Following the insane success of 2016's Venom, Sony is focused on building its own cinematic universe featuring other Spider-Man-related characters. Tom Hardy and Woody Harrelson will star in this September's Venom: Let There Be Carnage, while Jared Leto and Matt Smith are set to lead January's vampire epic Morbius.
The studio is currently developing an expansive slate of films that are outside the MCU and yet are still expected to feature Tom Holland's Spider-Man down the line. Alongside the two films in post-production, Sony is pushing forward with the Aaron Taylor-Johnson-led Kraven the Hunter for a January 2023 release.
Additionally, solo installments are in the early stages of development for Nightwatch, Madame Web, Jackpot, and the Sinister Six.
Previously Kraven was rumored to feature in a villainous part in Spider-Man: No Way Home, however, the casting of Avengers: Age of Ultron's Quicksilver actor in the role appears to have ruled that out. Ever since the film was announced last month, many have raised questions as to how a Kraven film can work without the wall-crawler. Now a new rumor appears to have revealed that Sony will instead be using another Spider-Man baddie as the antagonist.
CHAMELEON RUMORED FOR KRAVEN THE HUNTER
According to an exclusive report from The Illuminerdi, Aaron Taylor-Johnson's Kraven the Hunter will face off against Spider-Man villain Chameleon in his upcoming solo film.
Sony is said to be searching for an actor in his thirties for the role which is believed to be significant, however, it remains unclear if he will be the only antagonist.
WHO IS CHAMELEON?
The Russian-born Dmitri Smerdyakov, better known as Chameleon, was the first-ever Spider-Man villain, having appeared in the hero's debut comic issue. Chameleon's abilities, which usually stem from technology, allow him to change his appearance at will, frequently taking the form of others in his villainous schemes.
Interestingly, Chameleon is the half-brother of Kraven within Marvel Comics, potentially setting the stage for an exciting family dynamic in the 2023 film.
Whether Chameleon will be the only villain in Kraven the Hunter remains unclear, however, this rumor suggests he will have a key role within the film. Why exactly Kraven could be hunting his shape-shifting half-brother is a very difficult question that probably won't be answered for some time.
Sony's Spider-Man universe has included some big names so far including Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Tom Hardy, and Jared Leto. Reports have already revealed that prior to Taylor-Johnson's casting, Sony had circled names from Brad Pitt to Keanu Reeves for the role, so fans should expect another A-lister to take on the role of Chameleon.
Kraven the Hunter hits theaters on January 13, 2023.
