Summary
- Kraven the Hunter's marketing campaign is raising concerns about the movie's direction and potential success.
- The release of the latest trailer at 3AM ET and lack of buzz around the film are worrisome signs.
- Sony's decision to have a December release for the movie could indicate either confidence or desperation for the franchise's success.
Kraven the Hunter's promotional campaign has begun once again, and I can't help but worry about the direction of the Marvel movie from Sony.
Sony's franchise built from Spider-Man characters has been very hit or miss, with the Venom films performing well commercially, while the rest of the universe has failed. Still, everything known about Kraven suggests a dark, violent, and exciting film with a distinct R-rated edge. While the studio has worked hard to show confidence in the product they've made, several details suggest that this might not be the case behind closed doors.
Sony's universe of Spider-Man characters needs another win. While the Venom films have been successful,
Morbius was a massive miss for critics and audiences, and Madame Web is arguably one of the most bafflingly inept superhero movies ever made. Following these failures, Sony really needs one of their Marvel films to connect. They have worked hard on this film and are trying to introduce iconic characters and images which, at least when compared to the Rhino in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, may be effective. Still, I can't help but worry.
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Related Kraven the Hunter Cast & Marvel Character Guide Kraven the Hunter, part of Sony"s Spider-Man Universe, introduces various Marvel villains played by veteran superhero actors and rising talents.
Kraven The Hunter's Latest Trailer Released In The Middle Of The Night The New Trailer Was Posted Online At 3AM ET Close Unusually, the latest trailer for Kraven the Hunter was released at 3AM ET. Given the importance of trailers as perhaps the most effective marketing tool for a film,
it is unusual for a promotional clip to be released at an hour when most of the domestic audience is not awake to view it. The release of superhero trailers have become events, with record-breaking movie trailers typically releasing at a time when the largest audience can watch. This is how Deadpool & Wolverine's first trailer being shown during the Super Bowl led to a $1 billion gross for the film.
Your browser does not support the video tag. Granted, this is a small concern. While trailer views are important, they do not necessarily translate to box office success.
Renfield had the third-most watched trailer of 2023, but the movie was a box office flop with a $26 million gross. Trailers were primarily made to play in movie theaters, and this is still where much of the public sees what attractions will be coming. I am trying to stay positive, so while this is not a great sign, it is not necessarily a terrible one either, but might simply point to antiquated marketing strategies.
Sony's Marketing For Kraven The Hunter Has Been Weird The First Trailer Was Released In June 2023 Close Following the trailer’s release, it's notable that the marketing for Kraven the Hunter has been unusual. The first promotional push for the film came out of CinemaCon in April 2023, where the first trailer was shown.
This trailer was released in June of that year, when Kraven was scheduled for release in October 2023, and showed the first hints of the Rhino character. A year later, following several delays of its release date, the Rhino character has now been fully revealed in a new trailer, suggesting that perhaps all of the film's surprises may already be in the marketing.
Kraven appears to be a strange reimagining of the Spider-Man villain that imbues him with the powers of the animals he hunts. He has catlike eyes and appears to fight ruthlessly to take down poachers.
The film has already released two trailers that seem to have the same focus. Many of us feel this film has already come and gone due to the long delays. There does not seem to be enough meat on the bone for the film to justify a marketing campaign of nearly two years.
Has Sony Changed Tactics After Madame Web? Madame Web Was A Box Office Disaster Close Following the failure of Madame Web, Sony may be in a place of desperation. Notably, the marketing for that film only included a single trailer, indicating little faith in a film that inverted familiar iconography with an evil Spider-Man.
The marketing for Madame Web did not show much confidence in the film, and that was clearly the correct outlook. However, Kraven the Hunter remains important to the Sony brand, and the studio must begin to show more materials to build confidence soon.
Since the first trailer and a series of delays, there has been little talk about Kraven the Hunter. This could be concerning. However, the film is still several months away, and there is still time for a full marketing campaign to come through. After all,
Spider-Man: No Way Home also had a December release, and the first trailer for that film did not release until August 23 of that year.
Besides, Kraven has an excellent cast, including Russell Crowe and Ariana DeBose. While things do not look good, there are some reasons I am holding onto hope for Kraven the Hunter.
Kraven The Hunter's December Release Could Be A Sign of Confidence Some Of The Biggest And Best Movies Are Saved For The End Of Each Year Close Following a series of delays from the first announced release date of January 13, 2023, Kraven the Hunter was ultimately moved to a release of December 13, 2024. While a December release might suggest confidence in the film, as studios generally release big, crowd-pleasing works during this time,
I can't help but be reminded of the tumultuous production of Aquaman: The Lost Kingdom, which also faced several delays before securing a December 2023 release. While The Lost Kingdom wasn't a travesty, it was not beloved and seemed only moved to that date to capitalize on higher theater attendance trends.
If Kraven flops, the whole franchise, excluding Venom, will have been a disaster for the studio.
Typically in December, audiences have some faith in the movies they're seeing, and the studios have paid off that faith by releasing crowd-pleasing fare. Star Wars and Avatar films have cleaned up on December releases, and Kraven the Hunter wishes to follow that success. However,
while a December release can signify confidence in the film, it can also suggest desperation, as this is the only other Sony Spider-Man movie that the studio has. If Kraven flops, the whole franchise, excluding Venom, will have been a disaster for the studio.
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Related Another R-Rated Marvel Movie Is Coming Out This Year & I'm Even More Excited After Deadpool & Wolverine There"s a second R-rated Marvel movie releasing in 2024, and it is thanks to Deadpool & Wolverine that I now feel more hyped than ever.
9 I don't know if Kraven the Hunter will be good, but I certainly hope that it is. Aaron Taylor-Johnson is an excellent performer, and
both of the trailers for the film have promised an interesting look at the iconic Spider-Man villain that has not yet been realized in live-action. I would have preferred a Spider-Man sequel that saw the villain taking on the iconic hero, but perhaps
Kraven the Hunter can change my mind and convince me that this was the right choice for the villain.
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Kraven the Hunter Kraven the Hunter is the fourth movie in Sony's Spider-Man Universe, set in the same Marvel continuity as Tom Hardy's Venom and Jared Leto's Morbius. Played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, the titular Kraven goes on a solo adventure as an anti-hero, this time independent of his comic book counterpart's crusade to hunt down Peter Parker.
Director J.C. Chandor
Release Date December 13, 2024
Cast Aaron Taylor-Johnson , Russell Crowe , Ariana DeBose , Christopher Abbott , Alessandro Nivola , Levi Miller Sony's Upcoming Marvel Movie Release Dates Venom: The Last Dance
Release Date October 25, 2024 Kraven the Hunter
Release Date December 13, 2024
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