Here's Why Kraven The Hunter, Sony's First R-Rated Marvel Movie, Was Delayed

Sony Pictures recently delayed Kraven the Hunter, the film company's first R-rated Marvel movie, to a release in December. The film, which stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson in the title role, was originally set for release in August, so why the delay? Producer Matt Tolmach said the latest delay came down to selecting a window that would give the film the best chance to be a success.

"Kraven moved to Christmas because we're excited about it and Christmas is the best release period there is, when you get people with time to go back to the movies over and over again," Tolmach told Collider. "That was a real reflection of how the studio felt about the movie. We're really excited. But that's a great move that reflects just the feeling about the movie."

Kraven the Hunter was originally lined up to release in January 2023 before being delayed to October 2023 and then again to December 2024.

Given the numerous delays for Kraven the Hunter, many are wondering about the film's quality, especially so after Sony's last Marvel movie, Madam Web, was a major flop. Only time will tell how Kraven the Hunter holds up critically and commercially.

With its new release date in December, Kraven the Hunter releases on the same day as the next Lord of the Rings film, The War of the Rohirrim, and a week before Mufasa: The Lion King and Sonic the Hedgehog 3.

Kraven the Hunter also stars Russel Crowe, Ariana DeBose, Christopher Abbot, and Alessandro Nivola. It's directed by J.C. Chandor, who previously earned an Oscar nomination for Margin Call. Iron Man writers Art Marcum and Matt Holloway wrote the script with Richard Wenk.

Taylor-Johnson is reportedly the frontrunner to play James Bond in the next entry in the iconic series, though an official casting announcement is yet to be made.