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If some certain Kraven the Hunter scenes had gone in a different direction, the project could’ve arguably been Sony’s strongest Spider-Man Universe movie. While not the worst entry in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe movie roster, the antihero's debut film was not the success that the studio hoped for. Kraven The Hunter reviews were decidedly mixed, as while audiences gave it an average 74% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it was panned by critics with a 16% score.

Unlike Madame Web and Morbius, which seemed to be weak projects from their inceptions, Kraven the Hunter actually had potential. This is especially clear given the Kraven the Hunter cast, which was also stacked with two Academy Award winners: Ariana DeBose and Russell Crowe. However, the film didn’t utilize its strong actors to its advantage, and was ultimately weighed down by the likes of poor writing, visual effects, and Adr. This is especially...

There have been many great Marvel and DC movies over the years, but it is true that some films missed the mark, though even a few of those who did not succeed still featured exciting fight scenes. Marvel and DC have a bright future ahead. The McU's upcoming movies include a pair of Avengers films, Spider-Man 4, and more. As for DC, James Gunn's DC Universe has films like Superman, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, and more on the way.

However, both franchises — and others — have produced a number of projects that did not work quite as expected. From the Spider-Man franchise to the old Dceu to more, both Marvel and DC have had their fair share of films that struggled at the box office or with critics. Thankfully, some of them had redeeming qualities, even if they were not among the best Marvel movies or the most exciting DC films,...

As the first R-rated movie in Sony's Spider-Man Universe, it makes me sad that Kraven the Hunter didn't take advantage of that fact more often, only earning that rating for a few scenes. The Marvel villain finally made his live-action debut in his titular movie, but failed to garner much goodwill, as Kraven the Hunter is one of the lesser outputs from the Ssu. With a relatively lighter schedule of Marvel movies in 2024, it's a shame that Kraven the Hunter ended the year on a lackluster note, as fans look towards 2025 and beyond.

Alongside the poor critical reception to the movie, Kraven The Hunter flopped at the box office, making it a sad conclusion to the franchise given that Sony's Spider-Man Universe is coming to an end. One of the biggest draws for the film prior to release was that it would be rated R - the first for...

Kat Dennings recently reflected on her role as Darcy Lewis in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. One of her favorite parts of playing the character surprisingly didn't involve being on the screen.

Dennings portrayed Darcy Lewis in 2011's Thor, later reprising the role in The Dark World and Love and Thunder. She also made appearances in the MCU television series WandaVision and What If...? as the same character. Speaking with Collider, Dennings described how becoming a Lego figure because of her MCU role is one of the coolest things to happen to her. "I pinch myself about that. I told my husband (Andrew W.K.) the other day that I think the coolest thing that's ever happened in my entire career is when I became a Darcy Lego," Dennings said. "They're called Lego Minimates, and there's a Darcy one. I literally can't believe that I'm a Lego. This is the best thing that's ever happened to me,...

Sony’s solo Spider-verse continued to stumble despite being six movies deep with three Venom movies and entries like Morbius, Madame Web and the recent Kraven The Hunter. When Kraven flopped, Sony Pictures CEO, Tony Vinciquerra, blamed critics when he said, “For some reason, the press decided that they didn’t want us making these films out of Kraven and Madame Web, and the critics just destroyed them. They also did it with Venom, but the audience loved Venom and made Venom a massive hit. These are not terrible films. They were just destroyed by the critics in the press, for some reason.”

Kraven‘s story has been criticized for being a mess and the end result can usually be traced to studio interference and too many cooks in the kitchen. However, one of the film’s stars, Alessandro Nivola had nothing but good things to say about his...

Kraven the Hunter did not have the reception that Sony Pictures had been hoping for, to say the least. Alessandro Nivola, who played the movie's incarnation of Rhino, has opened up about how the film performed.

Per The Hollywood Reporter, Nissola suggested that the issue with Kraven the Hunter that may have contributed to its downfall was perhaps too many people involved with the project behind the scenes. From his own vantage point, the actor had a great time working on the film, so much so that it never occurred to him that there were going to be problems. He also said he didn't check out many reviews about the movie personally, though he'd learned about how a lot of them were giving praise to his performance in the film, even if the reviews were otherwise very negative.

Related 'I Wear a Tuxedo in Kraven': Aaron Taylor-Johnson Addresses James Bond...

The actor answers your questions on his exercise regime, what he thinks of the AI John Lennon and which roles have changed him

How do you keep yourself so springy? I’d love to know more about whatever it is that has made you so physically capable. BerniceTheCat

As a kid, I did a lot of gymnastics and dance. That sort of physical movement is something I really enjoy, especially when you can apply that foundation into something like this [Kraven the Hunter], where there’s a lot of action and stunts. We wanted Kraven to have a signature style that was kind of animalistic, with a bit of fluidity. So we did a lot of things like quadrupeds (going on all fours), parkour, gymnastics, so it was like nothing you’d ever seen before. It was exciting to have that level of detail within the action. I gained about 40lb (18kg) of...

