Kraven the Hunter (2024)
MovieOptionalLegacy
Sergei Kravinoff, heir to a crime empire, embraces his animalistic instincts to become the legendary hunter Kraven, targeting the world's worst poachers and criminals. This 2024 Marvel film was made outside Marvel Studios’ main MCU line-up, so it’s optional for the watch order and works fine on its own. It runs 2h 7m and streams on Disney+ in the US.
| Directed by | J. C. Chandor |
|---|---|
| Starring | Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ariana DeBose, Fred Hechinger, Russell Crowe |
| Release date | December 13, 2024 |
| Runtime | 2h 7m |
| Age rating | R, ages 17+ unless accompanied |
| IMDb rating | 5.5/10 |
| Box office | $62M worldwide |
| Series | Legacy Marvel films |
| Post-credit scene | No |
Why it matters now
Sony's attempt to redeem its most famous Spider-Man villain as an antihero, a gamble on a character best known for hunting heroes.
About Kraven the Hunter
Kraven the Hunter is Sony's origin story for one of Spider-Man's oldest foes, and Spider-Man himself never shows up. Sergei Kravinoff grows up under a ruthless crime-boss father, Nikolai, alongside his half-brother Dmitri. A lion attack in Ghana nearly kills him, and a mysterious serum given to him by a girl named Calypso saves his life and leaves him with animal-like strength and senses. Years later he's a vigilante who hunts criminals, and when Dmitri is kidnapped he is pulled back into his family's world and into the crosshairs of Aleksei Sytsevich, the man who becomes the Rhino.
J.C. Chandor directed from a script by Richard Wenk, Art Marcum and Matt Holloway, with Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Kraven, Ariana DeBose as Calypso, Fred Hechinger as Dmitri, Alessandro Nivola as Rhino, Christopher Abbott as the Foreigner and Russell Crowe as Nikolai. Released on December 13, 2024 after several delays, it runs 127 minutes and was the first film in Sony's Spider-Man Universe to carry an R rating. Critics were harsh, and it earned about $62 million worldwide, though it later found a bigger audience at home.
Good to know
- Aaron Taylor-Johnson had already played an MCU hero: Pietro Maximoff, aka Quicksilver, in Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), after a mid-credits cameo in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
- Its release date kept slipping: from January 2023 to October 2023, then August 2024, and finally December 2024.
- Sam Raimi had once planned to use Kraven in his canceled Spider-Man 4.
- Reports in December 2024 said it would be the last film in Sony's Spider-Man Universe, and by 2026 Sony was talking about a fresh reboot instead of more spin-offs.
Spoiler Spoilers for Kraven the Hunter: tap to reveal
- Fred Hechinger's Dmitri becomes the Chameleon, the very first villain Spider-Man faced in the comics, back in The Amazing Spider-Man #1 (1963).
How to watch it
Treat this as the final stop in Sony's Spider-Man Universe, after Venom: The Last Dance. It stands on its own, so you don't need Venom, Morbius or Madame Web to follow it, and it has no Spider-Man in it at all. Expect a gory, family-feud action movie more than a superhero film. It's mainly for completists working through every Sony Marvel release, or for fans who want to see Kraven and Rhino in live action.
Where it fits in your watch
- All legacy Marvel films
Kraven the Hunter FAQ
Is Kraven the Hunter connected to Tom Holland's Spider-Man?
No. Spider-Man doesn't appear and the film doesn't tie into the MCU Spider-Man movies. It belongs to Sony's separate Spider-Man Universe of spin-offs.
Why is Kraven the Hunter rated R?
The film leans hard into bloody, violent action, and it became the first R-rated entry in Sony's Spider-Man Universe.
Will there be a Kraven the Hunter 2?
No sequel is in development. Sony has said it plans a fresh reboot, though director J.C. Chandor has said he'd be open to adapting Kraven's Last Hunt.
Can you skip Kraven the Hunter?
Yes. It isn’t part of the MCU timeline.
When was Kraven the Hunter released?
Kraven the Hunter was released on December 13, 2024.
Is Kraven the Hunter part of the MCU?
No. Kraven the Hunter is a Marvel film made outside the Marvel Cinematic Universe, so it isn’t on Marvel Studios’ official timeline.
Does Kraven the Hunter have a post-credit scene?
No, Kraven the Hunter has no post-credit scene.
Where to watch Kraven the Hunter in the US
| Streaming (subscription) | Disney+ |
|---|---|
| Rent or buy | Amazon, Apple TV, Fandango at Home |
Where to watch Kraven the Hunter outside the US
| Country | Stream | Other options |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | NOW | None needed |
| Canada | Netflix, Crave | Rent: FlixFling, Apple TV, Amazon |
| Australia | Not included | Rent: Apple TV, Amazon |
| India | Not included | Rent: Amazon, Apple TV |
Streaming availability last verified: October 16, 2026
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