It’s no secret that the fate of Sony’s Spider-Man Universe (SSU) is hanging by a thread—so precarious that it could be shelved for good by the studio. To date, only the Venom movies have been profitable for Sony. And we all know how poorly Morbius and Madame Web performed. The studio had high hopes for Venom: The Last Dance, which appears to be the final chapter of Tom Hardy’s Eddie Brock saga. Despite earning $468 million globally, the film was a disappointment compared to its predecessors, both critically and commercially. This leaves the SSU’s future riding on Kraven the Hunter, starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson, which is set to hit theaters on December 13.
As of now, Sony seems to lack confirmed plans for the SSU after Kraven the Hunter. Or perhaps the studio doesn’t even know what direction to take with the franchise. Whatever the case, one thing is clear: the SSU desperately needs Spider-Man. The franchise cannot sustain itself for long without its titular superhero. Fans have been clamoring to see Spider-Man face off against Tom Hardy’s Venom since the first Venom movie came out. However, Sony chose to ignore these demands and pursue its own vision—though what that vision is remains a mystery (we wish we could explain it, but we’re as puzzled as everyone else).
In a recent interview with ScreenRant, Taylor-Johnson discussed the possibility of a Spider-Man vs. Kraven showdown. The Kick-Ass actor expressed his belief that Kraven should go “toe-to-toe” with some superheroes.
“I think he [Kraven] 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, definitely go toe-to-toe with some other people down the line, man,” Taylor-Johnson said.
The real bottom line is that the SSU cannot survive without Spider-Man. Sony needs to draw audiences to its Marvel superhero franchise, and that audience is more likely to show up for a movie featuring a proper, full-length battle between the iconic web-slinger and a popular villain from his rogues’ gallery.
Taylor-Johnson’s comments suggest that Kraven, unlike Morbius or Venom, may not be reimagined as an antihero. While the actor’s remarks about Kraven’s future are somewhat ambiguous, it appears Sony might be positioning the character as a full-fledged villain instead of an antihero.
Kraven’s storyline and future in the SSU hinge on the box office performance of the upcoming Aaron Taylor-Johnson-led film. Sony is in desperate need of a financial win and must regain the fanbase’s trust in the franchise. Kraven the Hunter also features Russell Crowe, Ariana DeBose, Fred Hechinger, Alessandro Nivola, and Christopher Abbott. Stay tuned for further updates.
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