While Deadpool & Wolverine is the only MCU movie that will be hitting theaters this year, Sony’s Spider-verse still has two of its villain-centric films dropping this year with Venom: The Last Dance and Kraven The Hunter. These films will be released after another Spider-verse movie, Madame Web, made its impression earlier this year. It’s time to hit the game trail as Sony has now released the trailer for Kraven The Hunter.

The film opens December 13 after a couple of delays, in which producer Matt Tolmach explains, “Kraven moved to Christmas because we’re excited about it and Christmas is the best release period there is, when you get people with time to go back to the movies over and over again,” Tolmach said. “That was a real reflection of how the studio felt about the movie. We’re really excited. But that’s a great move that reflects just the feeling about the movie.“

J.C. Chandor (A Most Violent Year, Triple Frontier) directs from a script by Matt Holloway (Iron Man, Transformers: The Last Knight, Uncharted). Russell Crowe, Ariana DeBose, Christopher Abbott, Alessandro Nivola, Fred Hechinger, and Levi Miller join Taylor-Johnson as cast members.

Chandor says that his superhero film differentiates itself from the others as Kraven‘s story plays more like a tragedy. “Sony probably doesn’t want me to lead with this. but the story is a tragedy. When the final credits roll on this film, if you’ve been paying attention, you won’t have the feeling that this is all going to end great.”

Taylor-Johnson mentions that it was important to him to flesh out Kraven as a person, especially since he’s a hunter. “When you say stuff like ‘I’m the greatest hunter of all time,’ you’ve got to know deep within your being that it’s coming from a place of reality and depth, and feels like it’s possible and plausible.” The actor studied people who have that complicated relationship with animals, “You just grab little things. and they rub off, in ways, and they come in handy.” It was reported that he got into the mindset by stalking deer to feel “the emotional turmoil and the sense of guilt” that came with the hunt.

You can also get a look at the new poster below, which proudly displays its R-rating in red.

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Hey, True Believers, remember Kraven the Hunter? I’ll give you a minute to refresh your memory. Are you good? Cool. After dropping off the radar for several months following the debut of a gnarly (and somewhat promising) red-band trailer, Sony delayed Kraven the Hunter until the Christmas box office window. Why? According to producer Matt Tolmach, “Kraven moved to Christmas because we’re excited about it, and Christmas is the best release period there is – when you get people with time to go back to the movies over and over again.” What’s in store for Sony’s next Marvel film? Lots of mature themes, it would seem. Kraven the Hunter is officially rated R for strong bloody violence and language. Let the games begin!

Sony’s Kraven the Hunter stars Aaron Taylor Johnson (Bullet Train, Godzilla) as Sergei Kravinoff, Spider-Man’s number-one rival. During a chat with Variety, Taylor-Johnson said his version of the character would be a significant departure from the comics. He went on to say that he is “not an alien or a wizard. He’s just a hunter, a human with conviction.” The following description baffles some fans as Taylor-Johnson confirms that Kraven is “an animal lover and protector of the natural world in the movie.” This character trait alone goes directly against the character’s central core, as depicted in the comic books.

J.C. Chandor (A Most Violent Year, Triple Frontier) directs from a script by Matt Holloway (Iron Man, Transformers: The Last Knight, Uncharted). Russell Crowe, Ariana DeBose, Christopher Abbott, Alessandro Nivola, Fred Hechinger, and Levi Miller join Taylor-Johnson as cast members.

Sony could be better at the box office with Marvel movies like Morbius and Madame Web, which makes one wonder if Kraven has a chance of bucking the trend. Kraven is another relatively unknown Spider-Man character leading another Spider-Man-less film. Sony’s strategy to repurpose established characters for their Spider-Verse is curious. They’re giving him an ultra-violent R-rated romp with unknown variables rather than saving Kraven for Tom Holland’s next Spider-Man movie. Like I said, it’s a bold strategy.

