Sony’s first R-rated comic book movie Kraven the Hunter earned a disappointing $2 million in Thursday previews for an estimated opening weekend of $15 million or less. That means it could supplant Madame Web as the lowest domestic start for a movie based on a Marvel comic book character, aside from Elektra 20 years ago. Madame Web debuted to $15.3 million domestically earlier this year after earning $2.2 million in previews.
Kraven, starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the titular antihero, wasn’t cheap, and cost $110 million to make instead of an intended $90 million because of pandemic and strike-related delays. Also, its release date was pushed several times.
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Russell Crowe, Ariana DeBose, Fred Hechinger and Alessandro Nivola also star in J.C. Chandor’s action-thriller about the vigilante son of a Russian gangster who has incredible strength.
Kraven is more bad news for Sony following Madame Web as it tries to mine the hundreds of Spider-Man related characters it has the rights to.
Reviewers are ravaging the film. Its current score on Rotten Tomatoes is 14 percent.
Sony insiders has marketed the film as an R-rated action pic akin to such titles as John Wick, versus a comic book movie.
Fellow new entry The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim earned $625,000 in previews. The Warner Bros. and New Line animated feature takes place far before the events of Lord of the Rings.
