The initial pitch behind Sony's Spider-Man universe has been repeatedly demonstrated to be flawed. They don't have the rights to the hero, so they keep trying to make heroes out of their more likable villains. Venom made sense since he's the character fans demand from every new iteration of the canon. Kraven the Hunter raises more questions than it answers, especially when it's the first SSU production with an R-rating.
The problem with anti-heroes is also their greatest strength. They can use extreme methods against their foes, which usually means they're expected to. The target audience for most edgy anti-heroes is angsty teenage boys. Unfortunately, studios are forced to cut out most of the blood, sex, and swearing to allow their favorite demographic to purchase tickets.
Kraven the Hunter Seems To Be Shooting For An R-Rating
The first trailer for Kraven brought a lot of ideas to the fanbase's attention. Sergei Kravinoff's quest has taken on a more altruistic motivation, guided by his monstrous father. The trailer shows off a few action scenes, which are noticeably nastier than those of Sony's other offerings. The film has not been officially rated yet, but Aaron Taylor-Johnson and members of the crew have specified that it's aiming at an R. Kraven cuts his foes into ribbons, leaving a surprising amount of blood in his wake. The limited clips do not fit with any project in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. They would feel more at home with a lesser John Wick. MPAA ratings are a sore subject for superhero movie fans since the overwhelming majority of the genre has been locked to one option since the beginning.
Both Venom Movies Were Rated PG-13
Venom and Venom: Let There Be Carnage were messy films with a lot of significant problems. They would not have been fixed by the addition of more gore. However, fans were not thrilled when they saw the symbiotes restricted by the rating. The original intention was to make an R-rated Venom film, but the studio gradually backed off. PG-13 films offer a greater financial possibility to a studio that's afraid a film will flop. R-rated superhero films like Deadpool and Logan stand as outliers. Both films were tremendous box office blockbusters, but they didn't inspire as many imitators as fans initially suspected. Instead, they stand as consistent reminders of what could have been.
The MPAA rating doesn't define a film or say anything about its quality. However, some source material naturally fits better into a specific level of censorship. Logan wouldn't be the same film if it lived under the same rules as the other X-Men films. Deadpool wouldn't work without the freedom to use the character's trademark violence and crass humor. Venom is typically celebrated for being darker and grittier than Spider-Man. The unfortunate truth about comic book fans is that a substantial percentage will always push toward the most unpleasant version of their favorite characters. This subset of the fanbase imagines some unnamed third party judging all superhero material as inherently unworthy. Delving into darker subject matter or splattering every action scene with viscera is seen as the only solution. Venom is one of the greatest recipients of that impulse. He's like everyone's favorite superhero but without all the color, optimism, and fun. Sony demonstrates cowardice by carefully editing their most popular character down for a mass audience.
How Will An R-Rating Affect Kraven the Hunter?
In comparison to Venom, Kraven is light on superhero stuff. The film seems to be handing him the power to connect with animals, using predators as weapons. Aside from his new beastmaster skills, Kraven has the traditional super soldier build and a suite of old-fashioned weapons. A film about a very strong man brutally stabbing his enemies to death will benefit from an R-rating, but there are tons of PG-13 versions of the same idea. Rather than aspiring to fulfill the fanbase's desire for R-rated superhero movies, Kraven resembles a standard "mature" action film with some superhero trappings added in. It finds the same ingredients as a film like Logan or Deadpool, but the mixture is all wrong. The film feels like it's struggling against its comic book branding. It's reminiscent of the grim and gritty superhero movies of the early 2000s.
Kraven the Hunter might be a serviceable action movie with all the typical superhero set dressings. One of the biggest problems with the SSU is its desperation to copy the Marvel format and establish a cinematic universe. Boldly creating a standalone R-rated action movie with little connection to other brands would demonstrate a willingness to learn lessons. Fans aren't convinced so far, but if Kraven defies expectations, it could be the turning point for the SSU. They've let the Hunter off of the leash. Maybe he can drag the franchise away from its current level of embarrassment.