and beyond, there are many more fitting roles awaiting Reeves. Hopefully, he will find the right fit in the universe soon.
Venom: The Last Dance is the third and final installment in Sony's symbiote trilogy starring Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock. It follows the events of Let There Be Carnage, where the anti-hero fought serial killer Cletus Kasady, and Spider-Man: No Way Home, where Brock was briefly transported to the MCU through the multiverse.
Director Kelly Marcel
Release Date October 25, 2024
Sony's Upcoming Marvel Movie Release Dates
Release Date December 13, 2024
English (US) ·