It seems like Sony may be aiming for a more mature tone for its extended Spider-Man universe going forward, with Kraven the Hunter set to be R-rated. The news comes out of CinemaCon today, where the company dropped an exclusive trailer for the upcoming film.
The trailer, however, was preceded by a video from star Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who said “Will it be rated R? F*** yes, it’s going to be rated R,” according to Deadline.
While the trailer isn’t available online, the breakdowns available answer some lingering questions. To begin with, Russell Crowe will star as Kraven’s father , while Alessandro Nivola will play The Rhino. The teaser confirmed The Rhino as a major antagonist, facing off against Kraven with his skin beginning to transform. By all accounts, there was also plenty of violence, as the main character dispatched a bunch of mercenaries and poachers in a graphic display.
Of course, Kraven the Hunter isn’t the first major superhero film to be R-rated. It’s preceded by the Deadpool films, with Disney already confirming that the upcoming third entry will follow that trend.
It is, however, a first for Sony’s Spider-Man spin-off franchise. While Venom and Morbius might have lent themselves well to the mature rating, both earned a PG-13. And while Kraven the Hunter is the first to be R-rated, there’s no guarantee it’ll be the last. In particular, the Spider-Man Noir series would be perfect for a grim, ultraviolent tone, and who knows what tack the studio will take for the El Muerto, Hypno-Hustler, or Silk projects.
