A huge component of the Sony Pictures Entertainment presentation at CinemaCon 2023 involved the studio’s commitment to Spider-Man and the properties associated with his universe. Sony Pictures Animation dedicated a chunk of time to showing those in attendance extended footage from Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. We already consider its predecessor, Into the Spider-Verse, one of the best Spider-Man movies ever made. In addition to that tease for the upcoming animated release, Sony showed us a sizzle reel for the upcoming Kraven the Hunter, which cast Aaron Taylor-Johnson in the lead role as one of Spidey’s classic baddies. And here’s what we saw!
As was previously reported, Aaron Taylor-Johnson looks positively ripped in the part of Sergei Kravinoff, a Russian immigrant and son of aristocracy who, in the comics, came to America to hunt Spider-Man. The movie version of Kraven the Hunter will take creative liberties with his origin story, which is one of the 6 quick things we have known about the film. But Kraven the Hunter also has PLENTY of action, violent kills, and an R rating, which will be a first for Sony's Marvel label.
And as part of the footage, we do see Kraven pick up the classic comic book suit that fans are dying to see on screen. But the footage stops short of having Taylor-Johnson put the suit on. Some things have to be saved for the movie. But we did, at least, get to see the introduction of a Rhino! And it looked sick.
The Kraven of this film is a hunter. He takes down countless men in vicious fashion, and has daddy issues. Don't they all. Only, Kraven's on-screen dad is Russell Crowe, so you know that leads to problems.
Kraven the Hunter is the tip of the iceberg in terms of Spider-Man projects that are being produced at Sony, including Dakota Johnson’s Madame Web and Venom 3, which recently added Ted Lasso star Juno Temple in a reportedly pivotal role. There have been announcements of an El Muerto movie starring Bullet Train co-star Bad Bunny and other upcoming Marvel movies. And of course, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is expected to transition into the third animated feature film, Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse.
While you wait for more information on the live-action Spider-Man projects, feast your eyes on the latest trailer for the visually stunning Across the Spider-Verse.
In the meantime, we will have to wait to see how Kraven the Hunter begins to use Spider-Man, if the movie uses Spider-Man, at all. As mentioned, the character’s gateway into the Spider-Man world showed the famous Big Game hunter coming to New York City to try and capture Spider-Man, which he considered the greatest prey. There will be different motivators driving Aaron Taylor-Johnson forward, no doubt. But we’d love to see Kraven start to cross paths with some of the already established characters in this spinoff universe, like when Michael Morbius (Jared Leto) crossed paths with Michael Keaton’s Vulture, teasing the construction of some kind of Sinister Six?
Stay tuned for more updates on Kraven the Hunter, including the movie's first trailer, which we hope will drop some time soon.
