Aaron Taylor-Johnson Says ‘Kraven the Hunter’ Is a Standalone Movie, Not a Personal Attempt to Restart His Marvel Career

Aaron Taylor-Johnson is stepping into a new Marvel role as Kraven the Hunter, following his previous stint as Pietro Maximoff (Quicksilver) in Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015). Despite this, he doesn’t feel that his new character is a “reboot” of his past Marvel appearance, as some think.

The popular actor has recently given a big interview for Entertainment Weekly ahead of the premiere of his new film, which is taking place today, on December 13, 2024, in the United States. Kraven the Hunter is finally arriving, but it seems that this could be the final nail in the coffin of the SSU.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s second attempt at a Marvel character has attracted a lot of attention, but it seems that the movie won’t be as successful as everyone had been hoping. Still, Taylor-Johnson provided us with a lot of insight in this interview, and we are going to bring you the best parts here.

One of the most often asked questions was whether Kraven was Taylor-Johnson’s attempt at reviving his Marvel career, but the actor simply laughs at the idea, saying the two roles are so different that there’s no real crossover between them: “I’m laughing because I really feel like there’s no connection at all in that respect. I don’t really feel like there’s an issue of crossover or a reboot situation. This isn’t a reboot by any means.“

Taylor-Johnson is unbothered by the potential confusion for fans about his switching Marvel roles. To him, Kraven feels like an entirely separate venture. He’s excited to dive into the character and create a fresh take from the ground up, something that stands apart from his previous role.

He sees Kraven as a complex character with deep layers and believes this movie will resonate for a long time:

“I don’t really think in those terms. [Kraven the Hunter] feels worlds apart. It feels like a whole different venture. The beauty for me is that I get to play a character from the ground up and find layers. I’ve invested a lot of time into this, and it’s something I’m really proud of, and I think it’s got longevity.“

Source: Entertainment Weekly

He also watched Evan Peters portray Quicksilver in WandaVision and loved it:

“That character was incredibly fun to play, especially with Lizzie Olsen, who I think is fantastic. And what she did with her character [in WandaVision] was brilliant. My kids loved that series as well. It was super exciting and really entertaining. But it was definitely a chapter of my life that I did, and was very grateful to do.

That side of things, that whole MCU world, is definitely able to explore all that sort of multiverse, and I think the exciting thing for the fans and the audience was to be able to bring Evan Peters into that in a way that felt fun, and comedic, and fresh and exciting. And it worked perfectly for that series.“

As he looks back, Taylor-Johnson finds it surprising that almost a decade has passed since he first played Quicksilver. Reflecting on this shift, he points out that Kraven is a much different character:

To me, it feels like there’s so much distance from it, and a healthy distance from it when stepping onto something like this.

The truth is, those characters were young adults. This character is a man; he’s this hunter with an extraordinary skill set and he’s navigating all these dark demons and this rage and fury that he has. I just found that he’s got a really unique, interesting story that felt miles apart from that world. You watch this movie, and you don’t have to be caught up in all of that [MCU timeline]. It stands on its own.

Kraven the Hunter is an R-rated, standalone film by Sony that traces how Sergei Kravinoff becomes the iconic Spider-Man villain. Directed by J.C. Chandor, the movie also stars Russell Crowe, Ariana DeBose, and several others.

Taylor-Johnson describes the film as a gritty gangster story that feels like a fresh approach. The unique nature of Kraven’s character and the film’s raw tone are what drew him to the project, and he feels it’s a chance to introduce something new to the audience.

Taylor-Johnson remains tight-lipped on whether Kraven is part of the MCU but hopes that the movie can start a new franchise, although that seems unlikely based on the most recent rumors.

He encourages viewers to form their own opinions as they watch. Despite the delays the movie faced, he’s confident that the film will stand on its own, and fans will be excited to see where it goes next.

The actor also acknowledges the skepticism surrounding the movie, given its delays. He’s not worried, however, believing that if he’s done his job right, viewers will trust him and take a leap of faith with the film. He’s put everything into this role, including physically transforming his body.

He had to gain 40 pounds of muscle to match the comic book Kraven’s iconic look, and keeping that physique during reshoots proved to be a challenge. Taylor-Johnson is serious about the role and respects the Marvel fandom, understanding the pressure that comes with portraying such a well-known character.

Kraven the Hunter hits theaters on December 13.

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