Sony is finally throwing in the towel! The studios’ universe of Spider-Man villains is reportedly set to come to an end with the release of Kraven the Hunter.

One of the biggest critiques of modern superhero films is that they’re only made to fulfill a corporate mandate. While the truth of these claims can be argued for every project, perhaps no franchise has been more emblematic of this criticism than Sony’s Spider-Man villain universe. Aside from the surprisingly successful Venom, every other project has been met with groans upon its announcement and critical failure upon its release.

Luckily for fans (and, frankly, Sony’s wallet), this era seems to be finally coming to a close. A new report from The Wrap reveals that Kraven The Hunter is set to be their final film in the interconnected villain universe. While the studio still intends to push the Spider-Man IP as a tentpole blockbuster, any further spin-offs from the franchise appear to be dead in the water.

“They’ve developed what they want to develop for now,” A talent agent told the outlet. “It’s really about the next ‘Spider-Man’ film.”

The Future Of Spider-Man Villains At Sony

For years, most thought that Sony was blind to why their villain films weren’t being received well, with each project seeming to learn nothing from the failures of the last. However, leading into Kraven the Hunter, it seems they’ve been more aware than fans thought, with them being aware that the biggest issue with their Spider-Man spin-offs is the quality escape.

“The biggest issue with the Sony Spider-Man spinoffs seems to be the lack of quality control,” Another inside told The Wrap. “The movies just aren’t good. Sometimes that lack of quality meets a movie no one asked for, which was the case with Madame Web, and that is a no-win scenario. It may be time for Sony to start cultivating different IP to launch new franchises.”

Sony Pictures themselves haven’t put out a statement about this report. It’s entirely possible that the studio is waiting to see how Kraven the Hunter performs at the box office before officially pulling the plug on their villain universe. Though given how poorly past Spider-Man spin-offs have performed, it’s not likely the franchise will see a comeback this late into the game.

Kraven the Hunter is currently scheduled to hit theaters on December 13, 2024. Stay tuned for all the latest news regarding the Aaron Taylor-Johnson movie and be sure to subscribe to Heroic Hollywood’s YouTube channel for more content!