So, um, yeah, we’re going to give this whole “Sony-verse” thing another try. It’s been an interesting year for the Bootleg Marvel Cinematic Universe (BMCU), which kicked off with a bang in February with the release of Madame Web – a feature so reviled that it’s most memorable moments remain the viral memes from the trailer, prior to release. The movie’s box office performance was so disastrous, Sony quickly dived into their stash of Raimi Spider-Man DVDs so they could put some real movies back in theaters to make a quick buck. But the studio moved on to better days, releasing Venom: The Last Dance as a moderate success. Switching up from the dour ‘Web, the 3rd Venom was a return to that franchise’s comedic tone, as Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) and the symbiote embarked on a road trip that doubled as a trip down memory lane. Now, I don’t know who the exact target audience is for that type of story because I don’t know who in the world is reminiscing wistfully about the fucking Venom movies, but I’m happy for them.
With all that tomfoolery by the wayside, Sony has one last BMCU entry set for release in 2024: Kraven the Hunter. It’s a long-awaited film… not because of some fervent anticipation, it’s just that we’ve been waiting a long time for this to come out. It was originally set to release in 2023 but has been delayed multiple times, most notably due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. But the movie is here now, hoping to capitalize off the star power of Aaron-Taylor Johnson and Russell Crowe, in a father-son yarn about family legacy by way of the making of one of Spider-Man’s greatest foes.
Kraven, in comics lore, remains a highly respected antagonist amongst fans, meaning that there is at least some interest in seeing the character done justice in live action. The issue is I’m pretty certain that audiences are not fully on board with the way Sony has been trying to develop these villains in this universe, as Sony clearly seems poised to build these characters up for some type of event film down the line. But so far, I can’t even say these isolated Sony flicks are at the level of the Zack Snyder DC movies. It’s more like it’s giving Tom Cruise’s Universal Monsters Cinematic Universe, just with more longevity. Hey, Russell Crowe was there too, small world!
I say this as a precursor to establish how weird previous films similar to what Kraven the Hunter looks like have always been. These are originally villainous characters who are being repurposed as “heroes” in their stories, but will likely heel turn back to villainy when it’s time to fight Spider-Man. This was the problem with Morbius (2022), as that movie asked you to root for the title character, then tacked on a… well, tacky stinger at the end of it to tease a confrontation with Spider-Man. It’s a whiplash of audience signaling and is a big part of why these films have largely not worked thus far, that and the litany of bad story choices and poor acting. It’s that stigma that is the biggest obstacle to Kraven having success. With that in mind, Sony’s last big pitch to us is the trailer below, as with the release looming, it’s time for the movie to stand on its own:
At the very least, this doesn’t appear like it’ll reach the lows of Morbius or Madame Web. But such a low bar to clear is hardly worth spending time talking about. What’s less clear is how fleshed out of a character Kraven will be. He’s a popular foe not just for his brute strength but also his intellect, persistence, and charisma. Thus far, what the trailers have shown me is that Sony has an action movie on its hand, and the marketing has doubled down almost exclusively on that aspect. Which is fine, but do we have a genuine Kraven at the center of that action, fueling the plot?
Given Sony’s track record, it’s natural to have some skepticism regarding questions like this. We haven’t heard Aaron-Taylor Johnson speak much in these previews, as the producers must feel it’s best to sell this movie on stunts and explosions. Although, I don’t believe any of the setpieces have been particularly sticky in the audience’s collective memory. Thus, what the movie appears to be on the surface is a middle-of-the-road action adventure. I would like to be proven wrong, but I can only judge based on what the marketing is showing me, at least until the movie is actually released.
I do think that’s telling – for as much flack as we may give Sony, when they have a really good movie on their hands, it usually shows in the trailers (See: Spider-Verse). Kraven doesn’t even seem like a terrible movie, just a bit underwhelming and paint-by-numbers. Which continues to call into question the studio’s strategy on these films, especially since not all of them have been box office home runs; even the Venom sequels are seeing diminishing returns. I don’t believe you can spreadsheet and corporate synergy your way to a viable cinematic universe with long-lasting audience satisfaction. Audiences will placate pop culture pandering to a point, but they do eventually recognize when a series of films are just of a lower quality than what their standards should be. That’s what eventually killed the Bay-era Transformers sequels.
But unlike Morbius & ‘Web, Kraven isn’t being endlessly mocked online for bad lines or silly plot points. But the film is in danger of inspiring apathy, as I don’t really know if there’s any substance to this story beyond the broad machinations of a family power struggle, and if there is substance, the trailers aren’t showing it. Thus, for those who are interested in seeing the film, we can expect a stoic Aaron-Taylor Johnson to show up and kick ass. But is this just a robotic killing machine, or is there a colorful personality… a Kraven, beneath that exterior?
Kraven the Hunter hits theaters everywhere, we think, on December 13th, 2024.
