Kraven the Hunter is seeking new hunting grounds, with the Aaron Taylor-Johnson starrer taking a release date just vacated by The Karate Kid.
On Friday evening, Sony moved the villain-centric Kraven the Hunter to the prime winter spot of Dec. 13, 2024 (back from Aug. 30, 2024). Kraven steps into a date that was occupied by fellow Sony pic The Karate Kid, a crossover event movie starring Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan. Karate Kid now moves to May 30, 2025.
The move comes after the sixth and final season of Cobra Kai, the Netflix spinoff starring Machio as his original Karate Kid movie character Daniel Larusso, was delayed due to last year’s actors strike. Sony pushed the new Karate Kid to allow it to follow Cobra Kai‘s final season, with the summer date also seen as friendly for the all-ages audience its intended for. With an open holiday season 2024 date available, Sony opted to move Kraven into Karate Kid‘s old spot.
Kraven has been delayed multiple times, initially set for October of 2023, but it was pushed by the actor’s strike as the studio did not want to release it without actors being able to promote the film. In addition to Taylor-Johnson, Kraven stars Ariana DeBose, Alessandro Nivola, Christopher Abbott, Fred Hechinger, Levi Miller, Murat Seven and Russell Crowe and is directed by J.C. Chandor. The film is based on the Marvel antagonist to Spider-Man and has a story by Richard Wenk and screenplay by Wenk and Art Marcum & Matt Holloway.
Its new Dec. 13 date has some competition already, with Warner Bros.’ and New Line’s animated The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim also opening that day.
Karate Kid meanwhile, centers on a teen from China (Ben Wang), who moves to the East Coast and finds guidance from a tough but wise mentor (or possibly, two). It unites Machio’s character, as well as Jackie Chan’s mentor character from a 2010 feature starring Jaden Smith. Jonathan Entwistle directs the new installment, with Joshua Jackson, Sadie Stanley, Ming-Na Wen, Aramis Knight and Wyatt Oleff also on the call sheet. Rob Lieber penned the script.
In addition to these moves, the studio also put two features on the calendar Friday. The Blumhouse horror feature They Listen, from writer-director Chris Weitz, will open Aug. 30, 2024. The cast includes John Cho, Katherine Waterston, Havana Rose Liu, Lukita Maxwell, with David Dastmalchian and Keith Carradine.
And Sony and Legendary’s live-action, animation hybrid Animal Friends will bow Aug. 15, 2025. Ryan Reynolds, Jason Momoa, Aubrey Plaza, Daniel Levy, Lil Rel Howery, Addison Rae and Ellie Bamber star in the R-rated feature, directed by Peter Atencio and from writing duo Kevin Burrows and Matt Mider.