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Netflix quietly added a $130 million blockbuster Marvel film that flopped in theatres.
Superhero movies were in short supply in 2024, with the MCU's (Marvel Cinematic Universe) only major release being Deadpool & Wolverine.
But among the handful of year's box office hits, one film still managed to stand out - but for all the wrong reasons.
Kraven The Hunter premiered in cinemas in December 2024. Just three months later, the film is now streaming on Netflix as of today (March 13), marking one of the fastest turnarounds from theatre to streaming.
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Despite being based on a popular Marvel character, Kraven isn’t actually part of the MCU. Instead, it joins Sony’s roster of Spider-Man antagonists, alongside Venom, Morbius and Madame Web.
Reported to have had a budget ranging from $110 million to $130 million, Sony’s final Marvel movie of the year was one of 2024’s biggest superhero flops, pulling in just $60 million at the global box office.
The story follows Kraven's complex relationship with his father and his path to becoming the greatest and most feared hunter in the world.
The film stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Kraven and Russell Crowe as his father, but it seems not even the Hollywood star power could save it.
Sony has an ongoing deal with Netflix that ensures all of its theatrical releases land on the platform first for an exclusive streaming run. While hits like Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse have benefitted from this deal, it is unlikely that Kraven will enjoy the same success.
Reviews for Kraven the Hunter have been mixed, with many fans calling it a mess.
"Some films stick with you for all the wrong reasons," one critic said. "Kraven the Hunter is one of those: an overambitious but utterly failed attempt at telling a dark antihero story that ends up feeling like an unintentional parody."
Although some viewers found the movie entertaining so there could be hope for similar responses now it's live on a streaming giant.
"Unpopular opinion: I actually found this film to be wildly entertaining, with the undertow themes of which place we call home and protecting the environment present but not too in your face," a viewer praised. "The backstory of Kraven was well done and Aaron Taylor-Johnson is a treat to watch in the action scenes, I don't know the source material but as a standalone film it had my attention throughout. Hope it gets a cult following one day."