Brushing the tea leaves aside, Kraven the Hunter could delight audiences like Tom Hardy’s Venom does. Hardy’s Venom banked a staggering $856M, while Venome: Let There Be Carnage earned $502M. Not too shabby for a Spider-Man-less Spider-Man franchise. We could be looking at another hit if Kraven the Hunter brings the energy, thrills, and over-the-top action of Sony’s Venom movies. I joke, but I always hope for the best with these kinds of things. I like to get excited about comic book movies, and despite having a few things to prove, I’ll be there when Kraven the Hunter opens in theaters on December 13, 2024. How about you?

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Kraven the Hunter has been delayed several times already, but the release was pushed back yet again last month. The film is now set to hit theaters on December 13th. While speaking with Collider, Kraven the Hunter producer Matt Tolmach explained the reason behind the delay, saying it’s a sign of how highly Sony Pictures thinks of the film.

“Kraven moved to Christmas because we’re excited about it and Christmas is the best release period there is, when you get people with time to go back to the movies over and over again,” Tolmach said. “That was a real reflection of how the studio felt about the movie. We’re really excited. But that’s a great move that reflects just the feeling about the movie.“

While I don’t know if Kraven the Hunter is really going to be a movie people will see “over and over again,” Sony must hope that some distance from the bomb that was Madame Web will be beneficial. The Spider-Man spinoff does have a lot to prove, but with an R-rated edge, it could just turn the tide.

Some fans have brought up another possible reason for the studio to want to push back the release of Kraven the Hunter: James Bond. Aaron Taylor-Johnson has long been rumoured to be a top contender for the role of the secret agent. Past 007 actors such as George Lazenby and Pierce Brosnan have given Taylor-Johnson their approval. “I think the man has the chops, the talent, and the charisma to play Bond, very much so,” Brosnan said.

Director J.C. Chandor has previously described the movie as a tragedy. “Sony probably doesn’t want me to lead with this. but the story is a tragedy,” Chandor said last summer. “When the final credits roll on this film, if you’ve been paying attention, you won’t have the feeling that this is all going to end great.” In addition to Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the title character, the film also stars Ariana DeBose, Fred Hechinger, Christopher Abbot, Alessandro Nivola, and Russell Crowe.

The next film to be released in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe will be Venom: The Last Dance, the third and supposedly final installment of the franchise. The film will hit theaters on October 25th.

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Sony Pictures is playing a little release date shuffle this Friday evening. Kraven the Hunter, the upcoming Spider-Man spin-off starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson, was originally slated to hit theaters on August 30th, but the film has now been pushed back to a December 13th release. Kraven the Hunter‘s fresh release date was already occupied by the new Karate Kid movie, which has now been bumped to May 30, 2025.

Kraven the Hunter has been delayed several times already, but hopefully, this will be the last move. Coming on the heels of the less-than-impressive debuts of Morbius and Madame Web, this Spider-Man spin-off has a lot to prove, but with an R-rated edge, it could just turn the tide. Director J.C. Chandor has previously described the movie as a tragedy. “Sony probably doesn’t want me to lead with this. but the story is a tragedy,” Chandor said last summer. “When the final credits roll on this film, if you’ve been paying attention, you won’t have the feeling that this is all going to end great.” In addition to Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the title character, the film also stars Ariana DeBose, Fred Hechinger, Christopher Abbot, Alessandro Nivola, and Russell Crowe.

As for the new Karate Kid movie, it will blend together the Cobra Kai universe and the reboot universe. The film will star Ben Wang (American Born Chinese) as a young teenager from China who finds identity and strength in martial arts. During his journey of self-discovery, Wang’s character meets a disciplined martial arts master. The coming-of-age drama will also find Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio reprising their roles of Mr. Han and Daniel LaRusso. Joshua Jackson (Fatal Attraction) and Ming-Na Wen (The Mandalorian) will also appear in the movie, alongside Sadie Stanley (Cruel Summer) as the romantic lead. Jonathan Entwistle (The End of the F***ing World) will direct from a script by Rob Lieber (Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good Very Bad Day).

