Digital Domain Creates Groundbreaking VFX for “Venom: The Last Dance,” Bringing Klyntar and Knull to Life

12.19.24

Digital Domain, a leader in visual effects, played a crucial role in creating the stunning visuals for Venom: The Last Dance. The studio's artists brought to life the dark and complex world of Klyntar and the menacing character of Knull—all within a tight timeline. The quality of Digital Domain's VFX work is evident in the film's opening scene, which introduces Knull, and the climactic post-credit scene, which leaves viewers on a cliffhanger about the villain's future. By combining cutting-edge technology with world-class craftsmanship, Digital Domain pushed the boundaries of visual effects to deliver an immersive movie experience that leaves the audience eager for more.

Klyntar – The Planet of the Symbiotes

Digital Domain's work on Venom: The Last Dance begins with the creation of Klyntar, an artificial planet in the Andromeda Galaxy, and the prison of the symbiote creator, Knull. With no live-action plates available, the entire environment was built from scratch using complex CG techniques, previs provided by production, and references from previous Venom films.

The result is a dark, eerie world that feels alive—its structures shift and change as if they are made of living tar. At the center of this world sits the imposing Knull on his throne. The effects team employed massive fluid simulations to achieve the “gooey” appearance of the planet's trees and landscape, while the animation team carefully positioned the Xenophages—horrific, monstrous creatures that crawl through this shadowy realm. Every element, from the wet, tar-like ground to the floating ash in the atmosphere, was meticulously crafted to contribute to the planet's distinctive and ominous tone.

"Our work on Klyntar proved to be one of the most complex CG environments we’ve created," said Scott Edelstein, VFX Supervisor at Digital Domain. "The challenges were immense, and the time we had to create it was limited, but our talented team came together to bring the director's vision to life with incredible attention to detail."

Knull – The Dark Villain of the Symbiote Universe

Digital Domain's work on Knull began with the further development of the villain. While the initial character design was provided by another vendor, Digital Domain’s artists expanded upon it to create a fully digital version. The character was designed to appear both flesh-like and bone-chilling, with every detail meticulously crafted, from the skin texture to the muscles in his face as he speaks.

As Knull is imprisoned for much of the film, many of his appearances are shrouded in mystery. Digital Domain used its proprietary facial capture technology, Masquerade3, to bring Knull's emotions to life. This tool allowed for detailed performance capture using head-mounted cameras to capture the nuanced expressions of Tom Hardy, who provided the voice for Knull.

The Digital Domain Animation team, led by Ellen Hoffmann, received excellent facial motion capture data from the studio’s Masquerade3 team with very little training data. Most of the shots were relatively straightforward, as the character Knull spent much of his time with his head down in a dark, eerie environment. However, one close-up shot required more intricate facial animation, where a more artistic approach was needed to capture Knull's specific mouth shapes. Additionally, the character’s pronounced wrinkles offered an opportunity to emphasize subtle facial details, which became clearly visible in the final shots seen in the film.

"The key to Knull's design was in the subtlety of his performance," said Edelstein. "We ensured that even when his face was hidden, his body and facial muscles conveyed emotion, drawing the audience into his dark and menacing presence."

The studio's final shot in the film culminated in Knull's face being revealed in full, setting the stage for his future as a major villain in the Venom universe.

Xenophages – The Symbiote Monsters

In addition to Knull and Klyntar, Digital Domain also enhanced the terrifying Xenophages, massive creatures that serve Knull. Though initially designed by another vendor, Digital Domain enhanced their monstrous nature, adding intricate details that made them even more terrifying and realistic in close-up shots. The Xenophages play a critical role in the film, tasked by Knull to find the "Codex"—a key that could free Knull from his prison. Digital Domain’s FX team was responsible for a major shot in the film that shows the Codex being created.

Cutting-Edge Tools and Collaboration

Digital Domain employed a wide range of industry-leading tools and software to bring its VFX work to life. Maya was used for modeling and look development, while Houdini played a crucial role in creating the complex fluid and particle simulations that defined the look of Klyntar. Nuke was used for compositing, and Solaris powered the lighting, while our proprietary tools Samson was used for Knull's hair and grooming.

“Our team took full advantage of the latest technology to deliver the best possible visuals for the film,” said Edelstein. “From our proprietary facial capture tool to the FX simulations for Klyntar’s living, moving landscape, the collaboration between our departments was vital to ensuring the project’s success.”

A Testament to Digital Domain’s Expertise

The work on Venom: The Last Dance showcases Digital Domain’s unmatched expertise in digital humans, creature animation, and environment design. With just three months to complete such an ambitious project, the studio’s talented team came together to create VFX that will leave a lasting impact on the film industry. “We are proud of our work on Venom: The Last Dance,” added Edelstein. “From the breathtaking world of Klyntar to the menacing presence of Knull, our team created visual effects that elevate the movie to a whole new level.”

Venom: The Last Dance is available to buy or rent now.