‘Kraven the Hunter’ to Rub Shoulders With Sydney Sweeney’s Snooze Fest ‘Madame Web,’ Sony’s Marvel Missteps Continue

Published 12/10/2024, 8:08 PM EST

Ryan Reynolds swooped in to play the savior for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But when Marvel’s characters moonlight in Sony’s Universe, the lines between heroics and hiccups blur across the multiverse. Sydney Sweeney could be Hollywood’s golden ticket, a must-have on every director’s dream cast. Yet, her superhero leap with Sony’s Madame Web never really had her spinning the webs of glory as the friendly neighborhood Spider-Woman. However, Sony’s latest Marvel gamble, Kraven the Hunter, may keep Sweeney’s debut from scrapping the cinematic barrel.

With opening weekend projections looking eerily grim, fans might have to wait to see when Kraven can claw its way up or plunge further into the abyss.

Can Kraven the Hunter save Sydney Sweeney’s Madame Web from the bottom ranks?

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According to Variety’s latest report, Kraven the Hunter, the comic-book spin-off in Sony’s universe of Marvel characters, starring Aaron-Taylor Johsnon, aims for a scanty $13 million to $15 million from 3,200 theaters in its opening weekend. If the projects sit right, Kraven the Hunter could go head-to-head against February’s blunder, Madame Web, starring Sydney Sweeney, for the embarrassing honor of the weakest debut among Sony’s Marvel movies.

Though Kraven the Hunter was green-lit at $90 million, following the pandemic and writer’s and actor’s strike, the cost swelled to $110 million. On the flip side, Madame Web cost upward of $80 million to produce, far from the numbers Kraven has been eyeing. The R-rated movie has been co-financed by TSG, serving as Sony’s third Spider-Man adjacent superhero production of the year. With Sony struggling to assemble a blockbuster-worthy hit from its Marvel rosters, the projections are no less than a web-slinger’s fate. 

Sydney Sweeney's ‘Madame Web’ Gets An Unpredictable Love-Blast, Thanks to ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ Drowning

Either Kraven could claw its way to the unexpected or catch Madame Web from the ultimate fall. However, given the streaming frenzy, the Sweeney-led film later stirred up, who knows if Kraven will spin its own web of success stories?

Sydney Sweeney’s Madame Web’s streaming success undoes its theatrical blunder

Sydney Sweeney’s Madame Web turned out to be one of the biggest box office disappointments of comic book movie history. But given cinema is a playground where turning the tide is as routine as eagle-eyed critics chasing the latest hits, despite a dismal 11% on Rotten Tomatoes, Madame Web found a second wind on Netflix. Within 24 hours of its streaming debut, it soared to the top of the platform’s Top 10 Movies list.

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The film’s streaming release is part of the ongoing partnership between Netflix, Sony, and Disney. Though Madame Web was stormed by critics at first, fans have still rallied behind Sweeney to keep up with the superhero adventures. While Kraven the Hunter’s opening weekend projections are not any better than Sony’s earlier Marvel adventures, it remains to be seen whether it has in itself to flip the script.

"A sad taste"- Isabela Merced's Thoughtful Reaction on 'Madame Web's' Success Highlights the Plight of Those at Risk

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What do you think of Kraven the Hunter's box-office projections for the opening weekend? Let us know in the comments below!

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Anushka Bhattacharya

1639 articles

I'm Anushka Bhattacharya, an entertainment journalist at Netflix Junkie. Armed with a degree in literature, I once wielded my words to catalyze change within society through my work with NGOs. However, as I stumbled into the exuberant hole of crime thrillers and documentaries on Netflix, it was love at first sight and pushed me into entertainment journalism.

Edited By: Aliza Siddiqui

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