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Tag: Kraven the Hunter

  • Sony Pushes Back its Fall Slate Instead of Paying Writers and Actors Fairly

    Sony Pushes Back its Fall Slate Instead of Paying Writers and Actors Fairly

    It seems like Sony is the first to cave. Hollywood is currently going through one of its most significant strikes as the WGA and SAG-AFTRA have decided to strike as no fair deal was made by any of the studios to make their life actually livable. Now, the trend continues as instead of coming back to the table to discuss the industry’s future, it seems Sony has decided to push back the major releases of their fall schedule.

    The big push comes with Kraven the Hunter, which has now shifted to a release on August 30th of 2024, which was initially set to release this October. It seems they were mostly banking on Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s press tour to push the film; uncertain if that would actually help their next Spider-Man spinoff without the webhead’s involvement. Surprisingly, Madame Web is getting released two days earlier on Valentine’s Day of 2024.

    That’s not all, as the Ghostbusters: Afterlife sequel has also been pushed further back to March 29th of 2024. It initially was going to have a Christmas release and had the lesser push even with the hope to wait it out until Paul Rudd is able to promote the project once the strike ends. They also postponed the Karate Kid reboot that was going to release in June next year to a December release.

    There are also some films that have now ended up in limbo. Blumhouse’s They Listen lost its August release date from next year. Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse has lost its March release, which was hinted at when reports pointed to a troubled production (even if the released film is quite a visual feast). Though, they surprisingly gave Venom 3 a release date, as it stopped production during the strike, as the film is slated for July 12th while Bad Boys 4 will release on June 14th. Gran Turismo is still set for its August release.

    Source: Variety

  • DC Veteran to Compose ‘Kraven the Hunter’s Soundtrack

    DC Veteran to Compose ‘Kraven the Hunter’s Soundtrack

    Looks like Kraven the Hunter is in good hands. Well, depends on who you ask when it comes to the upcoming Sony spinoff film focused on the Spider-Man film. Still, there is some exciting news with the addition of Benjamin Wallfisch. The veteran composer has seemingly joined the production and will give Aaron Taylor-Johnson the right melody to hunt down his non-animal prey.

    What is interesting about Wallfisch is that he’s no stranger to superhero properties. He’s worked quite a bit with Andy Muschietti on The Flash, his two It films, and even was involved with 2019’s Shazam! though his best work might be Blade Runner 2049, which he worked on it alongside composing icon Hans Zimmer.

    It’ll be interesting to see what direction he takes the soundtrack for this film, as Wallsisch has quite an extensive background. So, they could go any way they want with it but it would seem fitting if they lean into the characters’ Russian background in their choice of melody. Though, it’s hard to say if director J.C. Chandor already went in with a rather specific vision.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • CinemaCon: Sony Unveils First Look at R-Rated ‘Kraven The Hunter’

    CinemaCon: Sony Unveils First Look at R-Rated ‘Kraven The Hunter’

    Sony’s CinemaCon presentation didn’t include any news about the status of Tom Holland‘s new Spider-Man deal nor an update on when to expect Spider-Man 4 but they did bring a first look at the film everyone is looking forward to: Kraven the Hunter! Footage of director J.C. Chandor‘s upcoming film was screened for the crowd and, according to reports, it was pretty rowdy!

    Described as “a Marvel movie grounded heavily in the real world“, the footage naturally featured a surprising look at Alessandro Nivola ingesting a serum and then transforming into the Rhino whilst asking “don’t you want to know why they call me the Rhino?” It doesn’t get more grounded in reality than that!

    The highlight of the footage was a violent rampage by Aaron Taylor-Johnson‘s titular character. In an all-out assault on a team of poachers, Taylor-Johnson‘s Kraven brutally attacked and killed them in a variety of creative ways including biting off a piece of one of their faces and spitting out the blood. This of course was part of the revelation by Sony that the film will be an R-rated theatrical release, news that is sure to please that particular corner of the internet.

