Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s Upcoming Superhero Flick, Kraven The Hunter.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson has been officially cast as the titular character in Sony’s upcoming Marvel movie Kraven The Hunter. The actor previously portrayed Quicksilver in Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) where he was killed off in the same movie. For the non-comic book readers who aren’t familiar with Kraven and his hunting tales, fret not dear friends, we have got you covered.
When did Kraven the Hunter make his first appearance?
Created by the kind of Marvel Comics himself, Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, Kraven the Hunter made his first appearance in Amazing Spider-Man issue number 15 in August 1964.
Who is he? And what kinda name is ‘Kraven’? Who names their child ‘Kraven’?
Born into an aristocratic family in Volgograd, Russia, Kraven’s real name was Sergei Nikolaevich Kravinoff. This was during the time of a Russian revolution known as the Bolshevik revolution which put an end to the aristocracy. Since his parents passed on when he was young, Sergei and his half-brother, Dmitri Kravinoff, found themselves orphans on the run.
Wait, he has a brother? What happened to him?
Dmitri Kravinoff turned his knack for mimicry into a criminal profession and later came to be known as ‘The Chameleon’.
So his brother became a super-villain. What about Kraven the Hunter? I presume he became “The Hunter”? Any specific reason he chose hunting as his profession?
Due to his desire to regain his lost sense of nobility, Sergei trained himself to become the world’s fiercest hunter. He would find himself right at home in Kenya, Africa with a crew of safari hunters perfecting the art of tracking and killing big prey. Unlike other hunters, Sergei sought purity in the kill i.e. he would use his bare hands, knives, and spears to kill his targets rather than resorting to the use of firearms. He would quickly gain the reputation that he wanted which was to be considered the world’s greatest hunter. He would eventually anglicize his Russian last name, the going by the name ‘Kraven’.
So he is just a hunter? Does he have any superpowers or is he simply a cross between Tarzan and Bruce Wayne?
Kraven soon stumbled upon a voodoo-priestess/witch-doctor who possessed a mystical potion that granted superhuman abilities. Blinded by the need for a new sense of excitement, Kraven stole the potion and attained his superhuman powers by drinking the elixir.
A voodoo-priestess? A witch-doctor? A potion?
Calypso Ezili, also known as the ‘The Hunter of souls’ created ‘Calypso Serum’ from various mystical jungle herbs. But that is tale for another day.
What are Kraven’s superpowers again?
The ‘Calypso Serum’ gave him the abilities of a large predatory cat, presumably a lion, and as such his abilities are much greater than the average human and have even been noted as being better than Captain America who is considered the peak of human potential. Kraven possesses low-level superhuman strength being able to lift around 2 tons, being able to run at 60 miles per hour with seemingly non-exhaustive stamina, animal-like agility, uncanny reflexes, enhanced senses with smell being his strongest sense being able to track his prey by smell alone, and reduced aging to the point he seems to not age anymore.
Due to his extended lifespan, he was able to amass a plethora of medicinal and occult knowledge and perfect his skills as a master tactician and strategist, weapon specialist, marksmen, and tracker. While also being able to perfectly train any animal with the uncanny precision and loyalty that these animals show to him being mistaken as mind control. Talk about being an alpha, literally.
So the ‘Calypso Serum’ is an organic version of ‘Super-Soldier Serum’?
In a way, yes but it has some repercussions. It induces violent rages and impairs proper judgment.
So did he attain his nobility back?
Delving into the ivory and animal skin trade, years passed before Kraven became bored of all the usual prey. Coinciding with his desire for a new challenge, his brother tasked him with hunting Spider-Man. Kraven accepted the proposal recognizing the crime-fighter as the most dangerous game of all.
So, how did Kraven the Hunter join the ranks of Spider-Man’s villains?
Eventually, Kraven would get bored with the idea of hunting game after decades of being top on his game. This would lead to his half-brother ‘The Chameleon’ suggesting that he hunt one of the hardest preys which was Spider-Man. With new purpose, Kraven would take a strong villainous turn and set his unwavering sights on Spider-Man.
Damn, it must be pretty hard to take down the wall-crawling web-slinger with nothing but bare hands.
Over the years, Kraven would get more and more frustrated at this game that he couldn’t take down which he wasn’t used to. Underestimating Spider-Man’s resourcefulness, the maniacal game-hunter was regularly defeated and overcome with frustration. He slowly lost his sanity and resorted to using a gun to defeat his prey.
So, did he manage to shoot Spidey or not?
Kraven would catch Spider-Man slipping and then he would shoot him with a tranquilizer and then bury him alive.
Bury him alive? Damn, that escalated quickly.
Developing a new obsession, Kraven would then take on Spider-man’s identity in a bid to prove him to be the better crime-fighter. Donning a black version of Spider-Man’s costume, Kraven sought out and captured Vermin, one of Spider-Man’s minor enemies. Spider-Man dug himself out of the grave and confronted his deranged imposter. After a few feats and slightly making his point about being better than his enemy, the psychotic Kraven would then feel as he had nothing more to prove. Leaving a note for the police and proclaiming that his hunting days are over, Kraven would end his own life.
Grave-digging, impersonation, suicide. Are you sure it is a Spider-Man comic and not a horror comic?
During this time, his son Vladimir Kravinoff would briefly serve as the ‘Grim Hunter’ while his other son, Alyosha Kravinoff would become the second Kraven the Hunter, although his young daughter Ana Kravinoff would also carry the same title at for some time. The character was resurrected by his wife, Sasha, rallied the family together and tried to resurrect Kraven by sacrificing Spider-Man. The whole family is nuts!
Kraven has been on many adventures, waffling between heroics and villainy but always in shadow of seeking honor. This oddly dressed villain has taken on Spider-Man numerous times simply to prove that he is the greatest hunter of all time.
Are you excited about Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s portrayal of Kraven the Hunter? To know more about Spider-Man’s villains and their upcoming movies.