Sony’s Spider-Man Universe has been a divisive addition to the Marvel movie landscape, but it did produce some effective features. From compelling character relationships to awe-inspiring action sequences, Sony has managed to get several things right, adding unique layers to Spider-Man’s extended mythology. By exploring Spider-Man’s universe from alternative angles, these films provide fresh narratives that enrich the lore surrounding the web-slinger’s world.

The Ssu began in 2018 with Venom, a film that surprised many by becoming a box office success despite its mixed reviews. Since then, Sony has expanded the universe with Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Morbius, Kraven the Hunter and Madame Web. Unlike the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Ssu primarily focuses on antiheroes and villains, offering a darker, more unconventional approach. The decision to exclude Spider-Man as a central figure has allowed for unique storytelling opportunities. With Sony’s Spider-Man Universe officially over, it...

I have been desperate to see a cinematic rendition of Marvel's Chameleon for decades, but his appearance in Kraven the Hunter was an unbelievable disappointment. As Spider-Man’s first supervillain, Chameleon’s unique combination of psychological manipulation and physical shapeshifting makes him an ideal adversary. For years, I have dreamed of seeing him translated to the big screen in a way that captures his complex and unsettling nature. When Sony’s Spider-Man Universe announced that Chameleon would finally appear in Kraven the Hunter, I dared to hope. But now that I’ve seen the film, I’m not just disappointed - I’m devastated.

Sony’s Kraven the Hunter promised a gritty, character-driven exploration of Sergei Kravinoff’s descent into his infamous role as the world’s greatest hunter. Among the most exciting revelations was the inclusion of his brother, the Chameleon, played by Fred Hechinger. The movie tethered...

Kraven the Hunter is dead on arrival, proving once and for all that Sony's Spider-Man Universe (Ssu) is on its last legs. After seven years and six movies, Sony has no further movies or series in official development for its Ssu, though other unconnected projects like Spider-Man Noir and Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse are still on their way. This has left fans wondering if the Ssu is over at last, or if the studio plans to rally behind its franchise and inject it with new energy.

If the Ssu is to survive, the franchise needs to make several serious changes in its next releases. After six films that have all received mixed-to-negative reviews from both critics and audiences, the current direction of Sony's franchise is pleasing no one. Thankfully for the struggling studio, several easy changes could make their Spider-Man cinematic universe better--and might even save it from an early demise.

Sony's Spider-Man Universe has provided audiences with a mix of exciting action and moments of cringe-worthy dialogue. While the Marvel movie franchise had a lot of potential, certain lines from its characters have become infamous for their awkwardness, forced delivery, and lack of emotional resonance. Many of these became internet memes, lampooning the Ssu’s clunky exposition and unsuccessful attempts at humor. Now that the Ssu has concluded, the very worst lines have become a fascinating insight into the franchise’s downfall.

The Ssu aimed to expand on Spider-Man's universe with various antiheroes and villains, including Venom, Morbius, and Kraven the Hunter. While some of these films have garnered attention for their star power or flashy action, poor writing and bizarre lines that break immersion often hinder them. These moments, meant to be compelling, instead left audiences scratching their heads in confusion or bewilderment. It even led to a...

Quick Links Kraven The Hunter Was a Bomb Before the Film Even Released Kraven The Hunter Could Have Been a Good Movie If It Was Simpler Sony Still Hasn't Learned the Lesson Amazing Spider-Man 2 Taught Them Why Sony Can't Make Its Universe of Marvel Characters Work for Audiences

The following contains spoilers from Kraven The Hunter, currently in theaters.

Sony's latest Marvel movie, Kraven The Hunter, is a dismal box office bomb and the studio's third release in 2024. Evaluating why the film directed by J.C. Chandor and starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson failed lines up with the larger problem in Sony's Universe of Marvel Characters. Wild departures from the source material, too many characters and weak storytelling have marred these releases since Marvel Studios brought Spider-Man home.

Featuring Russell Crowe, R-rated violence and language, Kraven The Hunter is a film that could have succeeded. It certainly didn't help that it followed...

Tony Vinciquerra may only have a few days left as chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures, but he isn’t going quietly. In stepping down from his role, effective January 2, 2025, the executive is vocalizing some of the issues he’s had to face since taking the office in 2017 and particularly in the last few years with the Covid-19 pandemic and the WGA/SAG-AFTRA strikes. However, speaking in a recent interview with the Los Angeles Times, Vinciquerra laid particular blame on the media for keeping people out of theaters.

