Kraven the Hunter, an upcoming American superhero film featuring the Marvel Comics character of the same name, is in the works. Produced by Columbia Pictures in collaboration with Marvel Entertainment, Arad Productions, and Matt Tolmach Productions, and distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing, it’s slated to be the fifth installment in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe (SSU). The film is helmed by director J. C. Chandor, with a screenplay by Richard Wenk and the writing duo Art Marcum and Matt Holloway. The cast includes Aaron Taylor-Johnson in the titular role, alongside Ariana DeBose, Fred Hechinger, Christopher Abbott, Alessandro Nivola, and Russell Crowe.
Kraven’s potential for a film adaptation had been explored in the past, but it wasn’t until 2017 that Sony expressed interest in a standalone movie for the character as part of their expanding shared universe. Wenk was brought on board in August 2018, followed by Marcum and Holloway. Negotiations with Chandor to direct began in August 2020 and were finalized in May 2021, coinciding with Taylor-Johnson’s casting. Additional casting occurred in early 2022, with filming commencing in late March in London, England, and wrapping up by mid-June. Some scenes were also shot in Iceland, with expectations for filming in Glasgow.
Kraven the Hunter is set to hit theaters in the United States on August 30, 2024.
| Directed by | J. C. Chandor |
|---|---|
| Screenplay by | Richard Wenk, Art Marcum, Matt Holloway |
| Story by | Richard Wenk |
| Based on | Marvel Comics |
| Produced by | Avi Arad, Matt Tolmach, David Householter |
| Starring | Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ariana DeBose, Fred Hechinger, Christopher Abbott, Alessandro Nivola, Russell Crowe |
| Cinematography | Ben Davis |
| Edited by | Craig Wood |
| Music by | Benjamin Wallfisch |
| Production companies | Columbia Pictures, Marvel Entertainment, Arad Productions, Matt Tolmach Productions |
| Distributed by | Sony Pictures Releasing |
| Release date | August 30, 2024 |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $100–130 million |
Cast:
- Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Sergei Kravinoff / Kraven: A big-game hunter. Taylor-Johnson portrays the character as a conservationist, describing him as a “protector of the natural world” and an “animal lover.”
- Ariana DeBose as Calypso: A voodoo priestess and Kraven’s love interest.
- Fred Hechinger as Dmitri Smerdyakov / Chameleon: Kraven’s estranged half-brother who is a master of disguise.
- Christopher Abbott as the Foreigner: A mercenary and assassin.
- Alessandro Nivola as Aleksei Sytsevich / Rhino: A Russian mercenary who can turn into a human, rhino hybrid.
- Russell Crowe as Nikolai Kravinoff: Kraven’s estranged father.
- Levi Miller: Cast in an undisclosed role.
Release:
Kraven the Hunter is set to premiere in theaters in the United States on August 30, 2024. Initially, it was slated for release on January 13 and later on October 6, 2023.
