Spoiler alert! This article contains spoilers for Kraven the Hunter.
With Kraven the Hunter bringing one of Spider-Man’s most famous adversaries to the big screen, it’s no surprise that other villains from Marvel’s extensive lore also appear. Kraven the Hunter continues Sony’s Spider-Man Universe by delving into the infamous hunter’s origins. Along the way, Kraven encounters a litany of other classic Marvel foes, each drawn straight from the comic books.
Sony’s Spider-Man Universe was intended to depict origin stories for some of Spider-Man’s most infamous foes and ancillary characters in a shared universe. However, many of these were framed more as tragic antiheroes, and it seems that Kraven the Hunter is picking up the slack. The movie introduced a whopping seven villains, including the eponymous Kraven, finally filling its ranks with some true Marvel evildoers.
Who Is Kraven The Hunter?
The titular Kraven the Hunter (AKA Sergei Kravinoff) is one of Spider-Man’s primary adversaries. In his live-action debut, Kraven is played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, with some slight differences to Kraven the Hunter's comic book counterpart. The primary of these is that Kraven has become another of the SSU's afflicted antiheroes, forced into morally dubious actions in his attempts to bring down his father and protect the environment.
Kraven The Hunter's Marvel Comics Origin Explained
Kraven the Hunter debuted in The Amazing Spider-Man #15 (1964), created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. Born Sergei Kravinoff, he hailed from a Russian aristocratic family that fled to America during the Russian Revolution. After living in poverty, Sergei found purpose in the African wilderness, becoming a skilled hunter.
Kraven the Hunter features a collection of Easter eggs and Marvel references, including some very cool nods to the original comics and characters.
Kraven’s obsession with proving himself the greatest hunter in the worldbrought him into conflict with Spider-Man. He vowed to hunt and defeat the hero as the ultimate testament to his skills. Kraven’s stories often explore themes of honor, legacy, and the blurred line between man and beast.
Kraven The Hunter's Powers Explained
Kraven’s abilities stem from a mystical herbal potion he discovered in Africa. This elixir enhances his strength, speed, agility, and endurance to superhuman levels. He also has an uncanny ability to track prey, heightened senses, and combat skills honed through years of hunting the world’s deadliest creatures. In addition to his physical prowess, Kraven is a master tactician who uses traps and psychological warfare to outsmart his enemies.
Who Is Rhino?
The main antagonist other than Sergei’s father in Kraven the Hunter is Rhino (Alessandro Nivola). Another of Spider-Man’s most recognizable rogues, Rhino, is altered somewhat for Kraven the Hunter. This version is a Russian mercenary who becomes a rhino-human hybrid following experimental treatment, which gives him imprenetrable hard skin and a horn. Unlike in the comics, he retains his human form through medication, but can change back into a Rhino form by stopping his supply.
Rhino's Marvel Comics Origin Explained
The Rhino, aka Aleksei Sytsevich, first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #41 (1966). A small-time thug of Russian descent, Aleksei volunteered for a dangerous scientific experiment to gain power. This process fused a powerful polymer suit to his body, granting him superhuman abilities but rendering him unable to remove the suit. Rhino’s motivations often center around his desire for wealth, revenge, or liberation from his restrictive condition. Despite his limited intelligence, his raw strength makes him a formidable foe for Spider-Man and others.
Rhino's Powers Explained
Rhino possesses superhuman strength, speed, durability, and endurance, making him nearly unstoppable in physical confrontations. His suit is virtually indestructible, providing resistance to extreme temperatures, bullets, and explosions. Additionally, Rhino can charge at incredible speeds, using his mass and momentum as devastating weapons.
Who Is Calypso Ezili?
Calypso Ezili is played in Kraven the Hunter byAriana DeBose. She is much more benevolent in the movie than in the comics, largely working to assist Kraven on his mission. Just like in the comics, it is Calypso who bestows the herbal potion to Kraven that gives him his enhanced abilities. In the movie, Calypso does this to save his life, but in the comics, she does so because they are lovers.
Calypso Ezili's Marvel Comics Origin Explained
Calypso Ezili is a voodoo priestess and a recurring antagonist in Spider-Man’s stories. She first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #209 (1980), created by Denny O’Neil and Alan Weiss. Calypso has a long history with Kraven the Hunter, often serving as a manipulative ally or lover. Her mastery of voodoo magic and psychological manipulation makes her a dangerous and unpredictable villain.
Calypso Ezili's Powers Explained
Calypso’s abilities stem from her voodoo magic, allowing her to control minds, resurrect the dead, and create illusions. She’s also skilled in alchemy, potions, and rituals that enhance her mystical powers. Calypso’s most terrifying trait is her ability to exploit her victims’ fears and weaknesses, making her a psychological threat as much as a physical one.
Who Is The Foreigner?
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The Foreigner is played in Kraven the Hunter by Christopher Abbott. He is an assassin who offers to help the Rhino locate and kill Kraven after tracking him for years. He uses a kind of ocular hypnosis to disorient and incapacitate his victims, which appears to hind him from their view.
The Foreigner's Marvel Comics Origin Explained
The Foreigner, whose real name remains unknown, debuted in Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #116 (July 1986). A mercenary and assassin, the Foreigner is one of the deadliest killers in the Marvel Universe. He’s known for his mysterious nature, strategic mind, and impeccable combat skills. Over the years, he’s clashed with Spider-Man and other heroes, often as a behind-the-scenes manipulator.