“‘Madame Web’ underperformed in the theaters because the press just crucified it,” he said. “It was not a bad film, and it did great on Netflix. For some reason, the press decided that they didn’t want us making these films out of ‘Kraven’ and ‘Madame Web,’ and the critics just destroyed them. They also did it with ‘Venom,’ but the audience...

Kraven the Hunter is Sony's latest addition to its rocky Spider-Man Universe. The film, which marks the first R-rated entry in the Ssu, has seen the worst performance yet.

Just two weeks following its Dec. 13 release, Kraven the Hunter has already dropped out of the Top 10 at the box office, as reported by Deadline. The superhero film, which gives life to the popular character from the Spider-Man comics, first introduced in The Amazing Spider-Man #15 in August 1964, stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson in the titular role. However, his recent star power and action roles didn't convince moviegoers to give the Ssu film a shot over the holiday and, instead, focused on other titles.

Related Aaron Taylor-Johnson's First Comic Book Movie Gets New Streaming Home After Kraven Flop

Long before Kraven the Hunter flopped at the box office, Aaron Taylor-Johnson starred in a successful comic book movie which will soon be streaming.

Kraven...

As expected after a dismal debut, Sony Pictures' Kraven the Hunter has completely dropped off the box office radar since it released in theaters about two weeks ago. We won't even kick the movie while it's down by revealing what it's made over the past few days, but its current global total sits at around the $44 million mark.

The Venom movies aside, Sony's Ssu has been a bit of a disaster, and critics are to blame (apparently).

While speaking to the Los Angeles Times in a recent interview, Sony Pictures CEO Tony Vinciquerra admitted that Kraven is “probably the worst launch we had” in the nearly eight years he’s been at the studio. “I still don’t understand," he added. "Because the film is not a bad film.”

“Let’s just touch on Madame Web for a moment,” Vinciquerra continued. “Madame Web underperformed in the theaters because the press just crucified it.

Marvel's Ultimate Universe just offered an incredible Kraven the Hunter moment, which fans of the legendary villain should absolutely check out if they were underwhelmed by the cinematic take on the character's origins. In an homage to the antagonist's most classic arcs, Ultimate Spider-Man has quickly established itself as the definitive contemporary take on the character.

Ultimate Spider-Man #12 – written by Jonathan Hickman, with art by Marco Checchetto – concludes with the shocking reveal that fledgling superheroes Peter Parker and Harry Osborn have been captured by Kraven, with the pair set to become Kraven’s newest prey in the coming issues of Ultimate Spider-Man.

Ultimate Kraven has quickly confirmed that he is as deadly as ever before, in a story arc that is likely to "scratch an itch," so to speak, for Spidey fans who weren't satisfied by Sony's Kraven standalone film.

Ultimate Kraven Is The Reimagined Version of Peter Parker's Greatest Challenge Yet,...

Sony Pictures CEO Tony Vinciquerra oversaw some remarkable box office disappointments in 2024, thanks to the poor performance of Spider-Man spinoffs Madame Web and Kraven the Hunter. However, he knows where the blame lies for both movies failing to succeed: The critics.

“Madame Web underperformed in the theaters because the press just crucified it,” Vinciquerra explained to the Los Angeles Times in a recent interview. “It was not a bad film, and it did great on Netflix. For some reason, the press decided that they didn’t want us making these films out of Kraven and Madame Web, and the critics just destroyed them. These are not terrible films. They were just destroyed by the critics in the press, for some reason.”

Sony’s Marvel-inspired 2024 bombs did, in fact, did not fare well critically. Kraven the Hunter, which arrived in theaters on December 13th, currently has a 17% Rotten Tomatoes score, while...

Studio heads should have learned years ago that just because a project is based on a comic book property doesn’t mean it’s going to be a hit. Take, for the most recent example, Kraven the Hunter, which may be based on a Marvel comic but has proven to be a late-calendar flop for Sony. And so who’s the blame for that? Why, the critics, of course – if Sony’s CEO is to be believed…

Sony Pictures CEO Tony Vinciquerra, who took over his position in 2017, says he hasn’t faced a dud as big as Kraven the Hunter since stepping in. For numbers, it opened at #3 with just $11 million before falling more than 70%, an indication it will be out of the top 10 soon enough. As of publication, it has taken in only $18.5 million domestically off of a budget reported to be north of $130 million.

With that, Vinciquerra...

Sony Pictures attempted to make a universe out of Spider-Man characters through movies like Madame Web and Kraven the Hunter, but they were unfortunately major flops at the box office.

While Disney owns Marvel, Sony has the rights to the Spider-Man character and has created several spin-offs featuring other characters from the Spider-Man universe. Other movies include the Venom franchise and Morbius.

Sony Pictures CEO Tony Vinciquerra is responding to backlash for the movies and putting blame on critics and the press for the poor reception.

