Some of the latest news on Sony’s upcoming Kraven the Hunter movie comes straight from the mouth of the formidable hunter himself. Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who will be playing the iconic Spider-Man villain, said that the film is being shot entirely on location. This may come as a slight shock to many fans and viewers of other big-budget superhero films released over the past decade. The vast majority of studios have long bid farewell to the constraints and limitations of location shooting in exchange for the controlled environment provided by a soundstage. Not so with Kraven the Hunter.
Kraven is the latest Sony attempt at capitalizing on Spider-Man’s rogues’ gallery. The deadly hunter first appeared in issue #15 of The Amazing Spider-Man. Kraven is an excellent tracker and proficient in hand-to-hand combat, disdaining the use of firearms or bows and arrows. Priding himself as the most capable hunter alive, Kraven sets his sights on the only worthy foe he can find – the friendly, neighborhood Spider-Man.
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In the Jungle, the Mighty Jungle
Marvel Comics
As mentioned above, shooting on location comes with a laundry list of obstacles and frustrating challenges. From sudden thunderstorms to gawking onlookers, the soundstage offers filmmakers the ability to insulate a movie’s production from the majority of the uncontrollable variables found in the outside world. But, as any good fan of Spider-Man knows, with great powers comes great responsibility. Though the safety of a controlled set may be convenient, they can also produce stories that feel just as contrived as the soundstage they were made on.
Kraven the Hunter may be the perfect story to help bring the ‘jungle’ back into blockbuster superhero films. Kraven is a born and bred hunter who has traveled the world in pursuit of formidable prey. At this point, we can only speculate as to what sorts of creatures we will see Kraven tackle in the film. However, it’s safe to assume that these hunts are bound to lead to some exotic locations. The fact that Aaron Taylor-Johnson is actually moving and interacting within this exotic terrain will allow the viewer to feel a deeper, more earthy connection with the character and the various story environments we encounter along the way.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson further spoke on this idea in a recent exclusive with The Hollywood Reporter:
The Might of Marvel
Marvel StudiosDisney
In recent years, there’s simply no question which superhero empire has dominated at the box office. Marvel Studios has managed to unleash a string of properties filled with iconic special effects and otherworldly locations. Ecstatic movie-goers the world over have laughed, cried, cheered, and helped rake in over $25 billion in revenue. In the wake of such massive success, other studios have often simply tried to copy the ‘Marvel Formula’ in hopes of brewing up stable franchises of their own.
“Kraven being shot entirely on location is going to make all the difference. It’s going to add something really beautiful to our personal story. It also sets Kraven apart from that Marvel stage look. It’s important for this character to be in the real world. It’s important for the authenticity of the story. When you’re running on streets barefoot, you take in those elements and play within that.”
While it’s true that Marvel has given us some of the most well-received and box office-busting superhero films to date, that doesn’t mean there isn’t a place – perhaps even a need – for a new wave of properties to return to more earthy roots. While it’s all but assured that Kraven the Hunter will contain its fair share of CGI, the choice to shoot entirely on location offers an exciting mix-up to the more familiar superhero movie philosophy of green screen and post effects.
In an ironic twist, films often balance their usage of practical effects and CGI that seem to garner the highest staying power. The original Jurassic Park set the standard for blending the powers of practical and visual effects while maintaining a mixture of location shoots and soundstages. The film signaled the beginning of the computer effects era, while the technology’s limitations meant using practical effects and animatronics for many of the closer shots. To this day, Jurassic Park is widely viewed as a stellar achievement in maintaining realism and moderation while providing outstanding visual effects.
What Kind of Movie Is Kraven Stalking?
In the end, we won’t know what Kraven the Hunter is stalking until the film’s release on January 13, 2023. If the movie follows along the same worn hunting trails as Marvel Studios, we can expect a barrage of special effects over minimized set pieces; all balanced to offer a fun, carefree movie experience.
If, however, Kraven is the hunter we think he is, perhaps the greatest hunt of all is not Spider-Man. Rather, it is offering the audience a visceral movie experience that immerses them in exotic locations, complicated characters, and maybe even a real thunderstorm.
