Marvel Star Defends Film After 'Madame Web' Bomb

After Madame Web (2024) failed critically and financially, one Marvel star has come forward to defend their upcoming film, Kraven the Hunter (2024).

Dakota Johnson, Sydney Sweeney, Celeste O'Connor, and Isabela Merced in a Chinese poster for Madame Web — Credit: Sony Pictures

There has been a regular string of superhero movies failing at the box office, the most recent of which was Madame Web (2024).

Directed by SJ Clarkson, the film was shockingly bad despite boasting a cast that included Dakota Johnson (Cassandra Webb), Sydney Sweeney (Julia Cornwall), Isabela Merced (Anya Corazon), Celeste O’Connor (Mattie Franklin), Tahar Rahim (Ezekiel Sims), Mike Epps (O’Neill), Emma Roberts (Mary Parker), and Adam Scott (Ben Parker).

Aaron Taylor Johnson as Kraven the Hunter sitting on an antler throne with a fur vest — Credit: Sony Pictures, Marvel

This has led to many people pointing out the lack of quality in superhero films released in studios, especially when it comes to live-action films from Sony Pictures. However, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who plays the titular character of Sony’s upcoming Kraven the Hunter (2024), claims in an interview with Rolling Stone UK that his movie will be different.

“I think there was something unique [Kraven], and something grounded. We’ve all had enough of seeing certain studio films, a certain kind of pop culture… where they’re churning out stuff that dilutes wanting to go to the cinema. I wouldn’t have signed onto it if I felt there wasn’t something to really bring to life with this character.”

Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch and Pietro Maximoff/Quicksilver in Avengers: The Age of Ultron — Credit: Marvel Studios

If there’s someone who knows about superhero movies, it would be Taylor-Johnson. Not only did he join the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Quicksilver/Pietro Maximoff, the twin brother of Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) in Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), but he also played the titular hero in Kick-Ass (2010) and Kick-Ass 2 (2013). Needless to say, he understands the pressure that comes with a superhero film.

“Taking on a Sony / Marvel movie is a different challenge altogether. There’s the story, the character, the role; that’s one thing. But then you also step into a world where you’re dealing with a studio and a franchise — or possible franchises, though let’s not get ahead of ourselves. So, they’re rolling the dice on me, in a sense, which is a lovely thing. But you’ve got to appease the studio, please the audience, and do what’s dignified for you as an actor. I find all of that super challenging.” 

What Else Can We Expect From ‘Kraven the Hunter?’

Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Kraven the Hunter — Credit: Sony Pictures

Scheduled to release on August 30, 2024, Kraven the Hunter follows Sergei Kravinoff (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) as he becomes Kraven the Hunter, one of Spider-Man’s most deadly villains. This film seeks to show that by going with an R-rating, something Taylor-Johnson approves of.

“I’m not a comic-book reader, but there’s one called Kraven’s Last Hunt… You just think, ‘What the f— have I just read?’ That’s the kind of character I’m playing. But then, a lot of the people who grew up with Marvel are old enough now to watch an R-rated movie.”

Directed by JC Chandor, the film also stars Ariana DeBose as Calypso, Fred Hechinger as Dmitri Smerdyakov/The Chameleon, Christopher Abbott as The Foreigner, Alessandro Nivola as Aleksei Sytsivich/Rhino, and Russell Crowe as Kraven’s father, Nikolai Kravinoff.

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