Kraven the Hunter's Ariana DeBose Teases The "Unexpected"

Today saw the release of the first trailer for Madame Web, but that's not the only Marvel movie Sony has in the works. Kraven the Hunter is heading to theaters next August, and it will see Aaron Taylor-Johnson taking on the role of the titular Marvel character. The movie was helmed by J.C. Chandor (Triple Frontier) and also stars Ariana DeBose (West Side Story) as Calypso. This week, ComicBook.com had the chance to chat with DeBose about Wish, the upcoming animated film that sees her voicing Asha, the lead character. During the interview, we brought up Kraven and asked if fans can expect a Calypso that's similar the the comics version. 

"I think you should expect the unexpected," DeBose teased. 

You can watch our interview with DeBose at the top of the page. 

What Is Kraven the Hunter About?

You can read the official description for Kraven the Hunter here: "Kraven the Hunter is the visceral story about how and why one of Marvel's most iconic villains came to be. Set before his notorious vendetta with Spider-Man, Aaron Taylor-Johnson stars as the titular character in the R-rated film."

Kraven the Hunter is the fourth film in Sony's Spider-Man Universe, which exists separate from Disney's Marvel Cinematic Universe, home to Tom Holland's Spider-Man. Sony has weaved its own web of Spidey spin-offs that include Venom (2018), Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021), and Morbius (2022) with Madame Web coming next year. 

"He is a hunter and from that world of hunting and there's so many aspects [to him]. What I love about that character is that he has flaws," Taylor-Johnson previously told ComicBook. "Kraven is a beautiful character. Sergei Kravinov is a beautiful character because it's someone who's really understanding themselves and has flaws. This is a character that was built ages ago and it's in a new time and era, but yeah, is he going to be the hunter that we all want to see? Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely."

Sony's Kraven the Hunter is slated to open in theaters on August 30, 2024. 

What Is Wish About?

You can read the official synopsis for Wish here: In Wish, Asha, a sharp-witted idealist, makes a wish so powerful that it is answered by a cosmic force—a little ball of boundless energy called Star. Together, Asha and Star confront a most formidable foe—the ruler of Rosas, King Magnifico—to save her community and prove that when the will of one courageous human connects with the magic of the stars, wondrous things can happen.

Featuring the voices of Academy Award®-winning actor Ariana DeBose as Asha, Chris Pine as Magnifico, and Alan Tudyk as Asha's favorite goat, Valentino, the film is helmed by Oscar®-winning director Chris Buck (Frozen, Frozen 2) and Fawn Veerasunthorn (Raya and the Last Dragon), produced by Peter Del Vecho (Frozen, Frozen 2) and co-produced by Juan Pablo Reyes (Encanto). 

Jennifer Lee (Frozen, Frozen 2) executive produces — Lee and Allison Moore (Night Sky, Manhunt) are writers on the project. With original songs by Grammy®-nominated singer/songwriter Julia Michaels and Grammy-winning producer/songwriter/musician Benjamin Rice, plus a score by composer Dave Metzger.

Wish opens only in theaters on November 22nd.