What happens when a famed Marvel antihero leaps from comic pages to the silver screen, only to stumble at the first hurdle? “Kraven the Hunter,” Sony’s latest venture into its Spider-Man Universe, sought to captivate audiences with the tale of Sergei Kravinoff. Yet, its debut tells a different story.
With a paltry $11 million opening in North America, “Kraven the Hunter” has officially set a record no studio wants to claim: the worst box-office debut for any Sony-Marvel film ever. For a movie meant to stand on the shoulders of Spider-Man’s legacy, this performance was more of a stumble into the dirt. Even Sony’s much-criticized “Morbius,” which famously became a meme and flopped twice in theaters, managed to outperform “Kraven” in its opening weekend. This $110–130 million production has quickly become a cautionary tale for the superhero genre and the studios that continue to mine it.
The bad news didn’t stop at the box office numbers. Critics were relentless, hammering the film with a 14% score on Rotten Tomatoes, cementing it as a misfire of epic proportions. That lands “Kraven” in the dubious company of other poorly received Sony films like “Madame Web,” which currently holds an 11% score on the same platform. Audience reception wasn’t much better. CinemaScore reported a “C” grade from viewers, a stark indicator of apathy. If superhero fans—a typically forgiving audience—aren’t willing to give your movie a chance, it’s a sign that something went very wrong.
So, what happened? It wasn’t just bad reviews or the over-saturation of superhero films, though both played their part. The marketing campaign for “Kraven” failed to generate significant buzz. Unlike the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Sony’s Spider-Man Universe has struggled to connect with mainstream audiences. Critics and fans alike have noted the lack of a cohesive vision or strong central character to anchor this cinematic world. While Spider-Man’s presence looms large, the absence of the web-slinger himself in these spin-offs has often left them feeling hollow and disconnected. “Venom” remains the only bright spot in Sony’s efforts, largely due to its bizarrely charming tone and Tom Hardy’s committed performance.
Sony’s troubles don’t end with Kraven. The Spider-Man Universe has been plagued with issues for years, and the cracks are becoming more evident. “Morbius” was already a laughingstock, and the lukewarm reception to teasers for “Madame Web” suggests that Sony’s strategy might need a major overhaul. Unlike the MCU, which has decades of interconnected storytelling and cultural cachet to draw from, Sony’s universe feels like a collection of unrelated, second-tier characters trying desperately to be taken seriously.
The timing didn’t help either. Audiences are showing signs of superhero fatigue, and in a year dominated by massive hits like “Oppenheimer,” the standards for blockbuster entertainment have never been higher. Competing against films with rich narratives and creative direction, “Kraven the Hunter” felt like a relic of a bygone era when simply slapping a Marvel logo on a film was enough to draw crowds.
