Kraven the Hunter star Aaron Taylor-Johnson opened up about the intense training and weight gain he underwent to play the villain Spider-Man. Taylor-Johnson is no stranger to superhero films, having gained notoriety for starring in two Kick-Ass films as well as a small role as Quicksilver in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, to return to the world of superheroes for Sony’s Kraven the Hunter, the actor had to undergo unprecedented training.
In an interview with Esquire, Taylor-Johnson spoke about the intense training he went through for Kraven the Hunter. According to the magazine, the actor was aware of the importance of his stomach and arms to the character, which led to months of intense training and he gained 200 pounds to play Kraven. Taylor-Johnson also learned to run like a quadruped to be as believable as Craven, who has animal powers in the film. His training also included other pursuits such as deer hunting, studying the life and work of wildlife photographer Peter Byrd, and interacting with conservationist Damian Aspinall, whom Taylor-Johnson called “a punk-anarchist character, a bit like Kraven.”
The teaser for Kraven the Hunter’s ending suggests that the character will eventually become a villain, in keeping with his fate in the comics. While Kraven the Hunter may not have Tom Holland as Spider-Man or other actors who portrayed the Marvel hero in the same film, director JC Chandor told Esquire that the film’s ending takes into account Kraven’s fate in the comics, saying, “Sony probably doesn’t want me to say this, but the story is a tragedy. When the credits roll for this movie, if you’ve been paying attention, you won’t have the feeling that everything will end well.”
According to Chandor, it looks like Taylor-Johnson’s Kraven the Hunter will complete his debut as the comic book version of the villain, or get a step closer to it. After a year-long delay with Kraven the Hunter, the film will premiere on August 30, 2024, bringing Holland’s Spider-Man 4, which is expected to release in 2025, closer. The MCU Man-Man that leaves Peter Parker all alone in New York, perhaps Kraven the Hunter’s anticipated ending could see the character become the Spider-Man villain that the hero’s next MCU movie is famous for.
Source: Esquire