A new Marvel Comics cosplay has just proven that one ofVenom’s’s greatest adversaries, Knull aka theKing in Black, needs a new live-action look in his inevitable MCU debut. Especially so after how the character was treated inVenom: The Last Dance.
A fresh take on the King in Black character shared on Instagram by Grace McClung (@graciethecosplaylass), this prolific creative talent has tried her hand at recreating many Marvel characters before and has always succeeded in ways that should make Hollywood jealous:
Previously crafting costumes that put her in the symbiote shoes of Carnage, Scream, and even aVenomized Black Cat, it’s clear that Grace knows what makes a good live-action design work.
This King in Black Cosplay Is the Best Live-Action Knull Design
Cosplay Design by Grace McClung (@graciethecosplaylass)
Grinning through blood-red lips as she sits on a partially obscured throne, Grace’s pale white skin, platinum hair, and crimson spiral-branded forehead naila comic-accurate look thatVenom: The Last Dancedesign missed. Wearing red and black armor, Grace adds Knull’s dragon chest logo and some red spirals on her legs, completing her cosplay with a unique visual flair.
Getting a better look at the symbiote throne Grace sits on in the next photo, Grace holds her hand steady onAll-Black the Necroswordas she gazes into the void with cosmic intent. Flanked by two symbiote heads slithering up from her chair, it’s the addition of some smoky red haze that fully sells this Knull design.
And while Grace is technically cosplaying asMarvel Rivals' Queen in Black, a character that doesn’t exist in Marvel Comics (yet), the MCU would do well to take a few cues from her design. After all, the shadowy debut ofKnull inVenom: The Last Danceleft a lot to be desired.
Knull’s Venom: The Last Dance Character Design Left Fans Wanting
Grace Proves He Can Work in the MCU, However
The overarching Big Bad ofVenom: The Last Dance, Knull, played by Andy Serkis, didn’t do much outside of bowing his head menacingly as he ordered his minions around from his throne. Bathed in shadow for the film’s entire runtime, fans never got a good look at the character, leaving many feeling like Knull was an afterthought.
As Grace proves here, should the MCU reintroduce this version of Knull or pull a completely different iteration of the character out of the multiverse, leaning into his comic look may be the better option. From Knull’s terrifying grin to a more imposing silhouette to him being less covered in goo, Grace’s cosplay is by far the more impressive-looking design.
While Sony’s offshoot Spider-Man film universe is now officially dead, there was a rumor thatKnull may make the jump to the MCUin an upcoming film, much like how Venom might as well. But should that not happen, cosplayers like Grace McClung (@graciethecosplaylass) have fans covered, giving the King in Black the live-action look he always deserved.
