Kraven the Hunter arrives on Disney Plus after Sony universe collapse

Sony’s Spider-Man spin-off films reached a decisive low point in 2024. Madame Web, Venom: The Last Dance and Kraven the Hunter all received harsh critical reactions, while only the third Venom film avoided becoming a box-office bomb.

For Kraven the Hunter, the result was especially damaging to Sony’s plans for a connected superhero franchise. Led by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, the film earned just $62 million globally, effectively ending that cinematic experiment.

The film will reach Disney Plus on 13 September 2026, following its streaming run on Netflix. Australian subscribers curious about one of Marvel’s strangest recent releases will soon have an easy way to see what went wrong.

What is already available on Disney Plus?

Adding Kraven the Hunter will bring Disney Plus close to a complete collection of Sony’s Spider-Man-related films. The service already carries Venom, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Morbius and Madame Web.

Venom: The Last Dance is also expected to move across from Netflix soon. Disney Plus additionally offers the main Spider-Man films featuring Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield and Tom Holland.

Why Kraven the Hunter is such an unusual Marvel film

Taylor-Johnson’s Kraven is not the traditional big-game hunter determined to defeat Spider-Man. Instead, the character is presented as a vigilante who targets criminals. During the film’s promotion, Taylor-Johnson described him as an apex predator, a protector of the natural world and an animal lover.

That reinvention leaves the movie disconnected from the character’s familiar comic-book identity. It also makes the decision to tell Kraven’s story without Spider-Man feel even more conspicuous.

The cast includes several Spider-Man-adjacent characters. Fred Hechinger plays the Chameleon, whose abilities undergo a remarkable transformation. Ariana DeBose appears as Calypso, a lawyer who also practises voodoo, while Russell Crowe delivers a Russian accent.

The film’s strangest character is the Rhino

Alessandro Nivola’s Aleksei Sytsevich, better known as the Rhino, is the film’s most memorable oddity. The character follows Paul Giamatti’s version from The Amazing Spider-Man 2, where the Rhino appeared in a mechanical suit, but Nivola’s interpretation takes the concept in an even more bizarre direction.

A critical and commercial failure

Kraven the Hunter is not an overlooked masterpiece. Its 15% Rotten Tomatoes score reflects a film affected by delays, reshoots and questionable creative decisions. The 122-minute running time puts every awkward choice on display.

There is an additional layer of frustration for Marvel followers: Ryan Coogler was reportedly denied access to Kraven for his Black Panther films. Watching the character struggle in a Spider-Man-free adventure makes that missed opportunity difficult to ignore.

Christopher Abbott’s Marvel connection

The film may also interest viewers who want an early look at Christopher Abbott in a Marvel role. Before his expected appearance as Professor Charles Xavier in Marvel Studios’ upcoming X-Men film, Abbott plays the Foreigner in Kraven the Hunter.

The Foreigner is an assassin with an unusual ability: he can apparently slow time through hypnosis. It is one more strange idea in a film already crowded with unconventional interpretations.

Should you watch Kraven the Hunter on Disney Plus?

For most viewers, this is best approached as a curious failure rather than a conventional superhero adventure. It does not ultimately work, but its unusual take on Kraven, bizarre Rhino and place at the end of Sony’s failed franchise make it a compelling hate-watch.

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The contrast with Marvel’s more successful projects is stark. Spider-Man: Brand New Day has already reached $2 billion at the box office, while Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse is scheduled for release in 2027 and has generated positive expectations. Kraven the Hunter shows what can happen when a character is separated from the hero and world that made him recognisable.

Whether you watch it for the superhero mythology, the cast or the sheer oddness, Kraven the Hunter will be available on Disney Plus from 13 September 2026.

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