Kraven was about to appear in Black Panther and Spider-Man, but fate wanted another fate for the character
The first opportunity
When the director Ryan Coogler began to take shape Black Panther (2018), had the idea to include to the character in the Wakanda universe. In an interview with Yahoo! In the UK, Coogler revealed his enthusiasm for the character:
“I have always loved the hunter in almost all his versions. There was a moment when I thought: can I use Kraven?! But they said, “No, you don’t have it.” It was one of those moments where I thought, “Oh, wow!”
The idea was rejected, probably because Sony had the rights to the characterso it wasn’t part of Marvel Studios’ plans at the time. Finally, we got a movie unforgettable with an iconic villain: Killmonger, masterfully played by Michael B. Jordan. Maybe Kraven wouldn’t have fit into the Wakanda-centric narrative, but the possibility leaves us with a “What would have happened if…?”
The second chance
Kraven was back on the table when Jon Wattsdirector of the Spider-Man trilogy starring Tom Hollandbegan planning the third episode, Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021). As we know, the movie ended up being a spectacular multiversal adventure which brought back to life villains and heroes from other sagas, but once again the fearsome hunter was close to becoming the central axis of the story.
Tom Holland himself confirmed in an interview with Collider that the villain was an option:
“For a long time there was going to be a Kraven movie that was going to be the third movie, because things weren’t going well and there were several problems. “Jon pitched me this idea for Kraven, which was actually really cool.”
According to Holland, although the idea was exciting, the multiverse concept gained ground. And with good reason: the film turned out to be a absolute successwith history-making moments for Spider-Man fans.
The requirements in the future of the MCU
The new movie Sonystarring Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Kraven, it generated divided opinions. While some fans appreciate its brutal approach, others criticize its disconnect from Holland’s Spider-Man and the tone of the MCU.
The big question now is: Should Kraven appear in the MCU? With the consolidation of the multiverse and Marvel Studios’ future plans, the door remains open iconic hunter take your time. Perhaps with a more faithful approach to the comics, he could be the perfect enemy for Tom Holland’s Peter Parker or even a key element in even more ambitious stories.
An iconic villain with an uncertain fate
Kraven is not just any bad guy. In comics, he starred in legendary stories, such as Kraven’s Last Huntwhere he proves to be one of Spider-Man’s most formidable rivals. He is a nuanced character, motivated by honor, the hunt and his obsessive need to prove his superiority.
Sony has the rights, yes, but fans dream of seeing him in the MCU. A brutal, dark, and thrilling showdown between Kraven and Spider-Man could be just what the franchise needs to surprise us again.
Kraven the Hunter is already in theaters and the debate is open: should Marvel Studios bring this hunter into? Marvel Cinematic Universe? Or do you think Sony should continue to explore their own path with it? Whatever the answer, one thing is clear: Kraven has enormous potential which, with the right direction, could make him a villain in cinema history.