Sony’s first R-rated comic book movie Kraven the Hunter is crashing and burning in its domestic box office debut after topping Friday’s chart with $4.7 million, coming in behind even sister pic Madame Web.
At this rate, the movie is expected to open in third place with $10 million to $12 million, one of the worst openings for a pic based on a Marvel comic book character, alongside Elektra way back in the day with $12.4 million, not adjusted for inflation.
Friday’s haul included $2.2 million in previews.
Reviewers are ravaging the film, while audiences slapped it with a C CinemaScore.
Kraven, starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the titular antihero, wasn’t cheap, costing $110 million to make instead of an intended $90 million because of pandemic and strike-related delays. Its release date was also pushed several times. Russell Crowe, Ariana DeBose, Fred Hechinger and Alessandro Nivola co-star in J.C. Chandor’s action-thriller about the vigilante son of a Russian gangster who has incredible strength.
Kraven is more bad news for Sony following Madame Web as it tries to mine the hundreds of Spider-Man-related characters it has the rights to. Sony insiders have marketed the film as an R-rated action pic akin to such titles as John Wick, versus a comic book movie.
The weekend’s other new major studio release, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, is looking at a fifth or sixth place with around $5 million. The Warner Bros. and New Line animated feature takes place far before the events of Lord of the Rings. The movie earned a B CinemaScore.
Elsewhere, Moana 2 and Wicked continue to save the day and top the domestic chart. Gladiator II is also helping, with the weekend revenue up 19 percent over the same frame last year. The Moana sequel is looking to add another $27 million to its treasure chest, followed by Wicked with an estimated $22.2 million.
