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- ‘Kraven the Hunter‘ Was Devoured By ‘Moana 2’ and ‘Wicked’
- Audiences Weren’t Excited to See ‘Kraven the Hunter’
- Aaron Taylor-Johnson Isn’t a Box Office Draw
As a film critic with over two decades of experience under my belt, I’ve seen countless movies and actors rise and fall in the industry. Aaron Taylor-Johnson, a talented performer no doubt, has yet to prove he can carry a film to box office success, despite his impressive resume.
In simpler terms, the movie “Kraven the Hunter,” which is said to be the last installment in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe and was initially set for release in 2022, but faced numerous delays over the past two years, came with a lot of skepticism due to the poor performance of previous films like “Madame Web” and “Morbius.” Despite Sony publicly expressing hope that “Kraven the Hunter,” directed by J.C. Chandor, would perform better than the “Venom” trilogy, the late release of the film was surrounded by a feeling of impending doom.
Originally, it was expected that “Kraven the Hunter” would earn around $15 million in its domestic opening weekend, a figure similar to the initial three-day domestic earnings of “Madame Web.” However, the actual opening weekend gross for “Kraven the Hunter” was a dismal $11 million, marking the poorest debut for any film within the Sony Spider-Man Universe and one of the worst openings for any Marvel character adaptation. The only apparent silver lining in this disappointing performance is that the poor showing of “Kraven the Hunter” has made the underperforming films like “Madame Web” and “Morbius” appear more successful by comparison.
‘Kraven the Hunter’ Was Devoured By ‘Moana 2’ and ‘Wicked’
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In more than 3,200 movie theaters across the country, “Kraven the Hunter” was launched, but its negative critical reception, reflected in a 15% Rotten Tomatoes score, didn’t forecast it would dethrone box-office giants like “Moana 2” and “Wicked”. Sony anticipated that “R-rated Kraven the Hunter” would at least earn five times its initial domestic earnings during the holiday season. Unfortunately, with a $11 million opening in U.S. theaters, “Kraven the Hunter” faces an uphill battle against upcoming blockbusters such as “Mufasa” and “Sonic the Hedgehog 3”.
As a movie critic, I’d say that if you’re expecting something akin to “Kraven the Hunter,” you might want to look elsewhere, as it shares some similarities with this year’s box-office flop, “Madame Web.” “Madame Web” struggled to rake in over $100 million worldwide despite an $80 million production budget. Sadly, “Kraven the Hunter,” which boasts a heftier price tag of $110 million, seems destined for a similar fate, given its underwhelming $15 million overseas debut. The only silver lining here is that “Kraven the Hunter” has managed to garner a 73% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, compared to the 55% rating of “Madame Web.
Audiences Weren’t Excited to See ‘Kraven the Hunter’
In the movie “Kraven the Hunter,” Aaron Taylor-Johnson portrays the central character, driven by a complicated bond with his stern father, played by Russell Crowe, to rise as the world’s elite hunter. Originating from the classic Marvel comic book series, The Amazing Spider-Man, Kraven made his debut in the 15th issue, just one issue after the Green Goblin was introduced. Despite having a rich history with Spider-Man, Kraven has not enjoyed the same level of adoration as other well-known Spider-Man villains such as Doctor Octopus, Electro, Sandman, and Venom.
In comparison to Madame Web and Morbius, the character Kraven lacked a strong audience connection that could have turned “Kraven the Hunter” into a financially successful film and kickstarted a franchise. The disappointing performance of “Kraven the Hunter,” along with signaling the downfall of Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, has made it clear that Sony needs to be more discerning when choosing which Marvel properties to develop in the future.
Instead of rushing to release Kraven the Hunter, as Sony has done for their third failed attempt at launching a franchise featuring a secondary Spider-Man character, they could have followed Marvel Studios’ lead by postponing the project until it’s ready for optimal success.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson Isn’t a Box Office Draw
Aaron Taylor-Johnson, known for his impressive supporting roles in movies like “Bullet Train,” “Godzilla,” and “Tenet,” among others, hasn’t yet demonstrated the capability to lead a film to significant box office success, with the possible exception of the “Kick-Ass” series. In recent years, Taylor-Johnson has garnered as much attention for his odds of becoming the next James Bond as he has for any of his acting roles. Over the last decade, he’s only appeared in two films, “Bullet Train” and “The Fall Guy,” which collectively earned over $60 million domestically, but it’s clear that he plays a supporting role in both productions.
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2024-12-18 03:31