Spider-Man’s live-action Sony movie debut could happen in 2024’s upcoming Kraven the Hunter, according to one Marvel film theory. Over half a decade in, Sony’s Spider-Man Universe has been a decidedly mixed bag. Venom was a hit at the box office, but it was still a miss with many critics, and Venom: Let There Be Carnage saw similar results. The last two SSU films, Morbius and Madame Web, fared far worse, flopping at the box office and getting panned by critics and audiences. What’s even more confusing than the universe’s inconsistent quality is that it still doesn’t have a Spider-Man.

Creating a universe highlighting a superhero’s villains without the presence of the main hero is a fraught decision. Many have speculated this world could be Andrew Garfield’s universe, but that doesn’t appear to be the case, as the villains seemingly aren’t aware of who Spider-Man is. Venom did briefly crossover with Tom Holland’s Spider-Man in the MCU, but that is seemingly set to go nowhere after Spider-Man: No Way Home. Many are waiting for Sony to introduce Spider-Man into its universe, and one wild theory suggest it could happen this year in the Kraven the Hunter movie.

Kraven The Hunter Can Introduce Spider-Man As Kraven’s Next Target

Madame Web was a disastrous start to 2024 for Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, but the studio still has two chances to turn things around with Venom: The Last Dance and Kraven the Hunter. The Last Dance is the final film in Tom Hardy’s Venom trilogy, so it most likely won’t introduce Spider-Man to keep the focus on Eddie Brock and his symbiote companion, especially since the finale already appears to have a huge cast and more than one villain. However, Kraven the Hunter is the perfect opportunity for Sony to set up the web-slinger’s debut.

Kraven is a unique villain, as his goals aren’t conventionally wealth, power, or world domination. In the comics, he is a big game trophy hunter whose main goal is to find a worthy opponent who he can claim as the ultimate trophy, setting his sights on Spider-Man and permanently intertwining the two’s fates.

Sony’s villains are more antiheroes, but they haven’t been introduced to Spider-Man yet – and this premise provides a perfect excuse to, especially in an era where audiences are more and more calling for his debut. Kraven the Hunter can tease the hero in its ending or a post-credit scene by showing Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s Kraven choosing Spider-Man as his next target, teasing the hero’s eventual arrival. Even if Sony are currently unable to choose a casting for a new Spider-Man, this opens an avenue to show he still exists in the world, putting one major franchise complaint to bed.

Spider-Man’s Live-Action Sony Debut Is Needed For The Franchise To Continue

Once Hardy’s Venom takes his final bow in Venom: The Last Dance, the SSU won’t have a centerpiece to its universe anymore. Sony needs a new character that audiences will return for, and Kraven could be that person. However, Kraven is going to need other characters to interact with if the franchise continues. From the trailers, it seems that Kraven will go toe-to-toe with Rhino, but he will still need someone to hunt in an eventual sequel.

With the franchise seemingly needing to course-correct after Madame Web and Morbius, tying Kraven The Hunter to Spider-Man seems the best way to ensure the future of the franchise, allowing it to promise new beginnings after the Venom trilogy is tied up. Introducing Spider-Man would set up an exciting sequel to Kraven the Hunter, and it would also get audiences invested in Sony’s universe as a bigger picture begins to properly unfold, which it desperately needs after its recent missteps.