A new Marvel character will be joining the long list of names that have had a live-action adaptation. A few hours ago, Sony Pictures released the official red band trailer for Kraven the Hunter, played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson. Right off the bat, the trailer features Kraven seemingly having superhuman abilities and powers after jumping from a tall building. The trailer showed his expertise in hunting as well as killing, but who and what is Kraven the Hunter? Is he another villain, an anti-hero, or an uncanny hero?
Who is Marvel’s Kraven the Hunter?
In the movie trailer, Kraven formerly Sergei Kravinoff, is the son of a Russian mob leader (Nikolai Kravinoff, played by award-winning actor Russell Crowe). The story begins when Sergei almost died after being mauled by a lion he and his father hunted. As morbid as it sounds, his father left him for dead on the field. However, it was there that Kraven would find out he had a calling to become just another dead person. After a drop of lion’s blood fell into his wounds, Sergei would turn into a being with supernatural powers.
Years later and Sergei, who is now known as Kraven, is a powerful hunter who has various superhuman abilities like superhuman strength, speed, durability, stamina, agility, instinct, the ability to form a connection with animals, and of course, his expertise at hunting and tracking his prey. After a complicated relationship with his now estranged father – whom he will try to kill soon -, Kraven will try to stop his father’s evil doing and ultimately end his life. Along the way, he will face a lot of challenges. But, with his super-enhanced supernatural powers, he’s got all the tools to discombobulate and dismember everyone who gets in his way, most brutally. Kraven will also be accompanied by Calypso (Ariana DeBose), a voodoo priestess, and his love interest in the movie.
Is Kraven a villain?
In the comics, Kraven is definitely a villain. Just like the film, Sergei Kravinoff is a son of a Russian immigrant in the early 1900s. Instead of inheriting wealth from his noble family, Sergei followed his talents in hunting different kinds of prey. He became Kraven the Hunter, and as the years go by, he got bored of hunting down easy targets. As he wants to make his craft more exciting for himself, he found out that hunting down the beloved superhero Spider-Man would make him the best hunter in the world. To make his goals successful, he went to a voodoo priestess, Calypso, and asked for her help. Calypso then provided Kraven with a mystical potion that would enhance his strength, speed, stamina, durability, agility, reflexes, extended life, and enhanced senses. His newly acquired superhuman abilities are deemed to be even better than the supersoldier serum Captain America had.
Kraven became so obsessed with Spidey and eventually lost his sanity. Although he was portrayed as one of Spider-Man’s biggest adversaries, Kraven isn’t exactly a bad guy. At some point in the comic canon, Kraven saved Mary Jane and others while also befriending Squirrel Girl. He even became sort of an anti-hero after Squirrel Girl suggested he hunt superbeings.
On the other hand, the movie somehow depicts Kraven as a protagonist of some sort
Indeed the poster for Kraven the Hunter writes “Villains aren’t born. They’re made” feels like Kraven is a malevolent being. However, the film’s actual antagonist is another one of Spider-Man’s nemesis, Rhino (Alessandro Nivola). When asked why he continues to hunt, Kraven told Calypso that “My father puts evil into the world. I take it out.” With that, we could say he has a good heart and is probably a true hero in the movie.
Also, although Kraven is infamously known as one of Spidey’s villains, the film has not hinted anything about Spider-Man yet. But, with Rhino and Kraven finally, on the silver screen, could we get the much-awaited team-up of Marvel’s Sinister Six?
When is Kraven the Hunter coming out?
Sony announced that Kraven the Hunter will come out on October 6, 2023. The film will be exclusively shown in theaters. However, with the Sony and Netflix deal in 2021, Kraven the Hunter will eventually be available in the streaming app. Featuring a talented cast of Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Russell Crowe, Ariana DeBose, Alessandro Nivola, Christopher Abbott, and Fred Hechinger.
Villains aren’t born. They’re made. Aaron Taylor-Johnson is #KravenTheHunter – exclusively in movie theaters October. pic.twitter.com/Q4dCvbaYDa
— Kraven The Hunter (@KravenTheMovie) June 19, 2023
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