Now, I often make the joke that something was created for me. It is, 99% of the time, me joking around and having some fun. When I talk about Kraven the Hunter as a character and as the upcoming Sony film from Triple Frontier director J.C. Chandor? That’s not a joke. That movie is for me. Granted, I wanted Chandor to cast his former actor Pedro Pascal in the movie, but alas, he’s giving me Aaron Taylor Johnson as Kraven.
A movie about the hunter named Sergei Kravinoff, the character screams “Most Dangerous Game but Spidey Edition” to me. And maybe that’s why I love him as a villain so much. He’s fascinating to unpack and a character that is often hunting after Peter. (Which I did think was going to be the point of No Way Home, but alas.) And while many people doubted who a Kraven movie was for (me, it’s always been for me), footage out of Sony’s presentation at CinemaCon last night, in Las Vegas, seems to have sparked an interest in those naysayers.
Know that I will never forget that you all questioned my boy. You are on NOTICE. But what we’ve seen from the social reactions is a lot of blood, violence, and Kraven to go around.
While we do not currently have the footage, the fact that many online were surprised by how much they liked the footage was enough for me to get excited—that and we have a casting for Rhino in the movie with Alessandro Nivola joining the cast! And to me? That’s a perfect movie for ME.
An Italian American Rhino speaks to my soul
My niece is barely Italian, but she does love the Italian coded (or at least New York coded) Rhino from Spidey and His Amazing Friends. And for some reason, we have only cast Italians in this role in live action, which I personally think is both hilarious and brilliant. Nivola is now the second Italian American Rhino (and Rhino in general) in the live-action world, following Paul Giamatti’s brief but effective appearance as Rhino in The Amazing Spider-Man 2.
To be honest, I do hope that Nivola’s Rhino has the same very thick New York accent that Rhino on Spidey and His Amazing Friends seemingly has, because it’s genuinely funny to me. But honestly, this casting is pretty fun. It shows not only that Kraven the Hunter is staying true to the Spider-Man world that it is a part of, but that it is also bringing fans a new look into these villains with actors that are extremely talented.
Not that Spider-Man has ever had a problem in that department. Most every single actor in the world of Peter Parker has been great, with villains played by Alfred Molina and Willem DaFoe being fan favorites. But everything I learn about this movie and where it is going to take Kraven the Hunter as a character has me more and more excited about a movie that is, in my mind, made for me. I love you so much, Sergei Kravinoff.
(featured image: Marvel Comics)
Published: Apr 25, 2023 04:29 pm