B. Radtz
Fresh from the hunt, Sony Pictures announced that Aaron Taylor-Johnson would play the lead role for the upcoming Marvel’s Kraven the Hunter film set in the Sony Pictures Spider-Man universe, slated to release early 2023.
First appearing in Amazing Spider-Man #15, Kraven was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, and was billed as the world’s greatest hunter whos has been a consistent thorn in Spider-Man’s side until his death in the iconic Kraven’s Last Hunt printed in the October and November 1987 Spider-Man titles.
Sony approached Brad Pitt, Keanu Reaves, Adam Driver, and several others before Taylor-Johnson, who impressed the execs after seeing footage in the upcoming film Bullet Train, opposite Brad Pitt, leading to their decision to offer the role to the actor, according to Variety. J.C. Chandor (“Triple Frontier”) is set to direct, Art Marcum, Matt Holloway, and Richard Wenk are writing the script with Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach producing.
Taylor-Johnson’s is no stranger to movies based on comics property being adapted for the big screen, as this will be his third. The first comic-related project he did was the titular character from the Mark Millar & John Romita Jr.’s Kick-Ass franchise, appearing in Marvel Studios Avengers: Age of Ultron, alongside Elizabeth Olsen as Quicksilver. Taylor-Johnson has most recently appeared in a supporting role in Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” and recently wrapped production of David Leitch’s “Bullet Train” opposite Brad Pitt.
Sony Pictures has been trying to expand its Spider-Man related universe of films for years, especially after the success of the 2018 blockbuster, Venom. Kraven has been stuck in development hell since the abandoned Sinister Six film plans fell through after 2014’s Amazing Spider-Man 2 release.
Taylor-Johnson’s deal suggests that he could appear in several other Spider-Man films, not just the Kraven franchise, such as future Venom, Carnage, Sinister Six, and Black Cat & Silver Sable films currently in early stages of development.
“Kraven the Hunter” is set for release on Jan. 13, 2023.
Source: Variety