Keanu Reeves Reportedly Passed on Kraven the Hunter Role in Spider-Man Spinoff

Keanu Reeves is still on the hunt for a superhero movie role after passing on playing Kraven the Hunter in a Spider-Man spin-off, according to a new report. On Monday, it was reported Venom and Morbius studio Sony Pictures put in an official offer to the Matrix and John Wick star to join the expanding Sony Pictures Universe of Marvel Characters in Kraven, described as a “mashup” between Man on Fire and Hugh Jackman’s X-Men swansong Logan. Reeves’ rumored role inspired counter-casting — fans have long favored him to play Ghost Rider or the Silver Surfer — but the actor won’t be playing Sony’s Sergei Kravinoff.

Reeves was approached for the role but passed on Kraven “months ago,” according to scooper Skyler Shuler of TheDisInsider.

Marvel Studios chief and Spider-Man producer Kevin Feige, who is not involved with Kraven, previously told ComicBook.com Marvel approaches Reeves “for almost every film we make” and that the studio wants to “figure out the right way” to bring the actor into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

In August, Sony tapped Netflix’s Triple Frontier filmmaker J.C. Chandor to direct Kraven for producers Avi Arad (The Amazing Spider-Man) and Matt Tolmach (Venom: Let There Be Carnage). Writers include Richard Wenk (The Equalizer), and scripting duo Art Marcum and Matt Holloway (Iron Man, Sony’s Uncharted).

It was in August that Sony was reported to be seeking a Joel Kinnaman-type actor for an undisclosed role in its untitled Spider-Man: Far From Home sequel, speculated by some to be Kraven the Hunter. There are theories the still-untitled Spider-Man 3 pits Peter Parker (Tom Holland) against the deadly duo of Kraven and Scorpion (Michael Mando), a.k.a. Mac Gargan, after Spider-Man: Homecoming ended with the jailed villain seeking revenge against the web-slinging superhero.

After starting Kraven in late 2018, Wenk told DiscussingFilm that his script would “adhere very closely to the lore” of Kraven the Hunter, who would “come face to face with Spider-Man.” On comic book inspirations, Wenk said, “I think that what we’re all circling is ‘Kraven’s Last Hunt’ and whether this is the precursor to that movie or will include it. We’re talking about those things. And even the idea that maybe Kraven could be like Kill Bill where we’re basically writing two movies.”

Sony Pictures has not set a release date for Kraven. The studio plans to open Venom: Let There Be Carnage in theaters on June 25, followed by Spider-Man 3 on December 17, and Morbius on January 21, 2022.