Spider-Man has been conspicuously absent from the majority of Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, leaving it to Kraven the Hunter to buck the trend. Sony still holds the distribution rights to Spider-Man, but his absence thus far from his own cinematic franchise has become a significant bone of contention among fans. This was recently exacerbated by Spider-Man’s absence from his hometown of New York in Venom: The Last Dance, where Eddie Brock was last seen wandering the streets without Spider-Man’s presence being so much as teased.
Kraven the Hunter is another big player in Spider-Man’s iconic rogues’ gallery. Debuting in 1964’s “The Amazing Spider-Man #15,” he is also one of the most longstanding. Kraven’s entire MO in Marvel Comics is to defeat Spider-Man, a person he considers to the “most dangerous game,” in a fair hunt, proving to be a three-dimensional villain with a strong sense of honor. Given his lengthy and inexorable history with Spider-Man, it stands to reason that he would encounter the superhero in Kraven the Hunter.
What Aaron Taylor Johnson Has Said About Spider-Man In Kraven The Hunter
“Spider-Man…I’m Coming For You.”
Aaron Taylor-Johnson portrays Sergei Kravinoff, AKA Kraven, in his eponymous origin movie. From the jump, Kraven the Hunter was billed as an origin set at least mostly during Kraven’s life before Spider-Man becomes a factor. Nevertheless, Taylor-Johnson stoked anticipation for Spider-Man’s arrival back in June 2023, when he posted the trailer for Kraven the Hunter to his Instagram account (via Comicbook) with the caption “Spider-Man…I’m coming for you.”
The closest that Spider-Man has gotten to debuting in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe so far has been as a fetus in
Madame Web
and as a work of graffiti in the
Morbius
trailer, which was subsequently removed from the theatrical release.
More recently, Aaron Taylor-Johnson had a conversation with ScreenRant, where the topic of a potential encounter with Spider-Man was brought up. Before reiterating his admiration for the comic that inspired him for the role, the comic run “Kraven’s Last Hunt,” Taylor-Johnson acknowledged that Kraven should “go on and do more damage” to Spider-Man and other superheroes. His full quote is as follows:
“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, [and he should] definitely go toe to toe with some other people down the line, man.”
Taylor-Johnson’s focus on the future of Kraven and a potential run-in with Spider-Man suggested that it would not happen in Kraven the Hunter, specifically. Nevertheless, there was always the chance that Spider-Man would either be referenced or cameo. Now that Kraven the Hunter has hit theaters, however, we have a definitive answer on that front.
Spider-Man Doesn’t Appear In Kraven The Hunter
His Absence Continues A Trend In Sony’s Spider-Man Universe
Peter Parker or any other rendition of Spider-Man does not appear in Kraven the Hunter at any point, continuing the longstanding trend of his omission from the franchise. Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s vague response to Spider-Man’s potential involvement in Kraven the Hunter makes more sense knowing that he would not appear, as does his subsequent hint at adapting “Kraven’s Last Hunt.” Unfortunately, the notion that Kraven and Spider-Man will face off – at least in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe – has been significantly curtailed by recent developments.
Related
Spider-Man 4: Cast, Story, & Everything We Know
After Spider-Man: No Way Home, Marvel and Sony have an even bigger task to make Spider-Man 4, but will Tom Holland return and would it be in the MCU?
The Wrap recently reported that Sony will be putting a hold on the cinematic franchise, suggesting that Kraven the Hunter may be the final installment. Instead, Sony intends to focus on its more successful projects – namely its animated Spider-Verse trilogy and the MCU’s Spider-Man movies, where the development for Spider-Man 4 is well underway. Early reviews for Kraven the Hunter paint a poor picture of his future, but this does not necessarily mean that Taylor-Johnson’s Kraven will never get to face “the most dangerous game” in live-action.
Why Marvel Fans Want A Kraven And Spider-Man Crossover To Happen
Kraven And Peter Are Sworn Enemies
The case for a Kraven and Spider-Man crossover is twofold. First and foremost, Kraven’s inexorable ties to Peter Parker in Marvel Comics are impossible to ignore, and while the iconic villain is one of Spider-Man’s most memorable and formidable, he is one of few yet to go face-to-face with Spidey in live-action. Taylor-Johnson’s specific mention of “Kraven’s Last Hunt” is also pertinent, as this is one of Marvel’s most acclaimed runs which begs for a no-holds-barred adaptation for the big screen.
Secondly comes the bigger picture. Sony’s Spider-Man Universe has suffered under the weight of Spider-Man’s absence, and many fans believe that simply adding Spider-Man to the franchise would have vastly improved it. The inherent ties of the franchise’s composite characters to Spider-Man make omitting him from these projects exceptionally difficult to justify. Unfortunately, it looks as though Kraven the Hunter may suffer from the same concerns. Now, Kraven’s last hope may be to migrate to the MCU where he can face Tom Holland’s Peter Parker instead.
5/10
Kraven the Hunter
Kraven the Hunter explores the origin story of Sergei Kravinoff, known as Kraven, as he navigates his tumultuous relationship with his father, Nikolai. This path of vengeance sets Kraven on a journey to become a formidable hunter with a reputation for fearsome brutality.
- Release Date
- December 13, 2024
- Runtime
- 127 Minutes
- Cast
- Aaron Taylor-Johnson , Russell Crowe , Fred Hechinger , Ariana DeBose , Christopher Abbott , Alessandro Nivola , Levi Miller , Chi Lewis-Parry , Billy Barratt , Jessica Zhou , Michael Shaeffer , Dritan Kastrati , Greg Kolpakchi , Elander Moore , Filiz Fairweather , Duran Fulton Brown , Alex Skarbek , Rachel Handshaw , Preslav Shipkaliev , Murat Seven , Robert Ryan
- Director
- J.C. Chandor
- Writers
- Art Marcum , Richard Wenk , Matt Holloway
Upcoming MCU Movies
Sources: Comicbook & The Wrap