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Aaron Taylor-Johnson was recently profiled in Esquire, where the star talks about his upcoming film, Kraven the Hunter, along with the director J.C. Chandor. Chandor would speak about Kraven being more of a tragedy than a standard comic book film, “Sony probably doesn’t want me to lead with this. but the story is a tragedy. When the final credits roll on this film, if you’ve been paying attention, you won’t have the feeling that this is all going to end great.” Taylor-Johnson is no stranger to the Marvel universe or even the comic book universe as a whole. Prior to Avengers: Age of Ultron, his role in Kick-Ass, which was based on a graphic novel, brought all kinds of big franchise offers his way.

Taylor-Johnson opens up about being seen as a new action star after Kick-Ass, and while the actor has been able to parlay his success into big-budget studio films like Avengers: Age of Ultron and 2014’s American reboot of Godzilla for Legendary Pictures, Taylor-Johnson reveals he actually didn’t care for those films personally. “There was Kick-Ass, and then there was Godzilla and Avengers, and all those things lined up for me. But I didn’t really care for them.” He adds that after the success of those movies, he kept getting offers for similarly grand projects and roles “that nobody knows about—big, huge franchises that were in play.”

However, as his career was on the rise, his personal life involved taking care of his two kids with his wife, Sam, and the decision was made to sacrifice superstardom to be with his family more. “I wanted, purely, to be with my babies. I didn’t want to be taken away from them. I battled with what that would be like. I would say I was probably not ready to be in that position anyway—it was too early. But yeah, I also slightly didn’t give a fuck.”

Ever since he made his decision, his career primarily involved smaller roles, including an acclaimed performance in Nocturnal Animals and a supporting role in Christopher Nolan’s last film before Oppenheimer, 2020’s Tenet. One role that’s been a buzz for him, yet he’s being mum about, is James Bond. In Vanity Fair, Taylor-Johnson explained, “I just focus on the things I can have in my hands right now. What’s in front of me right now.“

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Aaron Taylor-Johnson has been a favourite to take over the role of James Bond, reportedly even meeting with franchise producer Barbara Broccoli, but he naturally can’t confirm or deny any of the rumours.

While speaking with Vanity Fair, Aaron Taylor-Johnson dodged yet another question regarding James Bond. “As I’ve already told you, I have to go by the beat of my own drum,” Taylor-Johnson said. “It’s my own path, what feels intuitive to me. I’ve never made a decision based on other people’s perspectives, or their judgments, or their expectations. You lose your f**king mind if you do that. Your sense of worth and soul is gone. You need to understand what is integral to you and what feels right, and you’ve got to stay on track with what’s present in front of you. Kraven is what’s in front of me.” As for whether he would be game to play the iconic secret agent, the actor once again played coy. “I just focus on the things I can have in my hands right now,” he said. “What’s in front of me right now.“

Aaron Taylor-Johnson has previously called rumours that he would be the next James Bond “flattering” but wouldn’t confirm or deny anything. Whoever winds up taking on the mantle of Bond will find themselves attached to the franchise for the next decade, which can be challenging for some. The actor’s attitude towards his other franchise, Kraven the Hunter, could provide an insight into how he would approach Bond. “You can’t step into this role, you can’t step into what this franchise is, with a f**king half-assed, Let’s see how it goes attitude,” Taylor-Johnson said of Kraven. “You have to be mentally prepared for what could come with that. I think I’m secure in my life now to know that I’m happy to deal with that. I don’t think I was probably ready to invite that into my life earlier on.“

Kraven the Hunter will bring Aaron Taylor-Johnson into Sony’s Spider-Man Universe. The R-rated film was slated to hit theaters later this year but was recently pushed back to an August 30, 2024 release.