    Kraven the Hunter is set for release on October 6th.

  • Sony Delays ‘Madame Web’ and ‘Kraven the Hunter’ Release Dates

    Sony Delays ‘Madame Web’ and ‘Kraven the Hunter’ Release Dates

    It looks like we’ll have to wait just a little longer for the upcoming Marvel projects from Sony, as they have now pushed back quite a few releases. While they’ve also updated their upcoming schedule to include a new Karate Kid film, which we exclusively revealed just last month, and the sequel to Searching titled Missing (here’s hoping the third one is named Finding), it seems their various Marvel films have also been delayed.

    Kraven the Hunter is now eyeing a release on October 6th, 2023, quite a few months away from its initial January 13th release date that same year. It took over Madame Web‘s original release which is now scheduled for 2024 on February 16th. Both films are set to also screen in IMAX. The delay also affected one of its untitled Marvel films which were initially planned for June 7th, 2025 but it is now a July release. Some have theorized this might be the next Spider-Man MCU entry, but there hasn’t been an announcement so far.

    Sony is still moving forward with its projects even after Morbius didn’t quite make it the first two rounds it attempted in theaters. It’s uncertain how their relationship stands with Marvel and what the future has in store for Spider-Man. We haven’t heard anything about a new trilogy or even if the character will appear in Sony’s own universe. There are a lot of unknown variables at the moment and we can only hope that an update isn’t too far away.

    Source: Deadline

  • Alessandro Nivola on Playing the Villain in Sony’s ‘Kraven the Hunter’ Film

    Alessandro Nivola on Playing the Villain in Sony’s ‘Kraven the Hunter’ Film

    As Sony looks to continue moving forward with their cinematic universe of characters within the lore of Spider-Man (without the titular character present), one film that has piqued the curiosity of some is 2023’s Kraven the Hunter. As the film approaches its January premiere, Alessandro Nivola sat down with The Hollywood Reporter to discuss his involvement as the main antagonist. Nivola focused on his excitement about reuniting with director J.C. Chandor after having worked with him on A Most Violent Year. Alongside this, the actor described the more practical nature of this film as opposed to others in the superhero genre.

    These movies all have a certain formula to them, but J.C. said that he wanted to shoot all on location. The physical ability of the characters in the movie is also more grounded in reality. People aren’t flying around or anything. J.C. described it as the most incredible Olympic athlete you’ve ever seen. Moreover, the role, which I’m not yet allowed to disclose, was just a real acting opportunity for me.

    Alessandro Nivola

    Kraven the Hunter has been confirmed to have been shot on location in predominantly Iceland. That bit of news has the potential to draw in more interest as most superhero flicks are filmed with the help of greenscreens. Nivola also talked about the enjoyment he had in playing an antagonist with pathos and complexity while avoiding general stereotypes of actors working within the realm of superheroics. The actor also gave some teases towards specific facets of his character and the film at large.

    It’s just a great character part, and I didn’t have to do any CGI. I didn’t have to do any green screen. I only transform, physically, in the final moments of the movie, so it’s just a classic villain role. It had a really interesting, complex psychology and personal history to draw on, and the movie has a time jump in it, so the character changes a lot from the way he is in the beginning of the film. It was as much of an acting opportunity as any other film I’ve done, and I didn’t have to contend with wearing a spandex outfit or anything like that.

    Alessandro Nivola

    If what Alessandro Nivola talks about here is able to be translated onto the screen, then there is a chance that Kraven the Hunter can become a relative surprise hit within the genre. And Sony should certainly be hoping for that if they want to maintain success in this attempt at a cinematic universe following the unmitigated flop of Morbius earlier this year.

