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Venom 4: King in Black (2025) catapults Sony’s Spider-Man Universe (SSU) into uncharted territory, delivering a visceral, action-packed superhero spectacle that merges cosmic horror with emotional depth. Directed by Kelly Marcel, who also helmed Venom: The Last Dance (2024), this fourth installment introduces Knull, the symbiote god, as a formidable antagonist threatening to plunge Earth into eternal darkness. With Tom Hardy reprising his iconic role as Eddie Brock/Venom and Tom Holland joining as Spider-Man, the film crafts an uneasy alliance that elevates the stakes and redefines the franchise. This 1000-word review explores why Venom 4: King in Black is a must-see for Marvel fans, blending intense action, dark visuals, and a gripping exploration of Eddie’s humanity.

A Cosmic Threat and a Stellar Cast

The film picks up after the events of Venom: The Last Dance, where Knull (voiced chillingly by Andy Serkis) was introduced as the creator of the symbiotes, imprisoned on Klyntar but seeking freedom through the Codex—a fragment of symbiote essence within Eddie Brock. Knull’s arrival on Earth unleashes chaos, with his army of symbiote dragons cocooning New York City in a living abyss. The narrative, inspired by Donny Cates and Ryan Stegman’s 2020 comic event King in Black, pits Eddie and Venom against an apocalyptic force, forcing them to team up with Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Holland), who brings his own MCU-flavored heroism to the mix.

Tom Hardy delivers another tour-de-force performance, embodying Eddie’s internal conflict with raw intensity. His chemistry with Venom, voiced with sardonic menace by Hardy himself, remains the heart of the franchise, balancing humor and pathos. Holland’s Spider-Man injects youthful energy and wit, contrasting Eddie’s gruff demeanor. Their dynamic—marked by mistrust and banter—feels organic, echoing the comic-book rivalry between Venom and Spider-Man. Supporting performances, including Juno Temple as a scientist studying the Codex and Chiwetel Ejiofor as a military leader, add depth, though some subplots feel underdeveloped. Andy Serkis’s Knull, while visually imposing, could have used more screen time to flesh out his motivations beyond cosmic domination.

A Visual Feast of Horror and Action

Venom 4: King in Black excels in its visual storytelling, delivering some of the most ambitious sequences in the SSU. The film leans heavily into horror, with Knull’s symbiote dragons—writhing, toothy monstrosities—swarming New York’s skyline. Cinematographer Matthew Libatique, known for his work on A Star is Born (2018), crafts a dark, atmospheric aesthetic. Nighttime battles are illuminated by neon lights and symbiote goo, creating a gritty, almost gothic vibe. The CGI, while occasionally overwhelming, is a step up from Venom: The Last Dance, with clearer action choreography and inventive uses of Venom’s shape-shifting abilities, from tendril-lashing to transforming into a horse-like creature in one memorable chase.

The film’s action sequences are a highlight, blending Spider-Man’s acrobatic web-slinging with Venom’s brutal, symbiote-fueled combat. A standout battle on the Brooklyn Bridge sees Venom and Spider-Man working in tandem to fend off a symbiote-possessed Celestial, a nod to the comics’ cosmic scope. However, some fans may find the pacing uneven, with the middle act bogged down by expository scenes about the Codex. Despite this, the climactic showdown, where Eddie taps into the Codex’s power to confront Knull, is a visual and emotional triumph, underscored by a haunting score from Ludwig Göransson.

Emotional Stakes and Thematic Depth

At its core, Venom 4 is about Eddie’s struggle to reconcile his humanity with the symbiote’s primal instincts. The film delves deeper into this dynamic than its predecessors, exploring themes of sacrifice and redemption. Eddie’s fear of losing himself to Venom mirrors Peter’s own doubts about his role as a hero, creating a compelling parallel. A poignant scene where Eddie contemplates a normal life, set to a melancholic rendition of David Bowie’s Space Oddity, is a standout, showcasing Hardy’s ability to convey vulnerability.

The inclusion of Spider-Man adds a fresh layer to the narrative. While some comic purists may balk at Venom’s antihero status rather than his traditional villainous role, the film justifies this shift by emphasizing Eddie’s growth as a protector. The uneasy alliance with Spider-Man feels earned, with Holland’s Peter challenging Eddie’s moral ambiguity. However, Knull’s characterization as a one-dimensional “god of darkness” slightly undercuts the emotional weight, as his motivations lack the nuance of villains like Carnage from Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021).

SEO-Optimized Insights for Marvel Fans

For Marvel fans searching for Venom 4: King in Black reviews, this film is a thrilling addition to the SSU, offering a darker, more ambitious take than Venom: The Last Dance. Keywords like “Venom 4 release date” (October 2025), “Tom Hardy Venom,” and “Knull King in Black” will likely trend, given the film’s ties to the comics and its crossover potential with the MCU. The post-credits scenes—teasing a multiversal threat and a potential new symbiote host—are sure to spark discussions about Spider-Man 4 and Avengers: Secret Wars (2027). Fans of the King in Black comic will appreciate nods to Eddie’s cosmic power-up, though some may wish for more focus on Knull’s backstory.

The film’s box office performance is poised to surpᴀss Venom: The Last Dance’s $500 million global gross, thanks to the Spider-Man crossover appeal. However, mixed reviews, similar to the 40% Rotten Tomatoes score for The Last Dance, may persist due to pacing issues and Knull’s underdevelopment. For those searching “is Venom 4 worth watching,” the answer is yes for fans of Hardy’s unhinged performance and high-octane action, but casual viewers may find the plot convoluted.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths:

• Tom Hardy and Tom Holland’s chemistry drives the film, with Hardy’s dual role as Eddie and Venom stealing the show.

