Kraven the Hunter is about to become Sony’s latest entry into their Spider-Man Universe franchise.
Starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the titular antihero, Sergei Kravinoff aka Kraven, Sony is finally pushing through with the project that’s been in development since March 2019.
Kraven the Hunter has been teased since The Amazing Spider-Man 2 director Marc Webb took interest in seeing the character get his own movie, and now that he’s about to make his big screen debut, here’s everything you have to know about the upcoming Sony film!
When Does Kraven the Hunter Come Out?
Kraven the Hunter was initially scheduled to premiere on January 13, 2023, but has been moved to release on October 6, 2023, instead.
However, Sony has recently announced that Kraven the Hunter will suffer another year of delay, with the Spider-Man spinoff now slated to release on August 30, 2024, as of writing.
The film is also set for its streaming release date on Netflix after its theatrical release.
Specifically, due to the agreement struck between Netflix and Sony back in April 2021 where Sony films (mostly Spider-Man and Venom films thus far) will be exclusively made available on the streaming service.
Although there are no exact release dates yet on when Kraven the Hunter starts streaming, Sony movies usually get released on Netflix within four months after their theatrical premiere.
With that in mind, you could expect Kraven the Hunter to stream by February 2024. Do take note that this is not the official confirmed streaming release date yet, though.
ALSO READ: Where Was Kraven the Hunter Filmed?
What Will Kraven the Hunter Be About?
Well, given that this will be Kraven's first official debut in the SSU (Sony's Spider-Man Universe), of course his film is bound to be about his origins story of how he became Kraven the Hunter in the first place.
Sony's official plot synopsis for Kraven the Hunter reads: "Russian immigrant Sergei Kravinoff is on a mission to prove that he is the greatest hunter in the world."
Pretty similar to how the Marvel Comics depicted him, in which he was raised ruthlessly by families and generations of hunters, except, according to the official trailer, one hunting trip went wrong that led his father to disown him.
Once the drop of blood from the lion he killed in the trailer infiltrated his system, this is where he supposedly began his new path as Kraven the Hunter.
[This is a developing story. We'll be sure to keep an eye out in case Sony drops more updates on Kraven the Hunter. Meanwhile, stay tuned for more stories like this here on EpicStream!]
Who Plays Kraven the Hunter?
Aaron Taylor-Johnson has been considered for many similar projects depicting the talent he’s known (and shown) for, such as in Kick-Ass and even Bullet Train, and was even one of the frontrunning candidates to become the next James Bond.
Now, his latest entry into the superhero genre is becoming Spider-Man’s ‘Number One Rival’ in Sony’s film, debuting in his own solo movie.
Previously, in an interview with Variety, Taylor-Johnson described his role as ‘one of Marvel’s most iconic, notorious anti-heroes — Spider-Man’s number one rival.’
The 33-year-old actor added how Kraven the Hunter is set apart from other Marvel movies because of this character not being “...an alien or a wizard. He’s just a hunter, a human with conviction. An animal lover and a protector of the human world. He’s a very, very cool character.”
But Doesn’t He Play A Different MCU Character?
Well, yeah. In case you aren’t aware, Aaron used to play Pietro, the brother of Wanda Maximoff who got eliminated as soon as he debuted in Avengers: Age of Ultron.
Though he played the role for a short time, his performances was one of the most memorable and notable things in the MCU.
So to be given another chance for him to play a different, albeit riskier, role is a dream come true to those who have come to love his Quicksilver portrayal.
In another interview, with The Hollywood Reporter (via Movieweb), Taylor-Johnson emphasized how different this loosely MCU-related movie will be, considering how Kraven the Hunter is portraying a more matured rating of the Marvel world:
“Kraven being shot entirely on location is going to make all the difference. It’s going to add something really beautiful to our personal story. It also sets Kraven apart from that Marvel stage look. It’s important for this character to be in the real world. It’s important for the authenticity of the story. When you’re running on streets barefoot, you take in those elements and play within that.”
ALSO READ: Why Is Kraven The Hunter Obsessed With Spider-Man?
Who Else Has Been Cast on Kraven the Hunter?
As for the rest of the castmates we’re about to see in Kraven the Hunter alongside Aaron Taylor-Johnson:
- Russell Crowe as Nikolai Kravinoff (Kraven’s father)
- Arlana DeBose as Calypso
- Fred Hechinger as Dmitri Smerdyakov (aka Chameleon)
- Christopher Abbott as The Foreigner
- Alessandro Nivola as Aleksei Sytsevich (aka The Rhino)
- Levi Miller as Young Sergei Kravinoff
[This story is still developing; Epicstream will be sure to update this article when new cast members have been officially announced or added to the roster!]
Does Kraven the Hunter Have An Official Trailer?
Sony Pictures Entertainment released the official trailer for Kraven the Hunter on June 20, 2023, which you can watch and check out below:
What Will Kraven the Hunter Be Rated?
Deadpool 3 may be one of the next upcoming Marvel movies highly anticipated by longtime MCU fans, seeing as it is bound to be the franchise’s first ever ‘R’-rated franchise joining the multiverse, but the threequel is currently scheduled to appear in late 2024.
Considering that Kraven the Hunter is still a Marvel movie, just under Sony’s name, the film has been recently confirmed to be the first MCU movie that’s been rated ‘R’ for including plenty of blood and violence.
The most we have heard from Marvel is the little ‘F-bomb’ dropped off in James Gunn’s third film for the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, so to see Kraven the Hunter (as you can tell just from the trailer alone) become the MCU’s first official ‘R’-rated film is quite exhilarating to see in the history of the franchise.
READ MORE: Kraven the Hunter: Origin, Powers, Goals & More
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