Keep reading to find out more…

“Madame Web underperformed in the theaters because the press just crucified it,” Vinciquerra told the Los Angeles Times. “It was not a bad film, and it did great on Netflix. For some reason, the press decided that they didn’t want us making these films out of Kraven and Madame Web, and the critics just destroyed them.”

“These are not terrible films.

Sony had been desperately trying for years to kick off its superhero franchise based on the characters in Spider-Man’s universe. But as seen so far, these movies – starting from Dakota Johnson’s Madame Web to the recently released Kraven The Hunter – have all been nothing short of a huge disappointment, both critically and commercially.

Madame Web. | Credits: Sony Pictures Releasing.

While Kraven has failed miserably, one of the franchise’s biggest failures was the Johnson-starrer. The said film not only lacked cohesion and plot, but was also deemed an unworthy comic book entry overall. However, recently Sony’s current CEO came to the defense of the film, claiming it was just the media that crucified the film.

Sony CEO believes Dakota Johnson’s Madame Web was not a bad entry

Anyone who has seen the Dakota Johnson-starrer Madame Web will tell you that the film is as bad as it can get.

It was announced not long before the release of the film that Sony was hitting the pause button on the Ssu (Sony’s Spider-Man Universe) after the release of Kraven the Hunter, and now that it’s been in theaters for a week, it's obvious why. Kraven premiered to horrendously low reviews from critics, earning a 14% rating from reviewers on the aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes, but a much more gentle 73% score from general audiences. It’s also been a major box office bomb, opening to only $11 million despite boasting a budget of $110 million. Kraven the Hunter was plagued with production issues and in a recent interview with Collider’s Steve Weintraub to promote his upcoming movie, The Brutalist, Kraven star Alessandro Nivola spoke about what took Kraven so long to make it to theaters:...

As he prepares to depart from Sony Pictures, CEO Tony Vinciquerra seemed to have few, if any, regrets about his seven-year run as studio head. That includes this year’s pair of “Spider-Man” spinoff bombs, “Madame Web” and “Kraven the Hunter.”

Early in 2024, “Madame Web” became one of the worst-reviewed films of the year and grossed just $100 million worldwide against a reported $80 million budget. “Kraven the Hunter,” the last Sony release under Vinciquerra’s leadership is doing even worse at the box office, having grossed just $43.8 million worldwide and counting after 12 days in theaters.

Despite the poor reception from critics and audiences, Vinciquerra stood by those films in an exit interview with The Los Angeles Times.

“I still don’t understand, because the film is not a bad film,” Vinciquerra said. ““Madame Web’ underperformed in the theaters because the press just crucified it. It was not a bad film, and it did great on Netflix.

Though there might still be some life in Sony Pictures' Ssu, the franchise will be getting a major overhaul (at the very least) following the abysmal box office performance of the latest Spider-Man-less Spider-Man spin-off, Kraven the Hunter.

We're not sure how much any new take on the Ssu would actually be improved, however, as it doesn't sound like the studio's CEO is willing to admit that the quality of the movies has anything to do with them flopping at the Bo.

While speaking to the Los Angeles Times, Sony Pictures CEO Tony Vinciquerra admitted that Kraven is “probably the worst launch we had” in the nearly eight years he’s been at the studio. “I still don’t understand," he added. "Because the film is not a bad film.”

The movie's 15% Rotten Tomatoes score would suggest that the majority of critics would disagree.

The Spider-Man films aside, none of...

Out with the old, in with the new. That’s how the saying usually goes but for Sony, it seems that the old should have been the new and Sony shouldn’t have deviated too much from Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield’s versions.

Tobey Maguire as Spider-Man in Spider-Man 2 | Credits: Sony Pictures Releasing

Although every movie had some minor (and some major) flaws, the overall recognition and love for Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield’s performances was far greater than the rest of the recent Sony movies. Now, the CEO of Sony is calling the Spider-Man franchise “Snake-bitten.”

Is the Spider-Man franchise doomed?

Well… we wouldn’t go so far as to call it “doomed”. But the CEO of Sony will! Although he hasn’t said the words directly, Tony Vinciquerra’s words were enough to haunt all the fans of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield.

Andrew Garfield...

Sony's CEO has broken cover to address the underwhelming box office performance and critical reception of the company's Spider-Man spin-off movies, laying the blame at the feet of critics who "destroyed" the Marvel films.

Outgoing executive Tony Vinciquerra, who joined the company in 2017 to oversee a difficult period in the wake of the now infamous 2014 cyber attack that damaged the studio. Asked about his tenure, Vinciquerra told the LA Times that the recent release of Kraven: The Hunter "is probably the worst launch we had in the 7 1/2 years so that didn’t work out very well, which I still don’t understand, because the film is not a bad film."

