Marvel & Spider-Man Fans Divided on Kraven’s Solo Sony Movie & Live-Action Rhino

Marvel & Spider-Man Fans Divided on Kraven's Solo Sony Movie & Live-Action Rhino

As a lifelong Marvel enthusiast and cinema aficionado who has seen his fair share of Spider-Man adaptations, I must admit that my anticipation for Sony’s latest offering, “Kraven the Hunter,” is a mixed bag. The trailer certainly piqued my interest with Aaron Taylor-Johnson portraying Kraven in an intriguing light, and the action-packed footage hints at a more comic book-esque feel compared to the previous trailer. However, the depiction of the Rhino has left me scratching my head – I’m still unsure whether it’s a step forward or a misstep.


Sony recently unveiled a new preview for “Kraven the Hunter,” showcasing Aaron Taylor Johnson as Sergei Kravinoff/Kraven in his debut as the live-action version of the Marvel Comics antagonist. The sneak peek also offered a first glimpse at Alessandro Nivola as the Rhino, another Spider-Man adversary. Although the response to this live-action adaptation has been mostly positive among Marvel enthusiasts, some are still hesitant about it.

Many people are worried about the upcoming film due to Sony’s history of handling Marvel characters poorly. Their effort to create the Sony Spider-Man Universe (SSU) has had its ups and downs, especially with the non-Spider-Man movies. The failure of Madame Web, another SSU production, has prompted the studio to reconsider their approach to Kraven. This change is evident in the trailer. Although some fans still have reservations, most are excited about Aaron Taylor-Johnson playing Kraven, while others can’t wait for the unusual pairing of Kraven and Venom, as seen in the movie posters at their local cinemas.

In the initial teaser for the upcoming film that dropped last year, there was an emphasis on character backstory, showcasing Segei’s childhood memories and extensive scenes featuring Russell Crowe as his stern father Nikolai. This time around, action and R-rated brutality take center stage, giving off a more “comic book movie” feel. Most fans seem to appreciate this change in direction. However, the portrayal of The Rhino has stirred some controversy…

Spider-Man Fans React to the Latest Live-Action Rhino in Kraven

Marvel & Spider-Man Fans Divided on Kraven's Solo Sony Movie & Live-Action RhinoMarvel & Spider-Man Fans Divided on Kraven's Solo Sony Movie & Live-Action RhinoMarvel & Spider-Man Fans Divided on Kraven's Solo Sony Movie & Live-Action RhinoMarvel & Spider-Man Fans Divided on Kraven's Solo Sony Movie & Live-Action RhinoMarvel & Spider-Man Fans Divided on Kraven's Solo Sony Movie & Live-Action Rhino

Naturally enough, Twitter served as the primary battleground for discussions surrounding the fresh Kraven footage release. The Rhino character has sparked quite a response, leaving many astonished that he will be portrayed as a mutated human with a horn, thus adhering more closely to his comic book appearance. Though the brief and blurry glimpses have left some withheld in their judgement until they see more, others were less than enthused by this sneak peek at the Spider-Man adversary.

Some people appreciate that the movie version of the Rhino closely resembles his appearance in the comics instead of the “Rhino Tank” shown in The Amazing Spider-Man 2. However, others feel that the portrayal of the Rhino is not faithful enough to the original comic book character.

Apart from the Spider-Man movies (both live-action and animated), Sony’s Universe of Superheroes (SSU) also encompasses the Venom films, Morbius, Madame Web, and Kraven the Hunter. However, some of these films, notably Madame Web, have received mixed reviews from critics and underperformed at the box office. This was particularly true for Madame Web, which led to Sony pushing back the release of Kraven from August 2023 to December 2024. Interestingly, this is not the first delay for Kraven; it was initially slated for a January 2023 release. To accommodate these changes, additional filming and editing were carried out on the movie, leading some fans to speculate about its quality. However, producer Matt Tolmach assured MovieWeb that moving the film to the Christmas season demonstrates the studio’s confidence in Kraven’s ability to deliver a strong performance.

Under the guidance of director J.C. Chandor, the action-packed film titled “Kraven the Hunter” features Ariana DeBose in the role of Calypso, Fred Hechinger as Kraven’s brother Dmitri Smerdyakov/The Chameleon, Christopher Abbott as the hired gun Foreigner, and Alessandro Nivola as Aleksei Sytsevich/Rhino. These characters join forces with Taylor-Johnson and Crowe in this exciting adventure.

Kraven the Hunter
opens in theaters on December 13, 2024.

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2024-08-16 16:01