Summary
Sony’slatest Spiderverse movie,Kraven the Hunter, will be released on May 26, 2025. The company is currently doing everything in its power to drum up interest in the film, which features Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the lead actor. However, after mixed box office success with previous Spiderverse movies, Sony is now pulling out all the stops.
That has included a unique marketing decision to promote the movie and gain even more interest inKraven the Hunter. However, Sony’s latest trick feels more desperate than anything else, which is a cause for concern aboutKraven the Hunter’spotential success.
What Did Sony Do?
Sony has opted toreleasethe first eight minutes of the upcoming R-rated movie to give audiences a detailed look at what they can expect from the film upon its release. Taylor-Johnson introduced the clip to try and entice viewers to check it out in what is clearly a desperate bid to generate as much interest and hype as possible in the final few weeks before the release. The clip features Kraven (played by Taylor-Johnson) escaping from a prison as his violent skills are put on full display. The footage shown is filled with violence and blood, allowing audiences to understand exactly what they’ll be getting themselves in forwithKraven the Hunter.
It’s not the stereotypical superhero movie. Rather than being slightly cartoonish in keeping with the classic comic book style, Kraven the Hunter appears to be far more violent and serious. It’s something that will appeal to many people, particularly adult audiences, but for those who don’t enjoy watching violent or bloody action movies, this clip could turn people off, which is why releasing this much of a movie ahead of time is a giant risk.
Why It’s A Desperate Move From Sony
Traditional marketing for any movie will give audiences enough of a glimpse at the film to entice people without giving too much away so that they know the entire plot. Therefore, showcasing a full eight minutes of a film is a unique practice that few choose to make. It can have a negative impact if people don’t like what they see from the time, as it’s not all going to be action-packed like a typical trailer.
Giving away extra content than would usually happen feels desperate because it’s a way of getting people talking and building up hype by providing far more than is necessary. There’s a reason why the majority of movies will release a three-minute trailer and leave it at that, because those production companies have enough faith and trust in what they’ve done, the star power involved, or the overall brand. Sony opting to share the first eight minutes of the movie feels like there’s a lack of faith in this film performing well.
Kraven the Hunter’sdirector, JC Chandor,has publicly begged peopleto give Sony’s Spiderverse a chance recently, which is another worrying sign for those interested in this project. On top of that,Boxoffice Prorecently revealed that the movie is on course to earn $20-25 million domestically in its opening weekend, which would be worse than bothMorbiusandMadame Web.That likely explains why Sony opted to release even more footage of the movie in the hope that people would enjoy what they watched and then want to continue with the story, but whether that works will remain to be seen. However, if it doesn’t create a positive change, then this marketing gamble could be a reason.
Kraven The Hunter Needs To Perform Well
Kraven the Hunteris going to be crucial for Sony’s Spiderverse afterMorbiusandMadame Webproved to be box office bombs. The critical and commercialsuccess of Sony’s Spiderverse movieshave been lukewarm at best, and that’s not a good sign when they’re attempting to build a franchise of movies that can be built up together to potentially compete against what Marvel or DC are doing.
TheVenomtrilogy managed to perform well, but that’s one of Spider-Man’s most notorious villains. It featured Tom Hardy in the lead role, who is a proven actor when it comes to providing successful movies. Seeing Sony pull out marketing tricks such as this isn’t a great sign, though, and there will be concern that Kraven the Hunter will end up being more likeMorbius, which could be the final nail in the coffin for Sony’s Spiderverse as audiences are only willing to try things out for so long.
The eight-minute clip forKraven the Huntercertainly looked appealing, as it provides something completely different from what is happening within Marvel’sSpider-Manuniverse. It appears to be darker and more aggressive than what is typically offered up in a superhero movie, and while it might not be to the taste of everyone, there will no doubt be plenty of people who this caters to and could now be more interested after seeing a full eight minutes of the film.
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is one of the biggest names in entertainment today. The superhero first appeared in the Marvel comic Amazing Fantasy #15 before becoming a leading figure in the Marvel comic-book universe.Spider-Man has also featured in numerous films and a plethora of video games, most notably Insomniac Games' Spider-Man (2018) and Spider-Man: Miles Morales.
