Who Is Kraven? Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s Spider-Man Character Explained

Aaron Taylor-Johnson stars as Kraven the Hunter in Sony’s Spider-Man spinoffs – and here’s everything to know about his comic history, origin, and powers. Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures may have signed a deal that’s brought Spider-Man into the MCU (and another deal that’s kept him there), but Sony retains the film rights to the wall-crawler’s supporting characters as well as his rogues’ gallery. This has led to Sony launching the Sony Pictures Universe of Marvel Characters, a universe of Spider-Man spinoffs with an uncertain relationship to the MCU itself.

Spider-Man has one of the most impressive rogues’ galleries in comics, second only to Batman, which means Sony has access to some of the most fascinating and well-developed characters in comic book lore. The SPUMC launched with Venom, which grossed over $850 million in the global box office and performed particularly well in China, proving these spinoffs can work.

Sony is becoming increasingly ambitious, aiming to turn the franchise into a transmedia universe embracing both films and TV shows such as Silk. One of Sony’s more intriguing concepts is a Kraven the Hunter movie, starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Kraven. But who is Kraven the Hunter, and what role will he play in the SPUMC? Here’s everything you need to know about the Russian hunter who has made Spider-Man’s life a misery in the comics.

Kraven’s Origin & Spider-Man Story Explained

In Marvel Comics, Kraven the Hunter’s origin story begins with the Russian Revolution of 1917. The Kravinoffs were part of the Russian aristocracy, but they lost their titles and privileges in the rise of Communism, and Sergei Nikolaievich Kravinoff grew up with a nagging sense of loss at the core of his identity. Sergei found employment in Kenya, where he discovered he had a talent for hunting, and this began to fill the gap in his heart; he reinvented himself as Kraven the Hunter, seeking to embody the nobility of a beast, to prove himself the greatest hunter the world had ever seen. He pushed himself to the peak of human athleticism, and then beyond, taking a Voodoo potion to enhance his natural abilities. Kraven was actually recruited by Nick Fury into a group of proto-Avengers in 1959, where he helped protect the world before returning to his more isolated life.

Kraven had long been interested in hunting enhanced beings – he apparently once shot the X-Men villain Sabretooth in the chest – but he became particularly interested in Spider-Man. However hard Kraven tried, though, he couldn’t defeat the wall-crawler – even when the help of the Chameleon, a childhood friend with skills and abilities of his own, or as a member of the Sinister Six. As time passed, and he and Spider-Man battled again and again, Kraven’s desire to triumph became an obsession. This culminated in a classic story called “Kraven’s Last Hunt,” widely considered one of the best Spider-Man stories of all time. Kraven captured and drugged Spider-Man, taking his place in order to prove himself superior to his nemesis. It all ended in a shocking suicide, with Kraven viewing his life’s mission as now complete. Naturally, these are comics; he didn’t stay dead, and was resurrected by members of his family (he didn’t appreciate it).

Kraven’s Powers Explained

Kraven is one of the most skilled hunters in the Marvel Universe, and even before he took the Voodoo potion, he possessed peak human strength, speed, and agility, coupled with phenomenal tracking skills. But ingesting that potion transformed Kraven into a man who is a more physically powerful super-soldier than even Captain America, with enhanced senses; his eyes automatically adjust to darkness, he can see over vast distances, and disturbingly, his sense of smell has been amplified to the point where he can track prey by scent alone. This has caused Spider-Man a lot of trouble over the years, as Kraven threatened to uncover his secret identity by simply following Spider-Man’s scent straight into Peter Parker’s life.

Kraven is a master marksman, and an expert in the use of melee weapons such as swords, spears, and knives. He possesses remarkable knowledge of toxins and poisons, and has been able to brew drugs that left Spider-Man in a state of suspended animation for days. In addition, Kraven’s knowledge of the occult – while basic – appears to have given him the power to control beasts he has defeated, and Kraven has frequently used a legion of animals against Spider-Man and other superheroes.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s Role As Kraven In Sony’s Universe

Scheduled for release on January 13, 2023, Kraven the Hunter is the first Sony Spider-Man spinoff film that stars an outright villain rather than an antihero; assuming Sony doesn’t pivot away from the comics, this would also be the first Marvel movie to star a supervillain. Aaron Taylor-Johnson has been cast in the starring role, and it will be interesting to see how the character is reinvented, given the background – tied to the Russian Revolution of 1917 – wouldn’t work quite so well in the present day.

The interesting question, of course, is just who Kraven will hunt. Back in 2018, Kraven the Hunter writer Richard Wenk suggested the film could adapt “Kraven’s Last Hunt,” featuring Spider-Man. “I’m going to adhere very closely to the lore of Kraven the Hunter, and he’s going to come face-to-face with Spider-Man,” Wenk explained in a podcast. “I think that where we’re all circling is that this is Kraven’s Last Hunt, and whether this is the precursor to that movie, whether it will include it, we’re talking about those things. And even the idea that maybe Kraven could be like Kill Bill, basically a two-part movie. It’s all in the mix.“

Wenk was early on in the writing process, at the stage where “you just kind of throw everything at the wall” to see what sticks, but it’s interesting to note this is actually possible. The Morbius trailer contained nods to a version of Spider-Man, while in 2019, Marvel and Sony struck a new deal that could potentially even bring Tom Holland’s Spider-Man into the Sony universe; “[Spider-Man] also happens to be the only hero with the superpower to cross cinematic universes,” Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige observed. “So as Sony continues to develop their own Spidey-verse you never know what surprises the future might hold.” If this is indeed an adaptation of “Kraven’s Last Hunt,” then Kraven the Hunter could well be one of the most exciting Marvel projects in years.

About The Author

Thomas Bacon
(4899 Articles Published)

Tom Bacon is one of Screen Rant’s staff writers, as well as a Peer Mentor for new writers and a member of the Care Team, offering support and a listening ear to members of the Comics group. A lifelong fan of major franchises including Star Wars, Doctor Who, and Marvel, Tom is delighted his childhood is back – and this time it’s cool. You can find him on Twitter @TomABacon.

A graduate of Edge Hill University, Tom remains strongly connected with his alma mater as a volunteer chaplain. He’s heavily involved with his local church, and anyone who checks him out on Twitter will swiftly learn he’s into British politics too.

More From Thomas Bacon