Venom: The Last Dance (2024): the film versus the comics

The final part of the trilogy, The Last Dance raises the stakes on a cosmic scale by summoning the creator of the symbiotes. It draws on the modern mythology of Venom forged by Donny Cates and Ryan Stegman. Source-by-source decryption.

As in each article in this series, only verified information (creators, distribution, dates, comic numbers) is stated; the comparative analysis is ours, without reproducing dialogue or protected images.

Knull, God of Symbiotes (Venom #3, 2018)

The big contribution of the film is Knull, one of the most striking creations of recent comics. Seen for the first time in Thor: God of Thunder #6 (2012), it is fully revealed in Venom #3 (2018), under the pen of Donny Cates and the pencil of Ryan Stegman. Knull is a primordial deity, born from the darkness before creation, who forged the symbiotes as extensions of his will and weapon of cosmic conquest. This mythology has revolutionized the understanding of symbiotes: far from being simple parasites, they are fragments of an evil god, and Venom himself is a link. This revelation redefined the character and inscribed him in a cosmic fresco.

The film takes up this founding idea: Knull, imprisoned, seeks to free himself, and Venom holds a key to his prison. This galactic issue considerably raises the stakes of the trilogy, until then anchored in a more down-to-earth register. The film, however, very freely adapts the mythology of Cates and Stegman, keeping Knull in the background rather than triggering the massive invasion of the comics. This caution, dictated by the format and the absence of major Marvel heroes, reduces the extent of the threat. But the central idea — Venom as a piece of a cosmic puzzle orchestrated by the creator of the symbiotes — remains true to the source.

The Xenophages and the hunt for Venom

The film also introduces the Xenophages, creatures from the comics of Cates and Stegman, designed as the natural predators of the symbiotes. Sent to track down Venom and recover the key to Knull's prison, they constitute the most concrete threat in the story. This fidelity to a specific element of modern symbiote mythology anchors the film in recent comics, beyond just classic characters. The Xenophages offer the film its most spectacular action scenes, and illustrate the richness of the cosmic universe developed around Venom since 2018.

This hunt structures the story like a chase: Eddie and Venom, pursued, try to escape both the Xenophages and the human forces who are chasing them. This common thread, more intimate than the cosmic invasion of the comics, refocuses the film on the duo at the heart of the trilogy. It illustrates the constant choice of the franchise: favoring the Eddie/Venom relationship rather than the large-scale fresco. For the reader, the Xenophages are an invitation to discover the stories of Cates and Stegman, where the mythology of Knull unfolds to its full extent, well beyond what the film can show.

A trilogy conclusion without Spider-Man

Like the two previous parts, The Last Dance deals with the absence of Spider-Man. However, in the comics, the mythology of Knull culminates in the event “King in Black” (2020), where the god of symbiotes invades the Earth and where all the Marvel heroes – Spider-Man, the Avengers, the X-Men – unite to confront him. The film obviously cannot summon this army of characters. It therefore reduces the threat to the scale of Venom and a few allies, transforming a cosmic invasion into a tighter confrontation. This constrained adaptation sacrifices the breadth of the source in favor of a story centered on the conclusion of the duo.

This choice illustrates the limits of a universe built around a single character, deprived of the great heroes of Marvel. The Venom trilogy has always had to reinvent mythologies linked to Spider-Man and the shared universe. By concluding on Knull, the film honors the modern mythology of the character, while giving a necessarily reduced version of it. For the reader, it is an invitation to discover “King in Black” and the stories of Cates and Stegman, where the cosmic stakes are fully unfolded. The film only offers a glimpse, faithful in idea but modest in execution.

The characters, from paper to screen

• Eddie Brock / Venom— The duo at the heart of the trilogy, on the run from symbiote trackers.
• Knull— The creator god of symbiotes, faithful to Venom #3 (2018), but kept in the background.
• The Xenophages— Predators of the symbiotes, from the comics of Cates and Stegman.
• Human Allies— Characters partly invented for the story of the film.
• The Venom symbiote— Revealed as a piece of a cosmic puzzle orchestrated by Knull.

Knull and modern symbiote mythology

Knull's introduction to film is a testament to the considerable influence of Donny Cates and Ryan Stegman's run on Venom. In a few years, these authors have transformed the understanding of symbiotes, placing them in a cosmogony where Knull, god of darkness, precedes creation itself. This rereading gave Venom a new mythological depth, making the character much more than a New York antihero. The film takes hold of this recent heritage, proof that the comics of the 2010s are already fueling adaptations, in the same way as classic stories.