Pressed for more on the performance of the Spider-Man spin-off universe (Sony's Ssu), Vinciquerra was bullish in addressing what he believes is to blame:

Let’s just touch on “Madame Web” for a moment. “Madame Web” underperformed in the...

Sony released three movies this year as part of its Spider-Man Universe. Madame Web was a box office flop, earning $43.8 million in the U.S. and Canada, and $56.7 million internationally, for a total of $100.5 million worldwide. The movie also got bad reviews. Venom: The Last Dance had a slow start in North America but bounced back with strong international sales.

The latest release, and possibly the last for now, is Kraven the Hunter. It earned $18.5 million in the U.S. and Canada, and $25.4 million internationally, totaling $43.9 million worldwide. The movie also received negative reactions from both critics and audiences.

It’s clear that Sony’s future with Spider-Man spinoffs is uncertain, and CEO Tony Vinciquerra agrees. However, he believes the press is to blame for the films’ poor performance.

Vinciquerra recently talked to the Los Angeles Times about his time as Sony CEO. He said most of his time was successful,...

Spider-Man is one of the most recognizable superheroes of all time, and it has received several adaptations in the past two decades. Aside from films based on the famous web-slinger, Sony has also created the Spider-Man Universe, which hasn't always worked as well as it did on paper.

Sony's Spider-Man Universe consists of several spin-off films starring popular characters from the comics. It kicked off with Venom in 2018, a trilogy that turned out to be mostly successful, but other films like Morbius, Madame Web, and Kraven the Hunter weren't as lucky. In a new interview with the Los Angeles Times, Sony CEO Tony Vinciquerra, who has been with the studio for the entirety of the Ssu, defended the films.

Related Kraven the Hunter's Audience Score Gives Sony's Maligned Marvel Movie Some Good News

Kraven the Hunter gets a small win amid low ticket sales and really rough reviews.

As...

Sony has released three films this year as part of its Spider-Man Universe. Madame Web was a box office disappointment, grossing $43.8 million in the U.S. and Canada, and $56.7 million internationally, for a total of $100.5 million worldwide. The film also received poor critical reviews. Venom: The Last Dance had a slow start in North America but managed to recover thanks to strong international performance.

The latest release, and reportedly the last for now, is Kraven the Hunter. The movie has earned $18.5 million in the U.S. and Canada, and $25.4 million overseas, totaling $43.9 million worldwide. It was also met with negative feedback from both critics and audiences.

It’s clear that Sony’s future with Spider-Man spinoffs is uncertain, and CEO Tony Vinciquerra agrees. However, he offers a different perspective, blaming the press for the films’ poor performance.

Vinciquerra recently spoke with the Los Angeles Times about his tenure as Sony CEO,...

Sony Pictures CEO Tony Vinciquerra recently told the Los Angeles Times that “Kraven the Hunter” is “probably the worst launch we had” in the nearly eight years he’s been at the studio, adding: “I still don’t understand, because the film is not a bad film.”

“Kraven” opened in theaters Dec. 13 to a paltry $11 million, the lowest debut yet for a Sony-released Marvel movie. The movie’s current domestic box office total stands at just $18 million, while its global haul is $43 million. These are more or less catastrophic results for a superhero movie and cap off a lackluster year for Sony comic book movies after “Madame Web” flopped with $100 million worldwide and “Venom: The Last Dance” became the franchise’s lowest-grossing entry.

“Let’s just touch on ‘Madame Web’ for a moment,” Vinciquerra said. “‘Madame Web’ underperformed in the theaters because the press just crucified it. It was not a bad film,...

Sony’s Spider-Man Universe (Ssu) is a movie franchise focused on characters from Spider-Man comics. It started in 2013 when Sony planned spin-offs from The Amazing Spider-Man 2, including a Venom movie.

After The Amazing Spider-Man 2 didn’t do well, Sony teamed up with Marvel Studios to bring Spider-Man into the MCU but kept building a separate Venom universe.

The Ssu includes the Venom series (ending with Venom: The Last Dance), Morbius, Madame Web, and Kraven the Hunter. Most of these movies got bad reviews, especially Morbius, Madame Web, and Kraven.

Kraven the Hunter failed in every way, and reports suggest it might be the last movie in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe (Ssu). The studio seems unwilling to keep investing in a franchise with poor ratings and frequent financial losses.

Sony CEO Tony Vinciquerra recently spoke to the Los Angeles Times about his time at Sony. He said the studio...

Sony’s Spider-Man Universe (Ssu) is a film franchise centered around characters from Spider-Man-related Marvel Comics. It began in 2013, with Sony planning spin-offs from ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2,’ including a ‘Venom’ movie.

After ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2’ underperformed, Sony partnered with Marvel Studios to bring Spider-Man into the MCU, while continuing to develop a separate ‘Venom’ universe.