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Sony’s going full-on with Spider-man content, regardless if it actually features Peter Parker or not. Sydney Sweeney recently talked about her excitement over her Madame Web film, saying, “I think it’s different from what people expect a superhero movie to be. Quote that! That’s a quote, because the tabloids will pick up everything else we talk about.” Also, Kraven the Hunter, the origin film of one of the famous villains in Spider-man’s rogue gallery, was set to hit theaters this October, but the recent events of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes have motivated the studio to postpone the release to this time next year.

Esquire has recently released a cover story on Kraven the Hunter‘s star Aaron Taylor-Johnson, where he talks the film along with his director, J.C. Chandor. Chandor follows Sweeney in saying that his superhero film differentiates itself from the others as Kraven‘s story plays more like a tragedy. “Sony probably doesn’t want me to lead with this. but the story is a tragedy. When the final credits roll on this film, if you’ve been paying attention, you won’t have the feeling that this is all going to end great.”

Chandor told Sony he wanted to tell an origin story with someone younger than previously considered — the role was reportedly offered to the likes of Keanu Reeves over the years and more recently, Adam Driver. However, it was Taylor-Johnson’s performance in Bullet Train that had the studio persuading the director to cast him. Tom Rothman, the chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment’s Motion Picture Group, mentions, “When a guy can hold up his end of the tennis match with Brad Pitt, you should pay attention.”

Taylor-Johnson mentions that it was important to him to flesh out Kraven as a person, especially since he’s a hunter. “When you say stuff like ‘I’m the greatest hunter of all time,’ you’ve got to know deep within your being that it’s coming from a place of reality and depth, and feels like it’s possible and plausible.” The actor studied people who have that complicated relationship with animals, “You just grab little things. and they rub off, in ways, and they come in handy.” It was reported that he got into the mindset by stalking deer to feel “the emotional turmoil and the sense of guilt” that came with the hunt.

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Nothing like a little release date shuffle to bring our week to an end. Sony Pictures has pushed the release of a number of their major movies, including Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, Kraven the Hunter, and more. Many of these delays are a result of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strike, as studios have been scrambling to figure out how to promote these movies without their stars.

It’s not all delays thankfully, as the studio announced the release date for Bad Boys 4, which will hit theaters on July 14, 2024. Sony also slated Venom 3 for July 12, 2024. Madame Web will actually debut two days earlier than reported, with the movie now set to debut on February 14, 2024. That’s it for the good news, so let’s dive into which films have been pushed back.

Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse was originally set to hit theaters on March 29, 2024, but it was always assumed that the date would move as it seemed impossible to deliver in such a short amount of time. Sony hasn’t yet given the Spidey flick a new release date. That’s fine by me as I’d rather the animation team have enough time to develop Beyond the Spider-Verse without rushing to meet an unattainable release date.

Kraven the Hunter would have hit theaters on October 6th, but has been pushed back to August 30, 2024.

The sequel to Ghostbusters: Afterlife has also moved, jumping from December 20th to March 29, 2024. Although the film has already finished shooting, the actors are reportedly needed for post-production work, which can’t occur until the strike ends.

There’s also the upcoming reboot of The Karate Kid, which has been bumped from June 7, 2024 to December 13, 2024.

Sony has also pushed back the release of Gran Turismo, which was originally dated for August 11th. The film will have sneak previews on its original weekend date, as well as the weekend of August 18th, and will now open wide on August 25th. A Sony spokesperson commented on the last-minute shift, “The stars can’t promote the film, but the audience can.” The studio is obviously hoping that positive word-of-mouth can drive the film to success.

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Sony dropped the trailer for Kraven the Hunter this past week. This marks the third Spider-Man villain that has received a solo movie treatment following the Venom movies and the internet darling Morbius. It has been murky as to how the villains will eventually encounter the friendly neighborhood superhero. Venom‘s Eddie Brock had been shown traveling through multiverses and ended up briefly in the MCU, only to leave behind a trace of the symbiote in a post-credits scene in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Then, Morbius has the infamous mid-credits teaser where Michael Keaton’s Vulture, who also traveled through multiverses, approached Morbius with a proposal to team up.

