Summary

• Sony's live-action Spider-Man Universe struggles, but hopes the R-rated Kraven film will save it.
• Filming for Kraven the Hunter was rocky with reshoots, but it's set for a December 2024 release.
• An R-rating alone won't guarantee Kraven success; fans prioritize good storytelling over rating.

Sony has found success with its animated Spider-Verse films, both with the box office and audiences. Unfortunately, though, the studio has failed to find the same success with its live-action Spider-Man universe. Sony's Venom films were pretty successful, but failed to wow critics, and later entries in the Spider-Man Universe have all but died upon arrival. The studio seems hopeful that Kraven the Hunter's R-rating will be its saving grace.

The film, which will star Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the titular character, is set to be the next film in Sony's live-action Spider-Man universe. It'll also mark the first R-rated movie in Sony's Spider-Man Universe. The rating for the film was revealed shortly after the success of Marvel Studios' Deadpool & Wolverine, suggesting Sony hoped to find some of the same success with Kraven. However, it's going to take a lot more for Kraven to help Sony's live-action Spider-Man universe.

Kraven's Journey to the Big Screen

It was first announced that Sony officially planned to make a Kraven the Hunter movie in 2020, with director J.C. Chandor boarding the project in April of that year. It wasn't until May 2021, however, that Taylor-Johnson boarded the project as the titular villain. The cast would continue to take shape the following year, with actors like Russell Crowe, Fred Hechinger, and Ariana DeBose later joining the project. Filming later commenced in March 2022 before wrapping that June, with plans to originally hit theaters in January of the following year.

Unfortunately, that date came and went, and the film was delayed numerous times. It was said that the delays were to help tighten the plot and sharpen the characters, with Sony finally settling on a December 2024 release date for the villainous flick. While Taylor-Johnson, who has been very vocal about his excitement for the project, teased an R-rating for the movie, it didn't actually receive an R-rating until over the summer. The rating stems from "strong blood violence and language," suggesting there will be plenty of CGI blood on screen and perhaps some foul language. However, the film's rating shouldn't dictate whether or not it's going to be good.

The trailers thus far, as well as the posters, have drawn mixed reactions from fans who are rightfully hesitant. Not only is this yet another Spider-Man villain movie without Spider-Man, but it was also shot entirely on location. Or at least, it was prior to reshoots. The set photos that leaked during production had some fans concerned, with Taylor-Johnson's Kraven looking like a far cry from the comic book character, but Taylor-Johnson has stated he felt there was a reason to bring the character to life. So, with a murky trail thus far, where will Kraven take Sony's Spider-Man universe come December?

Why Kraven's R-Rating Doesn't Guarantee Success

When it comes to superhero movies, fans are always eager for the studios to release more R-rated films. Especially after Deadpool proved to be a success for 21st Century Fox with its first two entries. However, studios are understandably timid regarding R-rated movies as it does cut out a large part of their core audience. Take the Marvel Cinematic Universe, for example. The franchise is well-loved not just by adults, but by children, as well. If Marvel were to only make R-rated movies going forward, the studio's box office returns would continue to decline - a risk it isn't willing to take. Some characters, however, require an R-rating, including Deadpool.

There's a reason Marvel Studios made Deadpool & Wolverine its first R-rated movie within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It's what fits the character best - Deadpool was never meant to be a family-friendly character. Then there's Kraven. With Sony's Spider-Man Universe, the studio has continually stayed within the PG-13 realm, never wanting to alienate its audience. This is a move that was pretty successful for the studio with the Venom films, with the first film securing over $800 million worldwide. Sadly, though, its other offerings - Morbius and Madame Web - seemed to crash and burn from the start. The ratings didn't matter for those movies because, ultimately, they were not good films.

Superhero movies tend to do good business at the box office. However, word of mouth can destroy a film early on. As of now, Kraven the Hunter is trying to sell itself with its R-rating and use of blood and language. It's a ploy Sony is hoping will lure in viewers of Deadpool & Wolverine, fans eager for more adult-orientated comic book films. However, it's going to take more than an R-rating to help Kraven the Hunter find success and win audiences over, especially after the bad taste left behind by Madame Web. Sony has spent so much time trying to build its Spider-Man Universe, moving quickly to develop multiple villain-origin films, but the studio has missed the most important thing that makes comic book movies successful: good storytelling. If the script is lacking, and the performances are poor, fans are not going to care whether the project was rated R or rated PG-13.

Kraven the Hunter is slated to hit theaters on December 13th, 2024.