Box Office: After the global debacle of Kraven The Hunter, Sony puts a halt on their Spider-Man less films

Following the disastrous box office performance of Kraven the Hunter, Sony seems to have canceled its upcoming Spider-Man-less films, signaling a major shift in their Spider-Man Universe strategy.

Written by Seema Sinha , Entertainment Journalist

Published on Jan 31, 2025 | 05:15 PM IST | 4.7K

Picture Courtesy: Sony Pictures Entertainment

Sony Pictures appears to have halted its plans for future Spider-Man films without the web-slinger, following the disastrous box office performance of Kraven the Hunter. The studio recently removed its untitled Marvel project, originally set for release on June 27, 2025, from its calendar—neither postponing it nor leaving it as to be confirmed, but completely scrapping it.

The decision comes after a series of misfires in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, with Morbius (2022), Madame Web (2024), and now Kraven failing to gain traction at the box office. While the Venom films have been an exception, Sony has struggled to establish standalone films centered on Spider-Man ancillary characters without the beloved superhero himself in them.

Kraven the Hunter, for the record, opened to a disastrous $11 million domestically and $26 million globally against a $110 million budget, minus marketing. Critics tore the film apart, leaving it with a bleak 15% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences also had better alternatives, with Moana 2, Wicked, and Gladiator II dominating the box office during its release.

The failure followed the embarrassing reception of Madame Web, which premiered in February 2024 to a shocking 13% critic score. Starring Dakota Johnson and Sydney Sweeney, it was widely panned, with some calling it the worst superhero film ever made.

Morbius, starring Jared Leto, for its part, drew criticism for its writing, visual effects, and disjointed post-credits scenes.

In the flood of flops, the studio's Venom offerings have held their own, thanks to Tom Hardy's charismatic turn as Eddie Brock/Venom. The movies' dark comedic tone and less complicated plot have also played a factor in drawing viewers to theaters each time, helping amplify the appeal of the Spider-Man universe, even without direct interaction with the superhero.

With Sony now pulling future SSU projects from its schedule, it remains unclear whether the studio is abandoning its Spider-Man spin-off universe altogether or reworking its approach. Either way, the era of Spider-Man-less films appears to be over—for now.