It was clear from pretty early on that Sony Pictures had no intention of introducing the Kraven the Hunter we know from the comic books in the studio's upcoming SSU movie, but could the poacher-killing anti-hero we meet in the film ultimately embrace his darker side and become a full-blown villain?
While speaking to Screen Rant about the movie, star Aaron Taylor-Johnson suggested that we will see Kraven take on a more antagonistic role by the end of the film.
Of course, every villain needs a hero to do battle with, and the Kick-Ass actor also shares his hope to see Kraven face Spider-Man - or some other "superheroes that we know" - in a future project.
"I mean, it's very much the question to everyone else really, right? Because I think what we've done, what we've set up in this story is a really rich character that definitely has the legs to go on and do more damage. I think he should go toe-to-toe with some superheroes that we know. One of my favorite stories is Kraven's Last Hunt. It was one of the source materials I used to go back from. He's got some dark demons there and we are basically showing the birth of that and how he becomes a villain that we then come to know. So really come see this movie, man. Come see this movie. I promise you it won't disappoint. It's got all the beats that you want and more. I think it could be an audience’s sort of villain favorite, definitely go toe-to-toe with some other people down the line, man."
Getting as many people into the theater as possible is obviously a huge priority for Sony, but it might not be so easy after the likes of Morbius and Madame Web were so widely ridiculed.
The first 8 minutes of Kraven were officially released earlier today. Check out the clip in the player below if you haven't already.
“Kraven the Hunter is the visceral story about how and why one of Marvel’s most iconic villains came to be. Set before his notorious vendetta with Spider-Man, Aaron Taylor-Johnson stars as the titular character in the R-rated film.”
Kraven the Hunter is an upcoming American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name, produced by Columbia Pictures in association with Marvel Entertainment. Distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing, it is intended to be the sixth film in Sony's Spider-Man Universe (SSU). The film was directed by J. C. Chandor and written by Art Marcum, Matt Holloway, and Richard Wenk.
In addition to Aaron Taylor-Johnson in the title role, Ariana DeBose will play Calypso, a voodoo priestess and Kraven's on-off love interest (in the comics, at least); Fred Hechinger is Dmitri Smerdyakov, aka the Chameleon, who is Kraven's half-brother; Alessandro Nivola will play Aleksei Sytsevich, aka the Rhino, and Christopher Abbott will portray another villain known as the Foreigner.
Sony's next "SMU" movie has been rated R for "Strong bloody violence, and language."