• Stunning visuals and inventive action sequences elevate the SSU’s production quality.

• Emotional moments, like Eddie’s reflection on his lost normalcy, add surprising depth.

• Post-credits scenes set up exciting future storylines, appealing to Marvel enthusiasts.

Weaknesses:

• Knull’s limited screen time and shallow motivations make him a less compelling villain.

• The middle act drags with excessive exposition about the Codex and symbiote lore.

• Some supporting characters, like those played by Temple and Ejiofor, feel underutilized.

Final Verdict: A Flawed but Thrilling Send-Off

Venom 4: King in Black is a bold, chaotic addition to Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, blending horror, humor, and heart with mixed results. Tom Hardy’s magnetic performance and the electric Venom-Spider-Man dynamic make it a worthy watch, despite pacing hiccups and an underdeveloped antagonist. For fans of the Venom trilogy or the King in Black comics, the film delivers enough spectacle and emotional resonance to satisfy. While it doesn’t reach the heights of MCU standouts like Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021), it’s a thrilling step forward for the SSU, hinting at bigger things to come.

Rating: 7.5/10

For those searching for Venom 4: King in Black showtimes or streaming options, the film is currently in theaters, with digital releases expected in December 2025 and Blu-ray in early 2026, following Sony’s typical schedule. Stay tuned for post-credits breakdowns and Spider-Man 4 connections, as this film sets the stage for a multiversal showdown.

A Farmer’s Misplaced Hammer Led to the Largest Roman Treasure in Britain

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November 16, 1992 was the day which changed Suffolk-resident Eric Lawes’ life in a huge way. What he thought would have been an innocent search for a hammer he had misplaced on his farm in Hoxne Village, Suffolk, England ended up bringing him much more than he had bargained for — namely, uncovering the hiding spot of a long-hidden treasure. Based on the Guardian’s coverage of the story, Eric Lawes had been previously gifted a metal detector upon his retirement as a parting token. He decided to put his retirement gift to good use in order to locate the hammer which he had had some trouble finding. According to a 2018 Smithsonian Magazine article, when the device started recording that there was a strong signal coming from the earth, he knew that he was about to discover something big. As he started digging, it soon became clear to him that he had unearthed a treasure trove.

The Guardian reports that, when Lawes saw that his preliminary digging had yielded a few gold coins and silver spoons, he immediately contacted both the local archaeological society and the police department. Archaeologists came to the property the following day and had the area of earth holding the treasure carefully sectioned-off and removed. Their hope was that at a later stage, in their laboratory, they could examined the items in order to identify both their age and how they were stored.

When all was said and done, close to 60 pounds of items made from silver and gold were found on the site. These included more than 15,000 Roman coins, 200 gold objects, and several silver spoons. For archaeologists, this find — which later became labeled as the Hoxne Hoard — was an incredible discovery. AP News reported that archaeologist Judith Plouviez was over-the-moon about the discovery, saying that it was “an incredibly exciting and amazing find.” What’s more, another archaeologist, Rachel Wilkinson, told Smithsonian Magazine that this discovery was “the largest and latest ever found in Britain.”

Ordinarily, archaeologists would use radiocarbon dating as a means of identifying the age of ancient relics. However, they couldn’t locate any suitable material from the haul. Consequently, they determined the age by examining writing on the coins, as well as the ruler carved into them, estimating that the treasure was probably buried in either 408 or 409 AD.

Roman-era archaeologist Peter Guest told Smithsonian Magazine that “if you look at them a little more carefully, then they should be dated to the period after the separation of Britain from the Roman Empire.” He offers as part of his evidence the fact that almost all of the coins found in the Hoxne Hoard were clipped – in other words, small chunks of their edges had been taken off. These clippings would have been used to create coins which were similar to the Roman coins of that era.

Guest has a logical reason for this, arguing that “The Roman Empire wasn’t supplying Britain with new gold and silver coins, and in light of that, the population tried to get over this sudden cutoff in the supply of their precious metals by making the existing supplies go further.”

Archaeologists also believe that the treasure belonged to a Romano-British family. During that time, considering that there was so much societal discord and upheaval, it was common for Romans who had settled in Britain to bury their most prized possessions.

That said, one archaeologist is of the belief that the hoard had a lot of sentimental value for the Romano-British family to whom it is believed to have belonged. In her book The Hoxne Late Roman Treasure: Gold Jewellery and Silver Plate, Catherine Johns claims that the manner in which the treasure was kept supported this claim. Some of the items which were recovered had been packaged in small, wooden boxes which were lined with leather. What’s more, pieces of wood, locks, and nails, among other things, surrounded the gold and silver pieces. This leads Catherine to assert that the package was carefully buried and not simply chucked away in a rush.

Interestingly enough, the items unearthed might shed some light on the identity of the family who owned them. They cite a gold bracelet bearing the inscription “UTERE FELIX DOMINA IULIANE,” which roughly translates to “use this happily Lady Juliane”. A second name “Aurelius Ursicinus” has also been discovered. This has consequently led some to believe that Juliane and Aurelius were the couple and the original owners of the treasure. That said, that has yet to be confirmed.

All in all, the discovery was a real treasure for archaeologists, and by extension, for Lawes. According to Smithsonian Magazine, in recognition of his discovery and willingness to contact authorities, the British government rewarded him with over £1.7 million, an amount which he shared with the farmer whose land was dug out in order to get the treasure. Funnily enough, apart from the treasure, Lawes also found his lost hammer — which now resides in the British Museum.