'Kraven the Hunter,' now streaming on Netflix after a disappointing theatrical release, has garnered attention for its controversial portrayal of the titular character's origins. The film's storyline features a white protagonist gaining animal powers from a voodoo potion, prompting discussions about racial stereotypes in modern media. The author critiques the film's disconnect from current comic book norms, where such racially insensitive themes are often sidelined. 'Kraven' exemplifies a broader trend in Sony's Spider-Man universe that prioritizes adapting lesser-known characters into complex antiheroes, raising concerns about creative choices and cultural sensitivity.
My issue here isn't about accuracy to the source material, to be sure. ... But most modern comics politely don't mention it, because, you know, the use of 'voodoo' as shorthand for 'jungle magic' is racist.
Sony's interconnected cinematic universe of Spider-Man-less Spider-Man movies ... were born of a mandate to bend secondary comics characters into new molds as self-serious heroes or antiheroes.
If you had to choose one of Spider-Man's out-and-out villains to hold down his own movie franchise, Kraven is about as adaptable a character as you can get.
Kraven was a huge box-office flop, scoring around $60 million worldwide on a $110 million production budget, but it's the kind of flop that sparks morbid curiosity.
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