Your Guide To Kraven The Hunter
Jun 1, 2023
KRAVEN THE HUNTER opens August 30, 2024
There’s reason to believe we are still living in the golden age of Marvel movies, with recent additions like GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 3 and SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE pushing the genre to new boundaries in terms of action, story, and drama. But the adventures of the Guardians and countless Web-Slingers aren’t the only iconic characters from the pages of Marvel Comics on the big screen this year, as the world will soon meet one of Marvel’s most prolific and legendary villains in KRAVEN THE HUNTER.
Though not a lot is known about the story that will unfold in KRAVEN THE HUNTER when the upcoming movie opens in AMC Theatres, there’s quite a bit we know about the incredible cast led by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, the filmmaker who’s helming his first comic book movie and what to expect from Sony’s first R-rated Marvel movie. Here’s your guide to KRAVEN THE HUNTER.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson will join the ranks of other actors who have played two Marvel characters when he appears as the titular role in KRAVEN THE HUNTER. Back in May 2021, Deadline reported that Taylor-Johnson, who previously portrayed Pietro Maximoff, a.k.a., Quicksilver, in 2015’s AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON, had been picked by Sony Pictures to bring one of Spider-Man’s most formidable foes to the big screen.
The announcement came at a busy period in Taylor-Johnson’s career, as the actor has spent the past few years appearing in movies like Christopher Nolan’s TENET, Matthew Vaughn’s THE KING’S MAN and most recently, David Leitch’s surprisingly funny action flick, BULLET TRAIN, the latter of which was also released by Sony Pictures.
Taylor-Johnson, who made a big splash in Vaughn’s KICK-ASS, as well as its 2013 sequel, has spent the better part of the past decade taking on a variety of outstanding roles in movies ranging from psychological thrillers like NOCTURNAL ANIMALS to massive summer blockbusters like GODZILLA. That range will come in handy when the actor plays one of Marvel’s more complex characters.
In addition to featuring Aaron Taylor-Johnson at the head of the cast, the movie will also see performances from a group of A-listers, including two Academy Award® winners.
According to Variety, Ariana DeBose, the breakout star of Steven Spielberg’s WEST SIDE STORY, will be taking on the role of Calypso, a voodoo priestess with an on-and-off romantic relationship with Kraven. With the power of mind control at her disposal, the character packs quite a punch, both physically and mentally.
DeBose isn’t the only Academy Award winner set to appear, as Russell Crowe will also show up in the upcoming movie. The actor, who’s no stranger to the superhero game with roles in MAN OF STEEL and THOR: LOVE & THUNDER, joined the cast in an undisclosed role in early 2022, according to The Hollywood Reporter, which was later revealed to be that of Kraven’s father. Also set to appear are Fred Hechinger, Alessandro Nivola, Christopher Abboot, and Levi Miller.
When KRAVEN THE HUNTER comes out in theatres this October, it will be the first superhero or comic book movie directed by J.C. Chandor, who has been attached to the project since 2020, according to Deadline.
Prior to joining the Sony Pictures Universe of Marvel Characters, Chandor, like other Marvel directors that came before, made a name for himself writing and directing movies like TRIPLE FRONTIER, A MOST VIOLENT YEAR, ALL IS LOST, and his 2011 MARGIN CALL, which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay.
Throughout his career, Chandor has worked with Marvel actors like Paul Bettany, Robert Redford, Jessica Chastain, Oscar Isaac, Ben Affleck, and numerous others. All of this is to say that while Chandor doesn’t have previous comic book movie experience, he’s more than fit for the job.
When KRAVEN THE HUNTER debuts on the big screen later this year, it will become Sony’s first R-rated Marvel movie. When reporting on the film’s presentation at CinemaCon 2023, CinemaBlend reported that the footage showed Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s Sergei Kravinoff, a.k.a. Kraven the Hunter, pull off some violent kills in the action-packed preview reel.
During the same presentation, Taylor-Johnson appeared via video to tell those in attendance that the upcoming comic book flick would be rated-R. Expect to hear much more about the details of that R-rating as we get closer to the film's release.
Though KRAVEN THE HUNTER will be Sony’s first R-rated Marvel movie, there have been multiple films based on the comic book publisher’s heroes and villains to carry the restrictive rating over the years, with DEADPOOL, LOGAN, and BLADE coming to mind.
With a great lead in Aaron Taylor-Johnson, a superb supporting cast, a decorated director making his first superhero movie, and a rare R-rating, KRAVEN THE HUNTER is shaping up to be one of the most exciting Marvel movies on the way. And you’ll be able to see it all come together when it opens at your local AMC Theatres location in 2024!
KRAVEN THE HUNTER opens pens August 30, 2024
