PremiumKraven the Hunter out on OTT: Here's where you can stream Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s superhero film—but there's a catch
Kraven the Hunter, starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson in the titular role, is now on OTT for rent on Prime Video at Rs. 249
Last Updated: 03.54 PM, Feb 11, 2025
Kraven the Hunter, the superhero film that had its release earlier this year on January 1, 2025, in India, has made it to OTT. The film is available for rent on Prime Video at Rs. 249. It delves into Kraven's journey to become the top hunter, as well as his relationship with his father. Aaron Taylor-Johnson plays the lead role in the film, which was directed by J. C. Chandor and written by Richard Wenk, Art Marcum, and Matt Holloway. The supporting cast includes Ariana DeBose, Fred Hechinger, Alessandro Nivola, Christopher Abbott, and Russell Crowe. Columbia Pictures and Marvel Entertainment co-produced Spider-Man Universe (SSU), the sixth feature from Sony Pictures.
Kraven's characterisation
A thrilling and graphic origin tale about one of Marvel's most famous villains, Kraven the Hunter, examines his origins in great detail. Kraven, portrayed by Taylor-Johnson, is a man whose complicated connection with his vicious father, Nikolai Kravinoff, played by Crowe, leads him on a road of retribution that has terrible repercussions. This drives him to become the world's best hunter, but also...
A hunter-gatherer, Taylor-Johnson plays Sergei Kravinoff, aka Kraven. In his portrayal of the character, the actor portrayed an apex predator who was also a conservationist, a protector of the natural world, and an animal lover. He did not engage in poaching, however.
Kraven has feelings for a voodoo priestess named Calypso Ezili, played by Ariana DeBose. The master of disguise and Kraven's estranged half-brother, Dmitri Kravinoff (Fred Hechinger), plays the role of Chameleon. Crowe portrays Nikolai Kravinoff, a vicious criminal lord and drug dealer who also serves as Kraven's estranged father.
Production delays and critical reception
After two years of postponement, Columbia Pictures finally released Kraven the Hunter to theatres in 2024. While critics lauded the film's action scenes and Taylor-Johnson's performance, they panned the script and visual effects, leading to the film's $62 million worldwide gross on a budget of $110–130 million.
The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) was a reboot of the franchise, and Sam Raimi scrapped plans to have Marvel Comics' Kraven the Hunter in his fourth Spider-Man film.
Kraven's cancelled appearances in previous Spider-Man films
The filmmaker behind Homecoming and Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)—Jon Watts—had ambitions to include Kraven in a third Spider-Man film set in the MCU. He had proposed a plot involving Peter Parker/Spider-Man and Kraven to Tom Holland, who plays the titular role in Spider-Man—but the idea was shelved in favour of the multiverse plot of Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021).
Building on Kraven's Last Hunt and pitting Kraven against Spider-Man, Chandor was amenable to producing a second and last film starring the character. Although it's obviously a sad and tragic situation, the character they are aiming to portray has the potential to end with Last Hunt if the film does well at the box office. The idea of a Sinister Six/The Avengers hybrid film was also mooted by Taylor-Johnson.
Speculation began in December 2024, when the film was expected to bomb at the box office, that Kraven would be the last installment in Sony's Spider-Man Universe, putting an end to any possibility of a sequel or crossover. A subsequent report from Variety elaborated, stating that Kraven is indeed the last non-Venom film in the franchise.