This week, we lastly acquired a have a look at Kraven the Hunter, the following movie in Sony’s burgeoning cinematic universe of movies about Spider-Man villains with out Spider-Man. Kraven, which stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Tenet, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Kick-Ass), is the most recent in what I personally imagine to be probably the most complicated sorta-franchise in Hollywood — not as a result of it’s onerous to comply with, however as a result of I can’t for the lifetime of me determine what anybody’s deal is, or why Sony is making these.
Kraven follows up Venom and its sequel in addition to Morbius in Sony’s unusual Spider-villain universe, which primarily exists as a result of Sony has the movie rights to all the heroes and villains with a direct connection to Spider-Man, and has determined, for some purpose, to make anti-hero films starring Spider-Man villains. We’re additionally getting a Madame Net film starring Dakota Johnson and Sydney Sweeney in 2024.
So I’ve some questions, and I presume you do too. I’m going to articulate these questions in a useful “Q&A” format, which we’re all going to then fake isn’t simply me arguing with myself.
So Kraven’s complete factor is he acquired mauled by a lion and it made him higher?
Uhh… that positive appears to be what this Kraven’s deal is. Perhaps the film will clarify extra? However proper now, it simply looks as if a lion bled into younger Kraven’s open wound and now he has animal-themed superpowers.
What in regards to the standard Kraven?
That’s it?
Yeah! He simply fancies himself the final word hunter, who won’t ever be happy till he’s hunted all the most harmful prey. A variety of occasions, which means Spider-Man. Why he’s by no means been as concerned with, say, Wolverine or Captain America is anybody’s guess. As one in all Spidey’s earliest villains, it’s most likely private at this level.
Later comics launched an elaborate backstory for him, detailing his heritage as a Russian aristocrat tied up in all method of nefarious energy jockeying — like Succession, however far more complicated. Not less than a few of this appears to be within the movie, because of the presence of Russell Crowe as Kraven’s father and Dmitri Smerdyakov (Fred Hechinger), Kraven’s half-brother, higher often known as The Chameleon.
So that is new for you too, huh?
Ayup. I’m not mad. Kraven has had superhuman talents in some tales, however they’re often fairly muted, and never like this. Kraven The Hunter appears to have a extra gonzo, violent take, and like, positive, why not?
Kraven the Film positive appears fairly violent! How is Spider-Man gonna slot in right here?
I don’t know! That is probably the most weird factor about these films; as they’re R-rated Spider-adjacent movies that Spider-Man — not less than the present MCU model performed by Tom Holland — can’t probably match into. The MCU is just not a rated-R kind place (not less than not till Deadpool 3, which is its personal bizarre factor). And even with the flexibleness afforded by the inter-dimensional shenanigans of Throughout the Spider-Verse (which contains a supporting character from Venom!) and Spider-Man: No Method House, it stays fairly onerous to think about Sony intending for the very same viewers that confirmed up for these movies to point out up right here.
Huh. What’s the endgame right here then?
Sony has had plans for a Sinister Six film in a single type or one other for nearly a decade now, though, formally, there are not any present plans for any filmmakers to take a brand new stab at it. Sony definitely has put sufficient dangerous guys on display screen to drag from for that Spider-Man villain team-up, and Kraven is about to introduce a number of extra, with The Rhino (Alessandro Nivola) and Calypso (Ariana DeBose) becoming a member of Kraven and the Chameleon.
So yeah, all kinds of issues might occur. Perhaps a brand new Spider-Man is solid to exist within the R-rated Sony-verse, as Spider-Man: No Method House and Morbius each had complicated post-credits scenes that implied MCU Spidey doesn’t exist in that world. Perhaps Sony commits even tougher and has all these villains crew up in opposition to somebody who is just not Spider-Man. Or perhaps the inconceivable does occur and the Tom Holland Peter Parker/Spider-Man we presently know and love has the nice misfortune of going through all these scary villains without delay.
However the extra seemingly reply? Sony’s Spider-villain films have discovered a distinct segment that isn’t actually being served by anything proper now: violent, big-budget results blockbusters with loads of comedian guide ridiculousness. Granted, this can be a fraught area of interest. Venom discovered success inside it whereas Morbius didn’t, and it stays to be seen how lengthy Sony can get away with only a mild Spider-Zest in lieu of Spider-Man. However for now, it’s the weirdest factor occurring in superhero cinema, and it’s solely going to get weirder.
