The Marvel Cinematic Universe has still given no clues about its next big villain, and while there are plenty of rumors about a Venom 3. For the main villain of a saga to be on the same level as Thanos, they'd need to threaten more than just Earth. One character who could take on that role is the creator of Venom's species, a god-like figure named Knull — and his fingerprints are already all over the MCU.
the Hulk's mistreatment by Banner to grief over Natasha's heroic sacrifice. This could all serve as a distraction from a more serious threat.
The entry of Venom and the symbiotes into the MCU at the end of The Avengers, which originally introduced Thanos. With Let There Be Carnage also serving to expand on audiences' knowledge of symbiotes, it would make sense for Knull to initially be introduced in something like Venom 3, only to be too big a threat for the Sony antihero alone to take down.
Eternals gave more background about who the Celestials are, while leaving plenty of unanswered questions. Once the Symbiotes make their MCU debut, all the pieces are in place for Knull's potential Venom 3 introduction.
The rumored World War Hulk movie would promise to pit heroes against each other, much like Hulk may become a villain in future Avengers movies. As an existential threat to the planet, he'd certainly be a danger on par with the likes of Ultron. Knull, however, could easily match the threat level of the Thanos encountered in Avengers Endgame, with his own endgame being to annihilate everything. A movie adaption of Planet of the Symbiotes could easily set this story in motion.
Recent movies have taken the MCU in a cosmic direction, and it's likely this trend is going to continue. Guardians of the Galaxy and Thor: Ragnarok showed that audiences enjoy stories involving spaceships and alien planets and, despite harsh reviews, viewers widely enjoyed Eternals and all the mythological overtones which it contained. Hulk can claim a place in this too, following his time on Sakaar and his role in the Battle of the Rainbow Bridge on Asgard.
Venom and Hulk are among Marvel's most popular characters, and both of them have the potential to take future Marvel Cinematic Universe story arcs in interesting directions. With no official confirmation from Marvel, it's still a mystery what the rumored Hulk movie might look like, and what role Venom may play in the MCU. With an exciting lineup promised for the future though, there's certainly a lot to look forward to - and the potential that Venom 3 and World War Hulk could hold is in many ways just the tip of the iceberg.
Next: Let There Be Carnage Failed To Answer Venom’s Biggest Mystery Set-Up
