Aaron Taylor-Johnson Talks ‘Kraven the Hunter’ and SSU’s Take on the Character: “I Think There Was Something Unique about This Character”

Since striking a deal with Disney for Spider-Man to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2016, Sony has been focusing on expanding its own cinematic universe, officially known as Sony’s Spider-Man Universe. Although Spider-Man himself hasn’t appeared in this universe, some associated characters have.

The Sony’s Spider-Man Universe (SSU) began with ‘Venom’ in 2018, followed by several other movies including a sequel to ‘Venom,’ ‘Morbius,’ and most recently, ‘Madame Web.’ While these movies haven’t received much critical acclaim, with ‘Morbius’ and ‘Madame Web’ gaining more attention as memes than at the box office, SSU continues to expand. This year, two additional movies are set for release: ‘Venom: The Last Dance’ and ‘Kraven the Hunter.’

‘Kraven the Hunter’ features Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the titular Spider-Man villain. Among Spider-Man’s supporting characters, Kraven is one of the most recognizable and brutal. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Aaron Taylor-Johnson explained that he took on the role because he finds the character grounded and unique.

I think there was something unique about this character, and something grounded. We’ve all had enough of seeing certain studio films, a certain kind of pop culture… where they’re churning out stuff that dilutes wanting to go to the cinema. I wouldn’t have signed onto it if I felt there wasn’t something to really bring to life with this character.

It appears that Johnson is optimistic that his upcoming film will capture the depth and authenticity required to portray Kraven faithfully on screen. He also mentioned that while he wasn’t initially a comic book enthusiast, he became engrossed in the source material once he began studying it.

I’m not a comic-book reader, but there’s one called Kraven’s Last Hunt…You just think, ‘What the fuck have I just read?’ That’s the kind of character I’m playing. But then, a lot of the people who grew up with Marvel are old enough now to watch an R-rated movie.

Although the studio has ambitious plans for both ‘Madame Web’ and Morbius, Johnson remains optimistic that his character could eventually spawn a franchise within the SSU.

Taking on a Sony / Marvel movie is a different challenge altogether. There’s the story, the character, the role; that’s one thing. But then you also step into a world where you’re dealing with a studio and a franchise — or possible franchises, though let’s not get ahead of ourselves. So, they’re rolling the dice on me, in a sense, which is a lovely thing. But you’ve got to appease the studio, please the audience and do what’s dignified for you as an actor. I find all of that super challenging.

Following the disappointing performance of ‘Madame Web’ at the box office, the future of the SSU appears uncertain. However, ‘Kraven the Hunter’ has the potential to change this trajectory and establish a new benchmark for Sony’s superhero films, much like the impact of the first ‘Venom’ installment. ‘Kraven the Hunter’ is set to hit theaters worldwide on August 30, 2024.

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