Kraven the Hunter actor and Russell Crowe promised fans that the upcoming Spider-Man spinoff is grimmer than fans may expect.
Speaking to CBR, Crowe was asked if he had any news to share with fans about Kraven the Hunter. "I've talked to J.C. Chandor, the director, he's really excited about what he's got in front of him... Really excited about the way people will receive it," Crowe said. "I think I can sort of pass on... One of the things he said, that it's, it's just an unexpectedly dark world." Crowe is set to portray Nikolai Kravinoff in Kraven the Hunter, the father of Aaron Taylor Johnson's titular villain.
Sergei Kravinoff, better known as Kraven the Hunter, has been a major player in Spider-Man's rogues' gallery since the character's introduction in the pages of 1964's Amazing Spider-Man #15 by creators Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. After big game hunts in Africa led Sergei to imbibe an herbal potion, the Hunter emerged, imbued with superhuman strength, agility and resilience, with heightened senses to match. The character has long sought out the Wall Crawler as the greatest trophy he could hope to mount on his wall and has influenced generations of fellow villains who have carried on his name at various points in time.
Kraven the Hunter Could Face Spider-Man On Screen
In June 2022, Johnson explained that the film would be entirely unlike others in the broader superhero genre by being "shot entirely on location" in lieu of a studio set. When if fans could hope to see his Kraven face off against Spider-Man on the silver screen, Johnson responded, "That's a really interesting question. In comic books, there have been many comic books that have that, so, you know? So the possibilities are definitely there."
Johnson and Crowe are joined by actor Alessandro Nivola, who portrays a still unnamed villain in the upcoming film. In August 2022, Nivola opened up about his character, albeit without giving away any overtly identifying details. "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," Nivola said.
Kraven the Hunter does not currently have a scheduled release date.
Source: CBR