    Kraven the Hunter stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson in the titular role and is currently scheduled to open in theaters on January 13, 2023.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • Aaron Taylor-Johnson Calls ‘Kraven the Hunter’ a Personal Story

    Aaron Taylor-Johnson Calls ‘Kraven the Hunter’ a Personal Story

    Aaron Taylor-Johnson can currently be seen in Sony’s Bullet Train, which is set to top the box office once again in its second weekend, but he can next be seen as the Spider-Man villain, Kraven the Hunter. Production on the Spider-Man offshoot recently wrapped production and for the former Quicksilver actor, it’s exciting because it filmed entirely on location.

    In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Taylor-Johnson discussed the differences in filming both Bullet Train and Kraven the Hunter. The former, of course, was filmed almost entirely on a soundstage, while Kraven was filmed on location which the actor believes will make a huge difference in the way the story is told. “Kraven being shot entirely on location is going to make all the difference. It’s going to add something really beautiful to our personal story,” Taylor-Johnson said. “It also sets Kraven apart from that Marvel stage look. It’s important for this character to be in the real world. It’s important for the authenticity of the story.”

    As the actor notes, it’s important that for a character who is mainly running barefoot on the streets, it’s important to use the elements in the storytelling. It’s a far cry from the actor’s work on Avengers: Age of Ultron, where most of his work as Quicksilver was done on a soundstage, but it remains to be seen whether or not filming on location gives Kraven the Hunter a much-needed push. After all, Sony’s most recent Spider-Man offshoot, Morbius, was both a critical and box office failure.

    Kraven the Hunter will hit theaters on Jan. 13, 2023. It’s directed by J. C. Chandor and stars Taylor-Johnson as the titular character, alongside Russell Crowe, Ariana DeBose, Christopher Abbott, Levi Miller, and Alessandro Nivola. The screenplay was written by Richard Wenk, Art Marcum and Matt Holloway.

    Source: THR.

  • ‘Kraven the Hunter’ Star Teases His Take on the Spider-Man Villain

    ‘Kraven the Hunter’ Star Teases His Take on the Spider-Man Villain

    Sony has been pushing forward with its Marvel franchise and is hoping to capitalize on the iconic rogue’s gallery of everyone’s favorite friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. While we’ve recently focused a lot on Madame Web, Sony’s answer to Doctor Strange, there’s also the live-action adaptation of Kraven the Hunter in the future.

    Taylor Aaron-Johnson will take on the iconic role of Spidey’s most human foes, especially the one with the darkest storyline in Kraven’s Last Hunt. With rumors making the rounds online, the actor got a chance to tease what we can expect from his take on the character in the upcoming Sony game in an interview with ComicBook.com.

    I can’t confirm any details or anything. And also, I guess that was probably a little taken out of context and then run. I mean, I think you know what I meant what really stated was that he was a protector of the natural world I said and he’s a conservationist, which is probably more accurate, and then should have stopped there, full stop, shouldn’t have gone on beyond that because, yeah I think you know you really got to understand, yeah, he is a hunter and from that world of hunting and there’s so many aspects.

    Aaron Taylor-Johnson

    He also shares that there’s something that he found fascinating about the character and promises that this version of the character is definitely “going to be the hunter that we all want to see.”

    What I love about that character is that what is he humanizing is that he has flaws, right? Kraven is a beautiful character. Sergei Kravinov is a beautiful character because it’s someone who’s really understanding themselves and has flaws. This is a character that was built ages ago and it’s in a new time and era, but yeah, is he going to be the hunter that we all want to see? Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely

    Aaron Taylor-Johnson

    Many are still a bit confused about what to expect from the character, especially if they will try to humanize him in the upcoming project. The challenge is in how they then set him up as a future villain for whatever version of Spider-Man they plan on including. We’ll have to wait until the film eventually releases and potentially teases further connections.

