As Sony's Kraven the Hunter film continues to move forward, it's worth wondering who will be the antagonist - or the protagonist - of the upcoming movie. As Kraven's archenemy Spider-Man is unavailable due to his presence in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the titular character will likely square off against a different Marvel hero or villain.
In June of last year, it was reported that Sony was developing standalone films for two of Spider-Man's greatest enemies, Kraven the Hunter and Mysterio. The two films are expected to join Sony's growing cinematic universe of Spider-Man characters. The first will be this year's Venom. Also in the works are Silver & Black, which will focus on Silver Sable and Black Cat, Morbius the Living Vampire, and Silk. Now it's been reported that writer Richard Wenk will pen the script for Kraven the Hunter.
Related: Our Venom Trailer Thoughts: Will Sony Get Their Spider-Hit?
Like Venom, Kraven the Hunter won't be able to incorporate Spider-Man, despite the fact that most comic book storylines that involve Kraven are centered around Spider-Man as the protagonist. This includes the fan-favorite "Kraven's Last Hunt", which was a story of great importance for both characters. However, Spider-Man isn't Kraven's only nemesis. The villain has also clashed with Daredevil, Ka-Zar, and Tigra. The problem with these characters, though, is that the rights for their properties lie with Marvel Studios. Another Kraven foe is Scarlet Spider, but being a Spider-Man clone could eliminate him as an option as well.
This means that a Kraven film will most likely have to make use of a character who shares limited or even no history with the villain. Of course, Spider-Man has no shortage of supporting characters, but only a few fit the formula for a Kraven movie. The two who may be the best fit for the film are Puma and Man-Wolf. As both have animal-like qualities, they would be the perfect prey for Kraven, whose only goal is to hunt down and kill the most dangerous prey in the world.
Man-Wolf is the alter ego of astronaut John Jameson, the son of J. Jonah Jameson. Jameson was turned into a werewolf after coming into contact with an other-dimensional gem. However, Kraven also created his own version of Man-Wolf using a similar gem to create a new enemy to hunt. This would be a more practical way of introducing Man-Wolf that wouldn't involve sending a character into outer space. Man-Wolf also has deep ties to Morbius the Living Vampire, allowing for potential universe crossover with the Morbius movie.
Puma, meanwhile, is a Native American martial artist and mercenary who can transform into a werecat. The character has been at odds with Spider-Man on numerous occasions but is also an occasional ally. As a mercenary, Puma has offered his services to Silver Sable and has some romantic history with Black Cat. These connections could open the door for Puma to appear in Silver & Black as a love interest for Black Cat, a member of Silver Sable's Wild Pack, or both.
Related: All The Evidence Venom Is Actually In The MCU
Based on what we know of the project so far, either of these characters would be the best fit for the Kraven movie. They not only fit his character, but they could serve a big step for Sony in creating their shared universe.
More: Every Spider-Man Villain Spinoff Sony is Developing
Key Release Dates Venom (2018) release date: Oct 05, 2018
