Nearly a month after word surfaced that Sony is eyeing Spider-Man spinoffs starring Kraven the Hunter and Mysterio, the studio has yet to confirm those plans -- but it isn't exactly denying them, either.

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For an article about Sony's ambitions to build on the success of Spider-Man: Homecoming to establish a cinematic universe, beginning next year with Venom and continuing with Silver & Black, Columbia Pictures President Sanford Panitch was asked about the Kraven rumor. According to Variety, he deflected the question, but replied, "He’s an awesome character. Let’s just leave it at that.”

Introduced by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko 1964’s The Amazing Spider-Man #15, Kraven viewed the wall-crawler as the ultimate prey, which would establish him as the world's greatest hunter. Perhaps best known for the acclaimed 1987 storyline "Kraven's Last Hunt," the character remains a favorite among fans, who have lobbied for him to appear as an antagonist in a Spider-Man film.

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Variety notes that through its Spider-Man license, Sony has access to some 900 characters, a staggering number that might help to explain reports of an array of villains and supporting players in Silver & Black. However, a select few of those -- including Kraven, perhaps -- are earmarked for more significant roles.

“With the Sony universe of Marvel characters, our mission is only to do what’s the absolute best for each individual property,” Panitch said. “I just want to honor the original DNA.”