The Foreigner's Powers Explained
While the Foreigner doesn’t have superhuman powers, he is in peak physical condition and possesses unmatched hand-to-hand combat skills. His expertise in martial arts, stealth, and strategy allows him to take down even superpowered opponents. The Foreigner also has the power to hypnotize people using eye contact alone, placing them in a 10-second trance that creates the illusion that the Foreigner can move imperceptivity fast. This is seen throughout Kraven the Hunter but not properly explained.
Who Is Chameleon?
The Chameleon appears throughout Kraven the Hunter but does not assume his final form until the ending. Chameleon, AKA Dmitri Smerdyakov, is Kraven’s half-brother who has an uncanny ability to mimic people’s voices. After spending much of the movie held hostage by Rhino, Dmitri reveals at the end of Kraven the Hunter that he has gained shapeshifting abilities from the same doctor as Rhino did his, and briefly transforms into his comic-accurate white head design.
Chameleon's Marvel Comics Origin Explained
Dmitri Smerdyakov was Spider-Man’s first-ever villain, debuting in The Amazing Spider-Man #1 (1963). A master of disguise and espionage, Dmitri is Kraven’s half-brother, and their familial connection allowed for Chameleon to flourish into a major villain rather than a one-time adversary. The Chameleon’s motivations often revolve around identity, revenge, and the thrill of deception.
Chameleon's Powers Explained
The Chameleon’s primary ability is his mastery of disguise. Originally relying on costumes and makeup, he later developed technology to alter his appearance at will. This advanced tech allows him to replicate anyone’s face, voice, and mannerisms with near-perfect accuracy. Though not a physical threat, the Chameleon’s psychological and strategic prowess makes him a significant adversary.
Who Is Miles Warren AKA Jackal?
When Rhino is explaining his powers to Dmitri in Kraven the Hunter, Rhino remarks that he gained them from a doctor in New York. This doctor was called Miles Warren, who in the comics is known as the villain Jackal. Though unseen, this confirms the existence of another classic Spider-Man villain in the SSU.
Jackal's Marvel Comics Origin Explained
The Jackal is a geneticist-turned-villain who debuted in The Amazing Spider-Man #31 (1965) as a professor and later as the Jackal in The Amazing Spider-Man #129 (1974). Obsessed with Gwen Stacy, Warren’s descent into madness led him to blame Spider-Man for her death. This obsession drove him to create clones (including the Spider-Man clone Ben Reilly) and wreak havoc on Spider-Man’s life.
Jackal's Powers Explained
The Jackal’s powers include enhanced strength, speed, and agility, thanks to his experiments on himself. He also created a green suit and gauntlets with claw-like razors. As a geneticist, he’s a master manipulator, creating clones and genetically modified creatures to serve his purposes. His scientific expertise and personal vendettas make him one of Spider-Man’s most insidious foes.
Who Is Hitman?
When the Foreigner meets with Rhino near the end of Kraven the Hunter, he explains the reason for his vendetta against the hunter. He explains that his former mentor was killed by Kraven, holding up a front page from the Daily Bugle reading “Hunter Vs. Hitman.” While this could be any unnamed villain, it’s worth noting that there is a Marvel Comics foe simply called the Hitman.
Hitman's Marvel Comics Origin Explained
Several characters have used the name the Hitman, who each serve as a rival of the Punisher. The first was Burt Kenyon, who debuted in The Amazing Spider-Man #174 (1977). A former Marine turned assassin, Burt became a hired gun, taking on contracts that put him at odds with Spider-Man. After his death, he was replaced by Jimmy Pierce in The Punisher (vol 2) #85 (1993).
Hitman's Powers Explained
As a skilled marksman and combatant, the Hitman’s abilities lie in his military training. He’s proficient with firearms, explosives, and hand-to-hand combat. While not a superpowered foe, the Hitman’s tactical mind and precision make him a formidable threat to anyone he targets. Nevertheless, his inclusion in Kraven the Hunter hinted at the SSU’s hopes for further Spidey-based narratives.
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.
Release Date December 13, 2024
Runtime 127 Minutes
Main Genre Adventure
CastAaron Taylor-Johnson , Russell Crowe , Fred Hechinger , Ariana DeBose , Christopher Abbott , Alessandro Nivola , Levi Miller , Chi Lewis-Parry , Billy Barratt , Jessica Zhou , Michael Shaeffer , Dritan Kastrati , Greg Kolpakchi , Elander Moore , Filiz Fairweather , Duran Fulton Brown , Alex Skarbek , Rachel Handshaw , Preslav Shipkaliev , Murat Seven , Robert Ryan
Character(s) Sergei Kravinoff / Kraven , Nikolai Kravinoff , Dmitri Smerdyakov / Chameleon , Calypso , The Foreigner , Aleksei Sytsevich aka The Rhino , Young Sergei , Big Rhino , Young Dmitri , Passerby , André , Oleksander , Guard , Law Firm Receptionist , Restaurant Diner , Sniper 2 , Russian Captain , Cora's Mum , Prison Officer , Ömer Aksoy , Russian Prisoner
Custom image by Richard Craig
Custom Image By Karlis Wilde 
English (US) ·