The Ssu included the ‘Venom’ franchise, ‘Morbius,’ ‘Madame Web,’ and ‘Kraven the Hunter.’ Most of these films received poor reviews, with ‘Morbius’ and ‘Madame Web’ and ‘Kraven’ being particularly criticized.

‘Kraven the Hunter’ bombed in every imaginable way, and some recent reports claim that it was Ssu’s final movie as the studio no longer wants to invest in a franchise with desperate ratings that frequently serve as nothing but net loss.

Sony CEO Tony Vinciquerra recently sat down with the ‘Los Angeles Times’ and commented on his career at Sony.

He was...

Tony Vinciquerra—CEO of Sony Pictures since 2017—has a stunning new explanation in the Los Angeles Times for why his studio's less-than-stellar superhero offerings have tanked at the box office. Madame Web's massive underperformance was "because the press just crucified it," obviously—not because it was blue-screen nonsense that...

2024 was a quiet year for comic book movies, though Marvel, DC, and the wider comic book sphere still managed to provide audiences with some stellar moments. Despite a lower number of releases, Marvel had a solid year in terms of its box office, with Deadpool & Wolverine gaining over $1.3 billion worldwide, delivering a win for the MCU. DC didn't see similar success with Joker: Folie à Deux, and Sony had two flops between Madame Web and Kraven The Hunter's box office results and reviews - though Venom: The Last Dance fared much better, despite mixed reviews.

Still, every film has value, even if it may be harder to find. Deadpool & Wolverine had many of 2024's best comic book movie moments, thanks to a hilarious script that delivered excellent cameos, meta references, and action scenes that audiences were begging for. However, other films still had plenty to offer, even...

Intriguingly, 2024 has been hailed as reinvigorating the MCU, despite there being only one movie release, while DC took a heavy blow for the reception and performance of Joker: Folie à Deux, and Sony's Spider-Man Universe seemingly ground to an inauspicious end. The writing was very much on the wall for that series, and Sony will have further plans for their Marvel characters, but the triumvirate of Madame Web, Venom: The Last Dance, and Kraven didn't exactly move the needle.

Pulling focus out a little, 2024 was not a great year for comic book movies. There were a fair number of them, but whether any of them other than Deadpool & Wolverine actually lasts in memory in any sort of way is very uncertain. The very fact that anyone reading this already knows what the top pick of the year is tells its own story, in that respect. It was a year...

The comic book movie landscape has seen many odd projects come to fruition, but none as intriguing as the idea of making whole movies based around a villain (often without their respective heroes present). The Joker, Morbius, Venom, and now Kraven the Hunter have all gotten the solo movie treatment. Heck, even The Penguin got his own TV series. And now we know that Clayface is set to headline his own standalone movie in James Gunn and Peter Safran's DC Universe.

Comin book villains are getting the starring roles nobody knew they needed. With that in mind, let's take this opportunity to look through the comic book and movie archives and discuss which villains would be great candidates for a solo movie.

Sinestro

First appearing in Volume 2 Green Lantern #7 in August 1961 and created by writer John Broome and artist Gil Kane, Thaal Sinestro has become a staple villain for the whole Green Lantern Corp.

Quick Links Nikolai Kravinoff Feels More Like Kraven the Hunter The Ssu's Kraven Changed the Character Too Much Will Kraven the Hunter Ever Return?

Kraven the Hunter is the sixth, and quite possibly final, installment in Sony's Spider-Man Universe (Ssu), a loosely interconnected series of films centered around supporting characters from the Spider-Man pantheon of Marvel Comics. The film follows Sergei Kravinoff (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), a young man who gains amazing superpowers after a near-death experience getting mauled by a lion. Taking on the name of Kraven the Hunter, Kravinoff adopts the life of a vigilante, hunting down criminals, poachers, and mob bosses whom he deems worthy of death. Kraven gets more than he bargained for, however, when he crosses the Russian mob boss known as the Rhino (Alessandro Nivola).

Kraven the Hunter introduces numerous characters from Spider-Man comics, including the sorceress Calypso (Ariana DeBose), the Foreigner (Christopher Abbott), the Chameleon (Fred Hechinger), and more.

Kraven the Hunter, set in Sony's Spider-Man Universe (Ssu), was in development for several years, even before the debut of Tom Holland as Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. After years of delays, filming for the Sony movie finally commenced in 2022 in Europe. Kraven the Hunter seems to be the final film in Sony's live-action slate of upcoming Marvel movies centered on the origin stories of Spider-Man villains, which include the Venom trilogy, starring Tom Hardy in the titular role, Morbius, starring Jared Leto as the Living Vampire, and Dakota Johnson's Madame Web.