With the release of Kraven the Hunter, many online reactions from web-head fans headlined the disappointing notion that this is another Spider-Man universe movie without Spider-Man. However, in an interesting turn of promotion, CBR.com reports that Aaron Taylor-Johnson, the star of Kraven the Hunter, would post the trailer to his Instagram story with the caption, “Spider-Man…I’m coming for you.” Taylor-Johnson had teased this just as the trailer was released.

Additionally, in 2022, Taylor-Johnson was asked about the possibility of crossing over with Spider-Man (Tom Holland or otherwise). The Kraven actor responded cryptically, “That’s a really interesting question. In comic books, there have been many comic books that have that, so, you know? So the possibilities are definitely there.” The MCU’s Spider-Man, Tom Holland, recently announced he is taking a break from acting after his exhausting shoot for The Crowded Room as well as only coming back as Spider-Man if it’s a story that really interests him. It stands to reason that these announcements are not alluding to anything, but one cannot overlook the possibility of it being a red herring for a secret cameo appearance.

Sony had announced an attempt to make a Sinister Six storyline ever since The Amazing Spider-Man 2 in 2014. The end of that film would tease the origins of the multiple villains all root from Oscorp. When that franchise fell through, Spider-Man: No Way Home was able to attempt a version of a villain team-up with the various previous actors of the past incarnations. However, with Venom, Morbius, Vulture, and now Kraven and Rhino being established, perhaps the kid from Queens will end up fighting the Sinister Six in an Endgame-esque finale.

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Leakers went on the hunt today after Sony teased the arrival of the first official trailer for its upcoming Marvel film Kraven the Hunter. Initially, the trailer was supposed to drop tomorrow, but the internet waits for no one. Sony’s Kraven the Hunter red band trailer is out in the wild, showcasing a brutal look at Aaron Talyor-Johnson’s next superhero-related role as Sergei Kravinoff, aka Kraven the Hunter.

Sony’s Kraven the Hunter stars Aaron Taylor Johnson (Bullet Train, Godzilla) as Sergei Kravinoff, Spider-Man’s number-one rival. During a chat with Variety, Taylor-Johnson said his version of the character would be a significant departure from the comics. He went on to say that he is “not an alien or a wizard. He’s just a hunter, a human with conviction.” The following description baffles some fans as Taylor-Johnson confirms that Kraven is “an animal lover and protector of the natural world in the movie.” This character trait alone goes directly against the character’s central core, as depicted in the comic books.

J.C. Chandor (A Most Violent Year, Triple Frontier) directs from a script by Matt Holloway (Iron Man, Transformers: The Last Knight, Uncharted). Russell Crowe, Ariana DeBose, Christopher Abbott, Alessandro Nivola, Fred Hechinger, and Levi Miller join Taylor-Johnson as cast members.

In Sony and Marvel’s Kraven the Hunter red-band trailer, Taylor-Johnson gives the classic Spider-Man villain a fresh coat of paint, re-tooled origin, and Rambo-like stamina as he carves his way through poachers, the criminal underworld, and anyone who stands in his way toward the top of the food chain. With questionable accents abound, Kraven the Hunter uses every weapon to dispatch baddies with precision and brutality. Knives, machetes, grenades, and guns won’t be enough to satiate Kraven’s bloodlust. That’s what the bear traps are for!

After the failure of Jared Leto’s Morbius, Sony needs Kraven the Hunter to hit Marvel fans where they live. Anything less will weaken faith in the brand’s ability to deliver, especially with movies about less-known characters like Madame Web, El Muerto, and Hypno-Hustler coming down the pipeline.

What do you think of Sony and Marvel’s Kraven the Hunter red-band trailer? Are you ready to go on the hunt with Aaron Taylor-Johnson? Let us know in the comments below.

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