Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Kraven the Hunter
The decision about whether to include any credits scenes in Sony’s latest Marvel movie,Kraven the Hunter, is an important indication about the future of this franchise. SinceVenompremiered in 2018,Sony’s Spider-Man Universe movieshave been attempting to offer some counter-programming to Marvel Studios’MCUby telling stories about villains or lesser-known heroes from Marvel Comics. However, all the films have struggled to connect with critics, and while Tom Hardy’sVenommovies found an audience and were mostly financially successful, the others have bombed at the box office and with viewers.
Part of the reason for the lack of interest in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe is the absence of its titular wall-crawler. Thelatest iteration of Spider-Man, played by Tom Holland, resides in the MCU, and the creative decisions for when and where he appears seem to be made by Marvel Studios. It’s difficult to sell movies about Venom, Morbius, Madame Web and Kraven—all characters who are connected to, or villains of Spider-Man in the comics—without Spider-Man. This has led to a pair of major box office disappointments withMadame WebandMorbius, and diminished returns onVenom: The Last Dance.
Now, following the introduction of Thanos-level villainKnull inVenom 3, it seemed as though the SSU might have a plan for where the franchise was headed after a handful of movies introduced various Marvel characters. However,Kraven the Hunterdoesn’t have any credits scenes teasing the future of the franchise. In the wake of reports thatSony’s Spider-Man Universe is deadfor all intents and purposes, the lack of any credits scenes seems to confirm it to be true.
Kraven The Hunter Not Having Credits Scenes Confirms Sony’s Spider-Man Universe Is Dead
Sony Is No Longer Trying To Set Up A Future For The Franchise
The ending ofKraven the Hunteris the only setup as the movie offers audiences about what could come in the future of Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, but the final shot is simply a look at Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s Kraven finally donning the lion head vest the character wears in the comics. There’s no mention of Knull or Spider-Man, or any of the other characters introduced in previous Sony Marvel movies.Kraven the Hunterjust ends, and without any tease of where the SSU is going, it seems safe to say the franchise itself has ended.
Arguably,Kraven the Hunternot including credits scenes was a smart decision. Considering the main film doesn’t feature any explicit connections toVenomor other SSU movies, it operates as a standalone feature. Tacking on a credits scene connecting it to the larger universe would’ve felt cheap and unearned. Plus, considering how poorly received the non-Venom SSU movies have been, it seems like a good idea for Sony to hedge their bets and see howKravenperforms before making any decisions about Taylor-Johnson’s future in the Marvel franchise.
Why It’s Good Sony Is Focusing On Proven Spider-Man Franchises
The MCU’s Spider-Man 4 And Spider-Verse Projects Will Have The Studio’s Full Attention
According to the report about Sony’s Spider-Man movie future, the studio isn’t currently developing any more villain movies likeKraven the HunterorVenom. Instead, they’re focusing on the untitledSpider-Man 4movie for the MCU; the upcoming third installment of the Spider-Verse franchise,Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse; and the Nicolas Cage-starring Spider-Man Noir TV show, which is a spinoff of the Spider-Verse series. These are all established properties that have performed well in the past, which is the smartest route for Sony, especially after a string of duds and disappointments.
Who Is Spider-Man Noir? Nicolas Cage’s New Live-Action Spider-Man Variant Explained
Nicolas Cage has been confirmed to be reprising the role of Spider-Man Noir, bringing the dark Spider-Man variant into live-action for the first time.
While it remains to be seen whetherKraven the Hunterends up being another box office bomb for Sony, the movie did debut with a Rotten Tomatoes critics score as low asMadame WebandMorbius, so its future isn’t looking bright. That said, withTom Holland’sSpider-Man 4,Beyond the Spider-Verseand Spider-Man Noir on the horizon, there are plenty of exciting Marvel projects coming from Sony—all of which are directly connected to Spider-Man.
Kraven the Hunter
Cast
Kraven the Hunter explores the origin story of Sergei Kravinoff, known as Kraven, as he navigates his tumultuous relationship with his father, Nikolai. This path of vengeance sets Kraven on a journey to become a formidable hunter with a reputation for fearsome brutality.
