Kraven The Hunter: Who is the character Aaron Taylor-Johnson is playing and what are his powers?

• “Kraven The Hunter” is set to be released in UK cinemas this weekend (December 13 2024.)
• The film, starring Aaron Taylor-Joy, is the latest installment in the Sony Spider-Man Universe franchise.
• But what are the origins of the comic book anti-hero, as is the film worth going to see at the cinema?

It would appear that we have time for just one more superhero movie to be released before 2025, stemming from Sony's cinematic universe rather than Marvel's.

But at long last, Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s “Kraven The Hunter” is set for its cinematic outing this weekend in the United Kingdom, bringing one of Marvel’s “antiheroes” from the Spider-Man’s comic book world to the silver screen.

Plans for including the character in the Sony Spider-Man Universe have long been bartered around, with the character at one point scheduled to appear within the confines of Sony’s other entries into their cinematic universe, but ultimately the character was seen to have enough legs for a solo outing.

Instead, “A Most Violent Year” director J.C. Chandor was tasked with helming the solo outing, with Taylor-Johnson cast alongside Russell Crowe who early in production was said to be cast in an “undisclosed role,” later to turn out to be playing the father to Kraven The Hunter, Nikolai Kravenoff.

But was the film worth going to the effort of a solo outing according to early reviews, and just what kind of superpowers does a master hunter like Kraven have?

What is “Kraven The Hunter” about?

The official synopsis for “Kraven The Hunter” reads: “Kraven has a complex relationship with his father which sets him on a path of vengeance and motivates him to become the greatest and most feared hunter.”

The film therefore looks to be an origin story of the character, who is reported to be in line to appear across a range of other movies as part of the Sony Spider-Man Universe - should the film be a success, of course…

Who is “Kraven The Hunter”?

Kraven the Hunter debuted in The Amazing Spider-Man #15 (1964), created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. Sergei Kravinoff is a Russian-born aristocrat with a background steeped in wealth and privilege. His early life saw him become disillusioned with the idle nobility, leading him to pursue a life of adventure and self-improvement through hunting. Over time, he developed an obsession with proving himself as the greatest hunter in the world.

Kraven’s defining moment came when he consumed a mystical serum, given to him by a witch doctor, which enhanced his physical abilities to superhuman levels. The serum made him faster, stronger, and more agile than any normal human while also significantly extending his lifespan. This enhancement allowed him to pursue more dangerous prey, culminating in his ultimate obsession: Spider-Man, whom Kraven viewed as the pinnacle of the hunt.

Kraven is not a typical villain motivated by greed or a desire for destruction. Instead, his primary drive is to demonstrate his superiority as a hunter. He sees Spider-Man as the ultimate challenge—a quarry who is more than a man but not entirely a beast. For Kraven, defeating Spider-Man is not merely about winning; it’s about proving his worth to himself and his ancestors.

What sets Kraven apart is his strict sense of honor. He views himself as a purist, despising modern weaponry and preferring to rely on his bare hands, raw instincts, and primal cunning. He often spares innocent people and respects the natural world, hunting only for sport and pride rather than malice.

What are Kraven’s super powers?

Kraven possesses enhanced strength, enabling him to overpower large animals and hold his own against Spider-Man in combat. His superhuman speed and reflexes rival those of the most agile creatures, while his durability and stamina allow him to endure and recover from injuries that would be fatal to a normal human.

With an extended lifespan, Kraven has maintained peak physical condition for over a century in some storylines. His heightened senses, including exceptional vision, hearing, and smell, give him animalistic precision in tracking prey. A master tactician and hand-to-hand combatant, Kraven is skilled in various martial arts and traditional hunting techniques, often wielding knives, spears, bolas, and traps.

However, he prefers to subdue his prey with his bare hands, considering it the most honourable method of hunting.

Who else stars in “Kraven The Hunter?”

Alongside Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Russell Crowe, the film is set to start the following cast, according to IMDB, in key roles.

• Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Sergei Kravinoff / Kraven
• Ariana DeBose as Calypso Ezili
• Fred Hechinger as Dmitri Smerdyakov / Chameleon
• Alessandro Nivola as Aleksei Sytsevich / Rhino
• Christopher Abbott as the Foreigner
• Russell Crowe as Nikolai Kravinoff
• Murat Seven as Omer Aksoy
• Yuri Kolokolnikov as Seymon Chorney

What is the run time for “Kraven The Hunter”?

IMDB have stated that the run time for “Kraven The Hunter” is 127 minutes, or in layman’s terms two hours and seven minutes - so expect to be at the cinema for around an hour and 45 minutes including trailers.

What is the age rating for “Kraven The Hunter?”

The British Board of Film Classification has given “Kraven The Hunter” the age rating of 15, due to “strong bloody violence [and] language.”

In a more detailed explanation for the rating, the BBFC wrote: “After being saved from a lion attack, the son of a gangster becomes a hunter of criminals in this fantasy action thriller based on Marvel Comics. Scenes of violence are stark, bloody and sometimes brutal.”

Have there been early reviews for “Kraven The Hunter” so far?

There have been and they’ve not been great, in all honesty.

On the film review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, “Kraven The Hunter” currently holds a critics rating of 14%, certifying the film so far as “Rotten” based on 55 reviews. In a review for Observer, Emily Zemler wrote: “This Spider-Man spin-off is entertaining—the action sequences hold together, blood gushes frequently, and Aaron Taylor Johnson dons a midriff-baring costume. But it's also convoluted and full of extraneous characters.”

But the film is not without its defenders, with a glowing review from Mashable, calling it a “bonkers superhero movie” that during its more bizarre moments is “chaotic fun that’s an absolute blast to see on the big screen.”

So far, there are no audience reviews to compare what the critics think compared to the public thus far on Rotten Tomatoes.

Despite the poor reviews so far, are you inclined to go see “Kraven The Hunter” at the cinema? With an Odon MYLIMITLESS subscription, you can see the film and many others as part of your members. Check out all the benefits MyLIMITLESS offers cinemagoers today.