After the release of Morbius brought the second of Spider-Man's villains to the big screen, Sony was eager to get the ball rolling on Kraven the Hunter. While Sergei Kravinoff is one of Spider-Man's deadliest foes, he's also one of the most unique, with a fun premise that separates him from other villains of the webcrawler.

A little over a week after it arrived in theaters, it feels a lot like everyone has already forgotten Kraven the Hunter. Of course, that's hardly surprising when not that many people actually watched the Sony Pictures-produced Marvel movie last weekend.

However, if Sony was hoping fans might turn up to watch Kraven's one-and-only hunt before the holidays, executives at the studio must be mighty disappointed today.

With a -72% second weekend drop, Kraven the Hunter has grossed only $3.1 million. That takes its domestic total to $17 million and, when its overseas numbers are taken into account, it's earned only $42 million worldwide. The budget, which shot up as a result of delays caused by the pandemic and last year's strikes, was $110 million.

There's some good news, though. A -72% drop is better than Joker: Folie à Deux (-81%) and The Marvels (-78%). It still opened to significantly less than those,...

Kraven the Hunter is far from an apex predator at the box office, as the film suffered a massive drop in its second weekend following an already disappointing opening. The sixth and seemingly final film in Sony's Spider-Man Universe (Ssu), Kraven the Hunter stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the titular Spider-Man villain, here reimagined as an antihero. After multiple delays, the movie finally opened in theaters with not a fierce roar but a whimper, being defeated at the box office by holdovers Wicked and Moana 2. While some movies can find their bearings over the holiday weekend, Kraven the Hunter has been lost in the pack of new releases as a hedgehog and a lion defeated the hunter.

Deadline reported that Kraven the Hunter dropped 72% in its second weekend, coming in number 7th at the box office, with just $3.1 million over the three-day weekend. That 72% drop might not be as...

Quick Links What Was The Beastmaster About? How Does Kraven the Hunter Relate to The Beastmaster?

The following contains spoilers for Kraven the Hunter, now playing in theaters.

With J.C. Chandor's Kraven the Hunter and other Sony Marvel movies, many expect homages to the Spider-Man films, or the Marvel Cinematic Universe in general. However, Kraven the Hunter draws energy from another surprising franchise:The Beastmaster, which began in the 1980s.

This medieval-mystical fantasy story didn't do big numbers at the box office, nor did it win over critics. But as the decades passed, the franchise developed a cult following. Coincidentally, Aaron Johnson-Taylor's Kraven has abilities very similar to the protagonist from that property. Not to mention, his mission and overall ethos have parallels to what The Beastmaster presented.

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The following contains spoilers for Kraven the Hunter, now playing in theaters.

As J.C. Chandor's Kraven the Hunter unfolds, fans can't help but feel forlorn even before the movie ends. That's because they know this is more than likely the final live-action film in Sony's Spider-Man Universe (Ssu). Though, Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse is still in production, it does seem like Kraven is finishing the live-action shared universe.

However, there is a key avenue that Marvel can follow after the Sony partnership didn't reap its full dividends: Disney+. The streaming service can save this superhero franchise in the form of animated series that are meant to extend what these movies tried to accomplish.

Sony's Spider-Man Universe Still Has Potential...

Sony’s Kraven the Hunter, which hit theaters on Dec. 13, is sputtering at the box office with earnings of $42 million worldwide, with $17 million coming domestically. Collider reports that the Spider-Man Universe film has failed to earn even half of its reported $110 million budget.

At Kraven the Hunter’s current pace, it would be a stroke of luck if the movie reached the $60 million mark by the end of its theatrical run. For comparison, the much-maligned Madame Web (2024) earned $100.4 million globally, with $43.8 of that coming domestically. The Jared Leto-led Morbius (2022) would end up earning $160 million worldwide.

Thus far, Kraven the Hunter is falling behind both of those movies, all three of which have “Rotten” scores on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. Kraven currently has a 15% score, as does Morbius, while Madame Web has a score of 11%.

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Kraven the Hunter continues to set a new record for the Sony Spider-Verse, but not exactly in the way Sony had hoped. Starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the title character, the film debuted at $11 million domestically, which is lower than the previous lowest opening for a Sony Marvel film. Madame Web opened earlier in 2024 with a disastrous $15.4 million, but it still fared better than Kraven. Taylor-Johnson's latest outing fought steep competition with both Moana 2 and Wicked outperforming the film by over double the profits, despite being in their 3rd and 4th weekend respectively.

In its 2nd weekend, Kraven failed to perform any better. Per Deadline, the film suffered a substantial -72% drop in ticket sales, which makes the possibility of the film making back its budget. Kraven cost around $120 million to make, and its current box office total domestically sits at roughly $17.4 million as of Sunday, December 22. Globally, it is sitting at $42.8 million.

Paramount's Sonic the Hedgehog 3 proved that it could hold its own again the king of the jungle, Disney's Mufasa: The Lion King. The two films opened on the same weekend domestically and there was not much of a battle.

