Kraven the Hunter Cast & Marvel Character Guide

The cast of Kraven the Hunter is made up of proven Marvel stars and fresh talents who will help to continue the development of the Sony Spider-Man Universe. Following Venom, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, and Morbius, Kraven the Hunter will feature the third Spider-Man villain from Marvel Comics to receive his own solo film in Sony’s growing franchise. While Peter Parker, a.k.a. Spider-Man, is curiously absent from the Sony Spider-Man Universe, Tom Hardy’s Eddie Brock, Jared Leto’s Michael Morbius, and Michael Keaton’s Adrian Toomes, a.k.a. the Vulture, have claimed their space in the franchise, with Kraven the Hunter set to join them in October 2023.

Since debuting in Marvel Comics’ The Amazing Spider-Man #15 back in 1964, Kraven the Hunter has become an important part of Spider-Man’s lore, becoming obsessed with hunting down the web-slinger to proclaim himself as the world’s greatest hunter. Kraven has been at the center of some of Marvel Comics’ most iconic storylines, including 1987’s Kraven’s Last Hunt, 2010’s Grim Hunt, and 2019’s Hunted. Although Kraven made his cinematic debut as a cameo in 2023’s animated adventure Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Kraven the Hunter will mark his first live-action appearance on the big screen, and he and his supporting cast will surely make an impact on the Sony Spider-Man Universe.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Sergei Kravinoff, A.K.A. Kraven The Hunter

Aaron Taylor-Johnson stars in Kraven the Hunter as the titular Spider-Man villain. Kraven the Hunter is one of Spider-Man’s most famous villains, making his debut in 1964, just two years after Spider-Man’s first appearance. Kraven is a founding member of the original Sinister Six, which also includes Doctor Octopus, Electro, Vulture, Sandman, and Mysterio. Kraven the Hunter’s first official trailer revealed that the film is set to explore Sergei Kravinoff’s backstory, his early life prior to becoming Kraven the Hunter, and uncovering how he got his powers, which have been changed slightly from the pages of Marvel Comics.

Kraven the Hunter isn’t Taylor-Johnson’s first foray into the world of superhero adaptations, as he previously debuted as Pietro Maximoff, a.k.a. Quicksilver, in the MCU’s Avengers: Age of Ultron, though he met his demise in the same film. Before Age of Ultron, Taylor-Johnson starred as Dave Lizewski in Kick Ass and its sequel and is also known for roles in Nowhere Boy, Anna Karenina, Godzilla, Nocturnal Animals, and Bullet Train. It’s currently unknown how Kraven the Hunter will fit in with the rest of the Sony Spider-Man Universe, but it’s been reported that Taylor-Johnson has signed on to appear as Kravinoff in a number of future projects.

Russell Crowe as Nikolai Kravinoff, Kraven’s Father

Russell Crowe joins the Kraven the Hunter cast as Nikolai Kravinoff, Kraven’s father. Kraven the Hunter’s trailer shows Kravinoff training his young son to be a great hunter but also being very hard on him. Crowe is a brilliant addition to Kraven the Hunter’s cast, best known for his Academy Award-winning performance as General Maximus Decimus Meridius in Gladiator, as well as having starring roles in A Beautiful Mind, Cinderella Man, and Les Misérables. Like Taylor-Johnson, Crowe has also previously played in the superhero sandbox, portraying Jor-El in 2013’s Man of Steel, and Zeus in 2022’s Thor: Love & Thunder.

Ariana DeBose as Calypso

Though the role of Calypso in Kraven the Hunter was hotly-contested, March 2022 saw Ariana DeBose cast as the priestess and Kraven’s love interest in the upcoming film. In Marvel Comics, Calypso Elizi has a penchant for manipulating Spider-Man’s villains, including Kraven and the Lizard, to battle the web-slinger and other heroes like Daredevil. Her dark magic can be used for mind control and resurrection, and she can create zombies, making her a terrifying addition to Kraven the Hunter’s roster. DeBose is perhaps best known for starring in 2021’s West Side Story, which earned her an Oscar win, as well as appearing in Hamilton, Westworld, and The Prom.

Fred Hechinger as Dmitri Smerdyakov, A.K.A. Chameleon

Dmitri Smerdyakov, a.k.a. Chameleon, was Spider-Man’s first-ever antagonist in Marvel Comics, debuting in 1963’s The Amazing Spider-Man #1, and is also the half-brother of Kraven the Hunter. Chameleon is a master of disguise, with his skills allowing him to impersonate a number of other characters, and is also the root cause of Kraven’s obsession with Spider-Man, leading to a life-long rivalry between the brothers and Peter Parker. After making his acting debut in 2018’s Eighth Grade, Fred Hechinger has been rising to prominence in projects such as News of the World, the Fear Street franchise, The Woman in the Window, and appearing as Quinn Mossbacher in The White Lotus.

Christopher Abbott as The Foreigner

Christopher Abbott plays Kraven the Hunter’s primary antagonist, the Foreigner. After debuting in Marvel Comics’ 1986 story, The Spectacular Spider-Man #116, the Foreigner crossed paths with the likes of Spider-Man, Chameleon, Silver Sable, and Black Cat. Not much has been revealed about the Foreigner’s role in Kraven the Hunter, other than the fact that he will be the film’s main villain, so it seems Sony is keeping their cards close to their chest for now. Abbott’s acting debut came in 2011’s Martha Marcy May Marlene, which led to appearances in A Most Violent Year, James White, It Comes at Night, and the series Catch-22.

Alessandro Nivola as Aleksei Sytsevich, A.K.A. The Rhino

Alessandro Nivola, despite being cast in March 2022, was confirmed to be playing the Rhino in Kraven the Hunter in April 2023. The Rhino is one of Spider-Man’s most recognizable villains, as he started out as a Russian thug who underwent an experimental procedure, granting him synthetic rhino-like skin and superhuman strength. The character was depicted by Paul Giamatti in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, but Nivola’s iteration will be much more comic-accurate and grounded in reality. Nivola’s acting credits date back to 1997’s Face/Off, and he’s since had roles in Jurassic Park III, American Hustle, The Neon Demon, and The Many Saints of Newark.

Levi Miller

Levi Miller joined the cast of Kraven the Hunter in April 2022, portraying a young Sergei Kravinoff. Miller will portray Kraven the Hunter when he gets his powers after being bitten by a lion and exposed to the predator’s blood. Miller is best known for portraying Peter Pan in Pan, Calvin O’Keefe in A Wrinkle in Time, and Carter Grant in The CW’s Supergirl series. Miller has also had leading roles in Jasper Jones and American Exit. Levi Miller is expected to have a small role in Kraven the Hunter, as he’s only portraying the young Sergei Kravinoff, but his role will be pivotal to the film’s overall storyline.