Keanu Reeves is tipped to play Kraven the Hunter, one of the most formidable villains in the world of Spider-Man, in a movie centering on the character, according to a report from The Illuminerdi.
Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko and introduced in The Amazing Spider-Man #15, Kraven the Hunter is (you guessed it) a big game hunter hailing from the Soviet Union. Unlike traditional poachers, Kraven takes down his quarry with his bare hands and isn't a fan of guns. He's able to survive these encounters with dangerous animals thanks to a strange serum he injected into his body, giving him superhuman strength, regeneration, and senses like sight, hearing, and smell. His rivalry with Spider-Man begins when he joins his half-brother The Chameleon in the hunt, and now, it seems like the character's story will finally hit the silver screen.
The project has actually been kicking about for three years, as Sony expands its entries into the Marvel canon. The Sony Pictures Universe of Marvel Characters began with Venom, released in 2018, and it aims to "honour the original DNA" of the villain by giving each movie a different director.
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Following Venom, Morbius is on the way, with Jared Leto playing the titular villain when the movie arrives in 2022. Venom: Let There Be Carnage is directed by Andy Serkis and sees Tom Hardy and Woody Harrelson return as Venom and Carnage respectively. Sony has said that its approach to the Sony Pictures Universe of Marvel Characters is to reject the style of "conventional comic-book movies," delving into different genres like horror or comedy, potential R-ratings, and lower budgets to engender ingenuity.
Though the director is presently unannounced, the report from The Illuminerdi claims that Sony has offered the role of Kraven the Hunter as part of his own solo movie to Keanu Reeves. The Lake House actor has been rumoured to be involved in a number of Marvel projects over the years, such as Yon-Rogg in Captain Marvel and Moon Knight in ... Moon Knight. It's also said that the movie will be a mix of Man on Fire and Logan, in terms of its tone.
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Naturally, Sony and Reeves are yet to comment on the validity of the speculation, but The Illuminerdi sounds rather confident. We'll update you as and when we know more.
Featured Image Credit: Marvel Comics, ESATopics: News, Spider-Man