Deadpool & Wolverine was a testament to how R-rated Marvel movies can look, and now I’m even more excited for Sony’s Kraven the Hunter. Deadpool & Wolverine is now playing in theaters and has become the MCU’s latest movie to reach $1 billion, proving that there is still a widespread appetite for superhero movies – especially when they are done well. Deadpool & Wolverine is now Deadpool’s highest-grossing movie in his franchise as it edges closer to knocking Joker off of the top spot for the highest-grossing R-rated movie ever.

R-rated superhero movies are something of a rarity, with Deadpool & Wolverine being the MCU’s first and only. Other R-rated Marvel movies include the Blade trilogy and Logan, while a smattering of Marvel shows share the TV equivalent of an R-rating, including most of the Defenders Saga (which was only recently confirmed to be part of MCU canon) and 2024’s Echo. Sony is about to add to this collection with its first R-rated Marvel movie in December – and it’s thanks to Deadpool & Wolverine that I’m feeling hopeful.

Kraven The Hunter Is Sony’s R-Rated Marvel Movie Releasing This Year

It Will Be The Third Sony Marvel Movie Of 2024

Kraven the Hunter is slated for release on December 13, 2024, after being delayed three times across two years. It will follow October’s Venom: The Last Dance to be the sixth installment of Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, which is Sony’s attempt at a shared universe superhero franchise. So far, the franchise is on shaky ground in the wake of the worst-rated Spider-Man movie to date, Madame Web, which has helped to sour audiences towards Sony’s attempts at adapting Marvel properties. Kraven the Hunter is now under pressure to improve this image – and its R-rating might help.

The movie will depict Sergei Kravinoff’s journey to become the eponymous Kraven the Hunter. As his moniker suggests, violence is an inherent part of Kraven’s characterization, which helps to explain the movie’s R-rating. Nevertheless, similarly violent characters like Venom and Morbius were adapted into PG-13 movies, which begs the question of why Sony has opted to dial up the violence for Kraven in particular.

Speaking with Rolling Stone, Kraven star Aaron Taylor-Johnson referenced one particularly violent comic as inspiration: “Kraven’s Last Hunt,” which is one of the darkest and most beloved Spider-Man stories in Marvel Comics. Talking about the comic and the movie’s R-rating, Taylor-Johnson said: You just think, ‘What the f*** have I just read?’ That’s the kind of character I’m playing. But then, a lot of the people who grew up with Marvel are old enough now to watch an R-rated movie.

Director J.C. Chandor also warned that Kraven the Hunter will strike a dark tone, dubbing it a tragedy ahead of its release, stating in an interview with Esquire:

The story is a tragedy. When the final credits roll on this film, if you’ve been paying attention, you won’t have the feeling that this is all going to end great.

The trailer alone certainly indicates that Kraven the Hunter will be a far cry from Deadpool & Wolverine‘s irreverence – but the MCU’s latest movie has supercharged my excitement nonetheless.

I’m More Excited For Kraven The Hunter After Deadpool & Wolverine

Deadpool & Wolverine Proved How Great R-Rated Superhero Movies Can Be

Among Deadpool’s most defining features is his penchant for gratuitous violence. This necessitated the R-rating his first solo movie received in 2016, which did not hold back on the gore as Deadpool indulged in another of his most defining characteristics: his fourth-wall-breaking irreverence. Deadpool & Wolverine continued this theme perfectly while providing the perfect counterweight for Deadpool in the form of his titular teammate, with Hugh Jackman’s “Worst Wolverine” injecting genuinely moving moments into an otherwise quite silly movie.

Hugh Jackman plays a tortured variant of Wolverine who blames himself for the death of his X-Men team in his universe.

While there will be stark differences, Kraven the Hunter can still capitalize on one of Deadpool & Wolverine‘s most compelling features: tragedy and action sequences. Kraven the Hunter is something of an amalgamation of Deadpool and Wolverine, boasting the same martial skills as Deadpool and the same bestial instincts as Wolverine. With that in mind, Kraven the Hunter has the potential to replicate the fervor of Deadpool & Wolverine‘s action, even if it will take a decidedly different route.

How Kraven The Hunter Will Be A Different Kind Of R-Rated Marvel Movie

Kraven The Hunter Will Be A Lot More Serious

From what I’ve seen so far, Kraven the Hunter is going to be largely bereft of the same frivolity that pervades Deadpool & Wolverine. As J.C. Chandor clarified, Kraven the Hunter will steer clear of softening the blow of its tragic moments by injecting humor throughout. With that in mind, it seems it will be more tonally akin to Joker while deploying the same level of action as Deadpool & Wolverine.

I think this is a good thing, as it promises to deliver a relatively fresh take on the genre. Unfortunately, given that it is still a Marvel Comics adaptation, there may be some moments that don’t gel well with the darker tones it attempts to strike – with the CGI-rendered Rhino being a glaring example. Whatever the case, I’m holding out hope that, with the gloves off, Kraven the Hunter might become Sony’s saving grace when it finally releases this December.