    Source: ComicBook.com

  • Aaron Taylor-Johnson Teases Sony’s New Take on ‘Kraven the Hunter’

    Aaron Taylor-Johnson Teases Sony’s New Take on ‘Kraven the Hunter’

    We’ve all scratched our heads when Sony once again continued its goal of expanding the Spider-Man rogue’s gallery without the webhead’s direct involvement. While El Muerto is still the most surprising choice, Aaron Taylor-Johnson will also take on the role of Kraven the Hunter. Now that the famous hunter doesn’t have his iconic prey, it does seem like they’re taking a different direction with the character. Luckily in an interview with Variety, Taylor-Johnson offered some insight.

    While calling Kraven “Spider-Man’s number one rival” but highlights that what makes him stand out is that he’s “not an alien, or a wizard. He’s just a hunter, a human with conviction. An animal lover and a protector of the natural world. He’s a very, very cool character.” He also highlights that the character is more of an anti-hero which we saw in the past with the character’s development in the past.

    The big reveal is that this version of Kraven is “an animal lover and a protector of the natural world.” As such, he may no longer be the “hunter” in the traditional sense and has put his focus on taking down others that harm animals. It’s definitely a departure from the character’s usual origin and it’ll be interesting to see how he brings him to life on the silver screen. Plus, there’s the tease of how it may all tie together with the post-credit sequence of Morbius, as the “human with conviction” might need a few tweaks to be inspired in taking down a human dressed as a spider.

    Source: Variety

  • First Look at the Logo for ‘Kraven the Hunter’ Unveiled

    First Look at the Logo for ‘Kraven the Hunter’ Unveiled

    Sony’s next installment in there expanding universe of Marvel characters who are related to, but never feature, Spider-Man, is Kraven the Hunter. The film will see Aaron Taylor-Johnson suit up in Kraven’s traditional white collar outfit and take on the dangers of the streets of London, such as treacherous minivans. Production on the film has been underway for several weeks and now, as at least part of the crew wrapped their work on the film, we have our first look at a logo for the film.

    Other than the bright colors of the very tactical-looking logo, the first thing that jumps out is that it does include what appears to be a spear, which is one of Kraven’s traditional weapons. It remains to be seen how Kraven will brandish the spear against a minivan and what, if any, effect it would have on the vehicle.

    The above logo was on a backpack gifted to crew. Could it be a hint that Kraven will also wield a backpack as he navigates the rowdy streets of London? Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait until January 13, 2023 or later to know for sure.

  • Ariana DeBose Offers Update on ‘Kraven the Hunter’

    Ariana DeBose Offers Update on ‘Kraven the Hunter’

    Hot off of her success with West Side Story, Ariana DeBose has joined her first major blockbuster production. While many Marvel fans were hoping to see her as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it was Sony that ended up casting her first in the role of the voodoo priestess Calypso in their live-action Kraven the Hunter movie.

    Not much is known about how they’ll adapt her character into live-action, but she did offer a small update on how far the production is coming along in an interview with Deadline.

    It’s cool. It’s going well. I mean, for as much as I believe I’m allowed to say about it, I think it’s going swimmingly.

    Ariana DeBose

    She also talked about what it’s like being part of a franchise as large as Marvel, highlighting her excitement on being involved with the role but also what her focus is when taking a role, no matter what project it is.

    Yeah. I’m proud of them. I think all of these franchise pieces, it’s all about your growth. And it’s exciting to be a part of something that feels like it’s taking a step in a different direction. I feel like they’re just allowing this to live in whatever world it needs to live in, which is kind of cool. I don’t like work experiences, period, where I feel like I’m asked to fit a box, because my job is to discover the box and to define the box. That’s my job, in my opinion. I mean, it is 2022.

    Ariana DeBose

    As it’s another Spider-Man spinoff without the iconic wallcrawler, there are many questions on how they might adapt the character’s origin story and how it may fit into the overall world they are building. Morbius‘ post-credit sequence hinted at a potential Sinister Six team featuring a dimension traveling Vulture, but at this point, it’s difficult to say what the future has in store for Sony’s Marvel franchise.

    Source: Deadline