There’s an old saying in filmmaking about comedy movies: you can’t leave them on the shelf for too long, or they’ll lose their edge.
The same could be said about superhero films, and unfortunately, Sony’s Kraven the Hunter became a victim of that fate this past weekend, opening with just $11 million over three days — the lowest debut in Sony’s Marvel film catalog.
This marks the third major misstep for Sony/Marvel in recent years, following Morbius in 2022, which grossed $73.8 million domestically, and this year’s Madame Web, which managed $43.8 million.
Unlike the critically and commercially successful Spider-Verse animated movies directed by Lord & Miller or the MCU’s Tom Holland-led Spider-Man films co-produced with Marvel’s Kevin Feige and Amy Pascal, Sony’s solo ventures have struggled.
While the Holland and Spider-Verse films have grossed a staggering $6.85 billion globally, Sony’s standalone superhero attempts have failed to replicate that success.
Since acquiring the rights to Spider-Man and his associated characters in 1999, Sony has expanded its Marvel catalog with varying results.
Kraven the Hunter, directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker J.C. Chandor, aimed to build on that universe. The film stars Golden Globe winner Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the son of a ruthless gangster (Russell Crowe), who sets him on a path of vengeance.
The character, a long-standing Spider-Man adversary in the comics, is reimagined here as the “greatest hunter in the world.” Production began in 2022, with additional reshoots taking place in late 2023 after the actors’ strike ended.
Despite the ambitious setup, industry insiders attribute the film’s poor performance to multiple factors, including an oversaturated superhero market and a shift in audience preferences.
These challenges aren’t unique to Sony; even Disney’s Marvel (The Marvels, Eternals) and Warner Bros.’ DC (The Flash, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, Aquaman 2) have faced similar declines.
For Kraven, these broader trends were compounded by delays caused by the strikes, which disrupted production and inflated costs. Initially budgeted at $90 million, the film’s price tag rose to $110 million following strike-related reshoots.
The movie also struggled with lackluster marketing. While the first trailer debuted in June 2023, Sony postponed its release from October 2023 to December 2024 due to strike disruptions, ultimately landing it in a competitive holiday season alongside high-profile releases like Mufasa: The Lion King, Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Moana 2, and Wicked.
Rival studio executives believe the film would have benefited from a four-day opening weekend, as superhero movies often see sharp drops in their second week.
Despite the holiday season’s potential for longer box office legs, Kraven is expected to struggle against its competition, particularly given its poor reception and a “C” CinemaScore from audiences.
Social media buzz for Kraven the Hunter was also underwhelming. Analytics firm RelishMix reported a combined 278.9 million followers across platforms like TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram, far below The Marvels (599 million) and Madame Web (424 million).
Viewer comments highlighted skepticism about giving a Spider-Man villain his own movie and criticized the CGI, with one user quipping, “Looked interesting until that tiger scene. Expectations went from ‘cool’ to ‘silly’ real fast.” Others questioned why Sony continues to make Spider-Man universe films without Spider-Man.
Despite Sony’s claims that they maintained their promotional spending, sources indicate the studio pulled back some pre-booked TV spots, choosing not to invest further in what they anticipated would be a financial loss.
Sony also reduced its stake in the film, shifting from 75% to 50%, with co-financier TSG taking on a larger share of the risk.
The troubled production history of Kraven didn’t help its cause. Chandor, who joined the project in 2020, initially envisioned a grounded gangster film. Aaron Taylor-Johnson signed on in 2021, and the movie was developed during a time when even mediocre superhero films could succeed.
However, the industry’s changing dynamics, coupled with a string of poorly received Marvel films like Morbius and Madame Web, revealed a growing intolerance for formulaic superhero movies.
Sony had originally scheduled Kraven for release in January 2023, then moved it to October 2023 before settling on December 2024.
Announced as the first R-rated entry in Sony’s Spider-Man universe, the film premiered in a coveted pre-holiday slot, which had previously worked well for Jumanji: The Next Level ($59.2 million) and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse ($35.3 million). However, Kraven failed to capitalize on this strategic timing, suffering from minimal word-of-mouth buzz and stiff competition.
Looking ahead, Sony remains committed to working with Chandor, who is already attached to direct an untitled thriller for the studio exploring capitalism and family intrigue.
Meanwhile, Sony’s Marvel development team is reportedly reevaluating its approach, taking a “ruthless attitude” toward future projects. While several new films are said to be in the pipeline, the studio is now focused on determining whether Spider-Man’s extended universe still has untapped potential or if a major reset is in order.
