Sony’s Spider-Man Universe movie Kraven the Hunter has found a number of major actors to star alongside Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s titular character.
Kraven first debuted in 1964’s The Amazing Spider-Man #15, making him one of many iconic Spider-Man characters created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. That issue depicts Kraven as the half-brother of fellow Spider-Man rogue The Chameleon. The two siblings join forces to lure Spider-Man into the open and kill him, but Spidey proves too wily for their tricks.
The Kraven movie is set to be released in theaters in January 2023 as part of Sony’s Spider-Man universe, alongside the Venom franchise and Jared Leto’s Morbius. The seminal comic storyline from Kraven’s Last Hunt is reportedly being used as a basis for the film, which is directed by J.C. Chandor from a script by Art Marcum, Matt Holloway, and Richard Wenk.
Keep reading for a rundown of who’s in Sony’s Kraven the Hunter cast — and don’t forget to bookmark the page, as we’ll be updating this article with all-new casting announcements.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Sergei Kravinoff/Kraven the Hunter
Sony’s film adaptation of Kraven the Hunter has found its lead star in Aaron Taylor-Johnson who has signed a multi-film contract to play the classic comic character, per THR. He takes on the role of one of Spider-Man’s oldest enemies in the upcoming solo movie, playing a skilled hunter who sets his sights on Spidey after conquering all other prey in the animal kingdom.
Taylor-Johnson is an MCU veteran, having previously played Pietro Maximoff, better-known as Wanda’s brother, in Avengers: Age of Ultron. His most recent film credits include starring as Archie Reid in The King’s Man and stepping out as Ives in Tenet. He’s also playing one of the main assassins in the David Leitch-helmed action-thriller Bullet Train.
Fred Hechinger as Dmitri Smerdyakov/Chameleon
Fred Hechinger has been cast in the upcoming Kraven the Hunter film and is rumored to be playing the titular antihero’s brother Chameleon, per Deadline. The character is a major antagonist from Marvel Comics, in which he is regarded as a master of disguise, capable of impersonating anyone, including the likes of Captain America, Bruce Banner, and Spider-Man.
Outside of HBO’s The White Lotus, Hechinger is perhaps best known for his roles in Netflix’s The Woman in the Window, Tom Hanks’ News of the World, and a recurring role in the Fear Street trilogy of horror films. He’s also currently starring in Hulu’s Pam & Tommy as infamous pornographer Seth Warshavsky, and the upcoming Pale Blue Eye, starring Christian Bale.
Russell Crowe
Oscar-winner Russell Crowe has also jumped into the Spider-Verse in an undisclosed role, though The Hollywood Reporter suggests that “many of the main characters are said to be Kraven’s family members.” A likely contender for Crowe would be that of Nikolai Kravinoff, the father of the eponymous Spider-Man villain and his half-brother Chameleon.
Kraven the Hunter will mark Crowe’s second Marvel role on the big screen, as he will soon be seen playing Zeus in Taika Waititi’s Thor: Love and Thunder. Crowe is also appearing in several other movies, including Apple and Skydance’s The Greatest Beer Run Ever, and his self-directed thriller Poker Face, in which he will star alongside Liam Hemsworth.
Ariana DeBose as Calypso Ezili
At the beginning of March, Deadline reported that West Side Story star Ariana DeBose had become the latest addition to the Kraven the Hunter cast. Her role has not yet been confirmed, though unnamed sources have reportedly indicated that she will be playing Calypso Ezili, an unyielding sorceress and a long-time love interest of Kraven’s in Marvel Comics.
DeBose earned worldwide recognition for her scene-stealing role as Anita in Steven Spielberg’s Oscar-nominated West Side Story adaptation. Her other recent credits include Netflix’s The Prom and the Apple TV+ series Schmigadoon! She will next appear in Matthew Vaughn’s Argylle, starring opposite Henry Cavill, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Samuel L. Jackson.
Keep checking back here for all the latest casting updates for Kraven the Hunter. And check out all of the other Spider-Man movie spinoffs currently in development too.
Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.