Per Deadline, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 sped to the first spot at the box office this year, beating Disney's latest entry, Mufasa: The Lion King. Both titles follow successful IPs, as Sonic serves as a sequel, while Mufasa is a spinoff prequel and sequel to 2019's The Lion King. Paramount's Sonic the Hedgehog 3 had a $62 million opening, almost double Disney's Mufasa's $35 million domestically.

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There was a way that Sony could’ve made Kraven the Hunter more interesting that would’ve been a completely bizarre fix, but I believe it would’ve worked. Sony’s Spider-Man universe has had a big year in terms of the number of films, with Madame Web, Venom: The Last Dance, and Kraven the Hunter all released this year. However, all of the films were far from box office success and received mixed to poor reviews from critics. Just days before Kraven’s release, it was announced that Sony would stop producing films in the Spider-Man universe for now.

Sony’s decision means that Madame Web and Kraven the Hunter will likely not be getting the sequels that both films were clearly setting up. It’s a shame that Kraven bombed so hard as it was a promising concept with some positive qualities, but it felt like it was...

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Kraven the Hunter is the latest in a long line of flops for Sony's Spider-Man Universe (Ssu). The film depicts the origin story of Aaron Taylor-Johnson's Kraven the Hunter, who makes his live-action debut in the new film. However, the movie has been categorically rejected by fans, who criticize several changes that Sony makes to the character, including making him an animal lover rather than an animal hunter. While it is difficult to pin Kraven the Hunter's failure down to a single flaw, one thing is clear: the film is a critical and financial disaster for Sony. In the aftermath of its latest flop, Sony is left to reconsider the status of its universe, and the future of Spider-Man movies.

The box office battle between Disney’s Mufasa – the Lion King prequel – and Paramount’s Sonic the Hedgehog 3 seems to be over before it even began. According to Deadline, Sonic 3 more than doubled Mufasa’s grosses, with a $70.5 million opening (which is right in line with what we predicted). However, Mufasa is under-performing badly, with it on track for an opening weekend in the $36-8 million range. When you consider that the 2019 Lion King opened with $191 million, that’s a truly abysmal number, although, with the Christmas season in full swing, it should still have no trouble topping at least $100 million domestically. It did manage an A-minus CinemaScore rating, so word-of-mouth should be decent and give it legs into 2025.

Meanwhile, Moana 2 and Wicked are neck-in-neck, with each expecting to pull in around $14 million for the weekend. However, the movie in 5th place is a pretty big shock, with...

Hollywood has been searching for its next James Bond for a hot minute now, especially after Daniel Craig left big shoes to fill as the face of the iconic character for over a decade.

Daniel Craig as James Bond in Spectre | Credits: Eon Productions

Now, with fresh faces being considered, Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s name consistently pops up in the conversation, making him a strong contender. With his latest film Kraven the Hunter releasing, here’s what he has to say about the possibility of taking on the role.

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While fans have been debating whether Aaron Taylor-Johnson would be the right fit for 007, the actor himself has a simple yet compelling reason for wanting the role, suits. (Barney Stinson would be proud)

Sure, playing James Bond comes with the iconic charm, action-packed missions, and the luxury of exotic locations, but for Taylor-Johnson,...

As 2024 nears its end, a look back at the Marvel Cinematic Universe movie and the three films in Sony's Spider-Man Universe that were released this year shows that many powerful characters graced the silver screen. After many years with multiple releases, Deadpool & Wolverine was the McU's only movie in 2024. That was due to delays caused by the 2023 Hollywood strikes and internal restructuring at Marvel. Still, the film featured many powerful heroes and villains.

Adding to the list are also the three final entries among Sony's Spider-Man Universe movies. Recently, it was reported that Kraven the Hunter would be the final movie in the Ssu after multiple films bombed at the box office. Of the MCU and Ssu movies released in 2024, only Madame Web is not represented on the list. Some players on the list could return in future Marvel movies, while others bid farewell in 2024. Here are the 10 most...

James Gunn’s Superman may well be one of the most anticipated comic book flicks in recent memory, and in large part, that is due to the aesthetic and story that it embraces. The recently released teaser trailer showcases this wonderfully, from Supe’s costume –which includes the iconic red briefs–, to Krypto’s first live-action appearance.

In an interview with Vanity Fair, Gunn broke down the trailer, explaining what sets this iteration of Superman apart. The trailer opens on a defeated Superman in an icy wasteland, bleeding, only able to muster a weak whistle –which beckons Krypto. "This movie, at the end of the day, is not about power," Gunn says. "This movie is about, in the loose sense of the word, a human being struggling with his day-to-day life. And we see a different aspect of him at the beginning. I thought it was a cool place to...