Sony is ready to let its first R-rated Marvel beast out of the cage, with an extended trailer showing Kraven the Hunter in action and the brutal violence to come. The first eight minutes of the upcoming film portrays the titular antihero, played by Kickass star Aaron Taylor-Johnson, as a prisoner somewhere in Russia, who makes his escape after killing several individuals in cold blood.
The sneak peek also offers glimpses of his relentless nature and raw strength, best depicted in the scene where he repeatedly plunges a dagger into the neck of an enemy. While brief, it sets expectations for the extent of violence and fighting chops in the movie, which will feature a more comic-accurate depiction of the character. Paul Giamatti (Private Parts, The Holdovers) previously played Kraven in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, but this version draws inspiration from the Kraven’s Last Hunt story arc.
“One of my favourite stories is Kraven’s Last Hunt,” said Taylor-Johnson to Screen Rant on his preparation for getting into character. “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 becomes a villain that we then come to know.”
“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 legs to go on and do more damage” he added. “I think he should go toe-to-toe with some superheroes that we know.”
Even without a namedrop, it’s evident that Spider-Man is one of the superheroes in question. Kraven has become one of the most important characters in the web-slinger’s mythology, cementing his place as an iconic villain.
Kraven the Hunter marks the next step of Sony’s plans for the Spider-Man franchise, including a fourth movie starring Tom Holland, which is currently in the works with Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings director Destin Daniel Cretton at the helm.
Slated for release on 13 December, the studio’s first R-rated pic will follow Kraven, “a man whose complex relationship with his ruthless gangster father, Nikolai Kravinoff, starts him down a path of vengeance with brutal consequences, motivating him to become not only the greatest hunter in the world, but also one of its most feared.”
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
Kevin Low
Natalie
