Sony’s latest Spider-Manverse, Kraven the hunterreceived rave reviews as soon as it debuted, and has the lowest income rotten tomatoes score in this series of movies. Based on early reviews from 38 critics, the film has an approval rating of just 13%, lower than other poorly received films such as Mobius (19%) and Mrs. Weber (23%). Since the film has not been released yet, there are no audience ratings yet.
The film is produced by JC Chandor and starring Aaron Taylor Johnson As the eponymous character, it tells the origin story of Spider-Man villain Kraven. It also stars Ariana DeBose, Fred Heisinger, Christopher Abbott, Alessandro Nivola and Russell Crowe. Although it was Sony’s first R-rated film in the Spider-Man universe, critics called it a disappointment.
Tim Robbie of The Daily Telegraph called it a “diabolical production” and criticized it for lacking humor and charm, despite Taylor-Johnson’s physical preparation for the role. Ian Friel of Empire magazine echoed similar sentiments, calling the film’s storytelling “ham-fisted” and “silly” but acknowledging its “delightfully brutal quality”. Positive reviews, such as this one from Riotus’ Julian Lytle, mentioned that while the script was flawed, the film provided entertainment and some enjoyable action scenes.
The film has a production budget of $130 million and will need at least $260 million at the global box office to break even, but early feedback doesn’t inspire much confidence.
Sony’s Spider-Man universe has a mixed record. While the “Venom” movies were moderately successful, “Morbius” was more of a meme than a hit movie, and “Mrs. Weber” struggled to win over audiences or critics. Industry reports suggest that Sony may turn its attention back to Spider-Man himself, something many fans believe is long overdue.
Kraven the Hunter is set to premiere in theaters on December 13, 2024, and the studio hopes that audience response will boost its overall reception.
