Kraven the Hunter has been delayed several times already, but the release was pushed back yet again last month. The film is now set to hit theaters on December 13th. While speaking with Collider, Kraven the Hunter producer Matt Tolmach explained the reason behind the delay, saying it’s a sign of how highly Sony Pictures thinks of the film.

“Kraven moved to Christmas because we’re excited about it and Christmas is the best release period there is, when you get people with time to go back to the movies over and over again,” Tolmach said. “That was a real reflection of how the studio felt about the movie. We’re really excited. But that’s a great move that reflects just the feeling about the movie.“

While I don’t know if Kraven the Hunter is really going to be a movie people will see “over and over again,” Sony must hope that some distance from the bomb that was Madame Web will be beneficial. The Spider-Man spinoff does have a lot to prove, but with an R-rated edge, it could just turn the tide.

Some fans have brought up another possible reason for the studio to want to push back the release of Kraven the Hunter: James Bond. Aaron Taylor-Johnson has long been rumoured to be a top contender for the role of the secret agent. Past 007 actors such as George Lazenby and Pierce Brosnan have given Taylor-Johnson their approval. “I think the man has the chops, the talent, and the charisma to play Bond, very much so,” Brosnan said.

Director J.C. Chandor has previously described the movie as a tragedy. “Sony probably doesn’t want me to lead with this. but the story is a tragedy,” Chandor said last summer. “When the final credits roll on this film, if you’ve been paying attention, you won’t have the feeling that this is all going to end great.” In addition to Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the title character, the film also stars Ariana DeBose, Fred Hechinger, Christopher Abbot, Alessandro Nivola, and Russell Crowe.

The next film to be released in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe will be Venom: The Last Dance, the third and supposedly final installment of the franchise. The film will hit theaters on October 25th.

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