Oscar winner Russell Crowe has entered the Spiderverse.
The “Gladiator” star has joined the cast of “Kraven the Hunter” in an unspecified role. Aaron Taylor-Johnson is starring in the title role as one of Spider-Man’s most deadly antagonists.
J.C. Chandor, who previously oversaw “All Is Lost” and “Triple Frontier,” is directing. Crowe is best known for his immersive roles in the likes of “The Insider” and “Master and Commander,” most of them pitched toward older audiences, but he’s no stranger to the world of superheroes and spandex. He previously played Jor-El, father to Superman, in Zack Snyder’s “Man of Steel.” He’s also due to enter the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Taika Waititi’s “Thor: Love and Thunder.”
For maximum confusion, “Kraven the Hunter” is not part of the official MCU, although he appears in Marvel comics. He is one of the characters who falls under Sony Pictures’ Spider-Man licensing deal. But all things Spidey have never been hotter since “Spider-Man: No Way Home” became a box office megalodon, destroying everything in its path. Sony is also making a movie based on Morbius, a vampire who has battled Spider-Man, and has successfully launched a franchise around another wall-crawler adversary, Venom.
Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach are producing, with the screenplay written by Art Marcum, Matt Holloway and Richard Wenk.
Crowe is currently directing and starring in “Poker Face” with Liam Hemsworth and RZA. He will next be seen in Peter Farrelly’s “The Greatest Beer Run Ever” for Apple TV Plus. His recent credits include “Unhinged” and “True History of the Kelly Gang.” “Kraven the Hunter” will be released theatrically on Jan. 13, 2023.
Crowe is repped by Brillstein Entertainment Partners. The Hollywood Reporter broke the news of Crowe’s involvement.
