“VENOM: THE LAST…” Creators, Our Hopes

By August Tales

Knull Creators Seeking Monetary Credit for ‘Venom: The Last Dance’

The last trailer for ‘Venom: The Last Dance’ introduced us to the main antagonist. It’s the deadliest villain Venom has ever faced, Knull. As thrilling as the teaser was, paradoxically, it also marked the first introduction of Knull to its real-life creators. Now with the acknowledgement of Knull’s grand entrance in Venom’s third installment, creators are anticipating something else: financial acknowledgment.

Creators Learned Via Trailer, Not Sony

In the wake of the trailer’s release, Knull’s creators expressed disbelief via social media. Their character was being featured prominently in the film, yet they hadn’t been informed by Sony. The first of these posts appeared from Ryan Stegman, the artist behind Knull’s inaugural appearance in Marvel Comics. On Twitter, he voiced expectations of a generous payout given Knull’s starring role.

Ryan Stegman tweeted: “Yes, I did co-create Knull. I wasn’t aware until today that he was to feature in Venom: The Last Dance. I am looking forward to a decent paycheck.”

Joining him, Donny Cates, the comic’s scribe, was more explicit. His sentiment was encapsulated in a photograph of the word “MONEY,” underscored with “lol.”

Creations Breathing Life, Creators Calling For Justice

There’s no ambiguity surrounding the sentiments of these creators. They breathed life into Knull on the pages of Marvel Comics. Now they’re demanding appropriate compensation as he takes the leap to live-action film.

Without a doubt, they are deserving.

Regrettably, Hollywood hasn’t been fair to comic book creators, to put it mildly. By going public with this ludicrous situation, Stegman and Cates are drawing attention to an ongoing injustice. Without the efforts of comic book writers, artists, and other creators, Knull would not exist for ‘Venom: The Last Dance’.

Sony’s Omission Raises Concern, Creators Hope for Change

The fact Sony didn’t even inform them of Knull’s role in the movie does not bode well for their future compensation. However, widespread backlash could tip the scales toward change. The hope is that this incident sparks a transformation in the industry’s treatment of comic book creators. We’re looking forward to rooting against Knull in ‘Venom: The Last Dance,’ but not due to controversy around his creators getting their due. It’s high time Hollywood acknowledged the real heroes: the creative minds behind these unforgettable characters.