After a lackluster theatrical run, “Kraven the Hunter” is experiencing a resurgence on the streaming front. Starring Aaron Taylor – Johnson as the eponymous character, the film also features a cast including Ariana Debose, Russell Crowe, Fred Hechinger, Christopher Abbot, and Alessandro Nivola. However, it faced a dismal performance at the box office, earning only $24 million domestically and $60 million globally, despite a speculated budget ranging from $110 million to $130 million.
The movie was met with harsh criticism from both fans and critics, holding a meager 16% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. This led to negative word – of – mouth, causing a staggering – 72% drop in box – office sales from its opening weekend to the following week. Reportedly, “Kraven the Hunter” is the final planned installment in Sony’s Spider – Verse franchise, which aimed to create films centered around Spider – Man’s supporting characters without the presence of the web – slinger.
Surprisingly, the film has become a streaming sensation. The official X account of “Kraven the Hunter” announced that the movie had topped the charts on AppleTV. The post, accompanied by a promo image of Taylor – Johnson, read: “It’s clear… the kravin’ for Kraven is real. Thank you for making [Kraven the Hunter] the #1 movie on [Apple TV]! Watch Aaron Taylor – Johnson as the world’s greatest hunter this weekend – now on Digital.”
Although the streaming success is a positive sign for Sony, it’s unlikely to turn the film into a profitable venture. The theatrical release failed to recoup even half of its median budget, not to mention the marketing costs. Additionally, while the film has a 74% audience popcornmeter score, suggesting potential for cult – classic status among fans, this won’t significantly boost its profitability.
When comparing “Kraven the Hunter” to Sony’s other Marvel films, its poor performance becomes even more evident. According to Box Office Mojo, all of their previous films have out – earned it by tens of millions. For instance, “Madame Webb”, the film with the second – lowest gross among them, made nearly double what “Kraven the Hunter” did. As a result, home rentals and video – on – demand purchases are unlikely to have a substantial impact on the film’s bottom line, solidifying its position as the worst – performing entry in this under – performing lineup.
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