Marvel Studios almost replaced one of its underrated villains introduced in the Infinity Saga with an unexpected character who has ties to Spider-Man (but thankfully, it didn't happen). Black Panther introduced Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) as a ruthless villain who is considered by many as one of the MCU's most acclaimed villains, while still giving the spotlight to Ulysses Klaue (Andy Serkis) as a charismatic yet dangerous foe for T'Challa and his allies. Klaue was first introduced in Avengers: Age of Ultron before making his proper debut in Black Panther as Killmonger's ally and Wakanda's enemy number one.
Klaue managed to steal every scene he was in, mainly due to Serkis' charismatic performance (but it was cut short after being killed off by Killmonger). However, it seemed that another famous Marvel character was almost set to replace him. Speaking as a guest on Josh Horowitz's Happy Sad and Confused podcast, Black Panther director Ryan Coogler confirmed that he had plans to include Kraven the Hunter in the movie.
The filmmaker revealed that Marvel Studios had already chosen Erik Killmonger and Ulysses Klaue as the main villains of Black Panther, but there were doubts among executives about whether Klaue was the right fit.
"No. [Michael B. Jordan] was always gonna be Killmonger. When I took that job, Joe Robert Cole, who's my co-writer on both the Panthers, [he] had been working with Marvel and they had a line, so when I showed up, it was like, 'Hey, we have our villains. Our villains are Klaue and Eric Killmonger.' That had been decided upon. The outline of villains was Klaue and Kilmonger, but they weren't sure. They weren't sure. Klaue felt slightly modular to them, and obviously, it was the great Andy Serkis, so I'm hyped to work with him. [I] wanted to base it on the Christopher Priest run of Panther, and his run starts with Panther and Kraven in the kitchen. That's the first thing. It's Ross, Panther, and Kraven fighting in the Kitchen."
Coogler admitted that he was a big Spider-Man fan, which is why he decided to pitch Kraven the Hunter as a potential replacement for Klaue, but "Sony was like, 'Absolutely not:'"
"I'm a big Spider-Man fan, especially 'Spider-Man: The Animated Series.' Kraven is in that. He's also great in the books. I was like, 'Yo, can I have Kraven in the movie?' They were like, 'We don't think so, but let us check.' So, they hit Sony, and Sony was like, 'Absolutely not.' They came back to me like, 'Yo, we can't do it.' So, I was like, 'Okay.'"
While Coogler was at peace with the idea that they couldn't use Kraven the Hunter alongside T'Challa in Black Panther, many would argue that it was the right move because including Kraven would've been a major misfire, as his solo movie ended up as a massive box office flop.
In May 2025, Deadline reported that Kraven the Hunter suffered a net loss of $71 million for Sony Pictures, confirming that it is one of 2024's biggest comic book movie flops.
It was a good move not to replace Klaue in Black Panther, considering that many believed that he was an underrated MCU villain. Aside from Serkis' electric performance (which meant that he stole every scene he was in), Klaue was deemed the perfect secondary villain due to his reckless antics and oddly charming persona.
Some even pointed out that Klaue is one of the now-dead MCU characters they wish to see alive in the Multiverse Saga, mainly because he has untapped comic book potential. In the comics, Klaue transformed into a god-like being of pure sound, which would've made him an Avengers-level threat. Killing Klaue off in Black Panther meant that it was a missed opportunity to showcase his full potential down the line.
Why Klaue Was Still the Perfect Villain to Include in Black Panther
Black Panther would've looked so much different if Kraven the Hunter was included in the movie's plot instead of Ulysses Klaue. There is a strong chance that Killmonger would not have killed Kraven, and his presence could've laid the groundwork for his central role in the MCU and a perfect setup for one of Spider-Man's future villains.
Still, this would've impacted the overall film and shifted some of the attention to Kraven and his Spider-Man-related future. Klaue was still the perfect secondary villain in Black Panther, mainly due to his pure fun factor and his overarching history with Wakanda and their vibranium.
Some would also argue that Klaue's MCU exit was underwhelming, as it effectively halted his strong momentum, which had begun with his impactful debut in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Klaue would've been a fun recurring villain for the MCU, with every appearance showcasing an upgrade that would eventually lead to his god-like destiny from the pages of Marvel Comics.
Hopefully, the looming reset in Avengers: Secret Wars could give Klaue a chance to be reborn in the new universe.