For the reader, it is an opportunity to measure the vitality of contemporary comics. Knull, created in 2018, is already being brought to the screen six years later, a remarkably short time frame that highlights the impact of the character. Its mythology, between cosmic horror and divine fresco, marked the revival of Venom. The film, by adapting it, invites us to explore the stories of Cates and Stegman, from Venom #3 to “King in Black”, where one of the most ambitious sagas of the decade unfolds. It is there, on the page, that Knull reveals all his terrifying and grandiose dimension.

Conclude a trilogy born from a bet

Venom: The Last Dance closes a trilogy which, from the outset, was based on a daring bet: bringing to the cinema an antihero defined by his link to Spider-Man, without ever being able to count on the hero. From this challenge, the franchise drew its identity - the Eddie/Venom duo, the comic tone, the invention of autonomous mythologies. For this last part, the film chooses to raise the stakes on a cosmic scale with Knull, while remaining faithful to what made it successful: the endearing relationship between a man and the symbiote that inhabits him. This conclusion, charged with emotion for fans of the duo, completes a cycle that began in 2018.

The results of the trilogy illustrate both the possibilities and the limits of a universe built around a single character. Venom proved that an antihero could carry a successful franchise on his own; but his films have constantly had to reinvent mythologies thought, in the comics, in connection with Spider-Man and the Marvel universe. By concluding with Knull, a figure of recent comics, The Last Dance pays homage to the vitality of contemporary comics. For the reader, it is an invitation to explore the stories of Cates and Stegman, where Venom unfolds all its cosmic dimension, and to rediscover the origins of the character, inseparable from the hero that the films have never been able to name.

Where to start reading

To extend the film, Venom #3 (2018) by Donny Cates and Ryan Stegman reveals Knull and establishes his mythology. The “King in Black” event (2020) unfolds the invasion of the symbiote god and the final confrontation. Amazing Spider-Man #300 (1988) recalls the origins of Venom. This journey covers the source material for a film that draws on modern symbiote mythology, while adapting it very freely.

Chronology of comics to know

• 2012— Thor: God of Thunder #6: Knull's first glimpse.
• 2018— Venom #3: Knull's first full appearance (Cates & Stegman).
• 2020— “King in Black”: Knull’s invasion and the clash of the heroes.

Collection side: what numbers to aim for after the film

Venom: The Last Dance points to recent modern keys.Venom #3(2018, first full appearance of Knull) is a sought-after modern key, driven by the success of Cates and Stegman's run.Thor: God of Thunder #6(2012, first look at Knull) is another target for fans of the character.Amazing Spider-Man #300(1988, Venom) remains a staple of symbiote mythology. These targets cover various budgets, from classic to recent. As always, condition and gradation determine value; relying on real recent sales is strongly recommended.

Its place in the saga and for the collector

Venom: The Last Dance concludes the trilogy by bringing Knull, a major figure from recent comics, to the screen, despite a reduced adaptation and the absence of Spider-Man. For the collector, it highlighted Venom #3 (2018), a sought-after modern key. It illustrates the effect of adaptations on the market, including for very recent characters. Beyond speculation, the film invites us to discover the mythology of Knull forged by Cates and Stegman, one of the most ambitious of the decade. By adapting the god of symbiotes, it makes you want to go back to “King in Black” and the stories that redefined Venom.

The verdict: a cosmic mythology adapted with caution

• Loyalty:Knull, the cosmic mythology of the symbiotes, the Xenophages and Venom as a key come from the comics of Cates and Stegman.
• Freedoms:the absence of Spider-Man and “King in Black”, Knull kept in the background, a story refocused on the run of Eddie and Venom.
• Collectible numbers:Venom #3 (Knull), Thor: God of Thunder #6 (Knull preview), Amazing Spider-Man #300 (Venom).

Venom: The Last Dance concludes the trilogy by summoning Knull, god of symbiotes, whose mythology it adapts with caution and without the great Marvel heroes. Faithful to the cosmic idea of ​​Cates and Stegman but reduced in scale, the film remains centered on the Eddie/Venom duo. For both the reader and the collector, it is an invitation to discover Venom #3 and “King in Black”.

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