‘Moana 2’ Dominates the Box Office as ‘Kraven the Hunter’ Stumbles

The latest Spider-Man spinoff, “Kraven the Hunter,” debuted to disappointing box office numbers, earning just $11 million in its opening weekend. This places it among the lowest openings for Marvel-related films.

Starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson, the film struggled to attract audiences, underperforming even compared to “Madame Web.” In contrast, Warner Bros.’ animated film “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim” grossed $4.6 million, although it was produced with a budget of about $30 million.

“Kraven the Hunter’s” release follows a troubling trend for Sony as it attempts to develop spin-offs within the Spider-Man universe. This film joins the ranks of “Madame Web” and “Morbius,” which similarly failed to resonate with viewers and critics alike.

In more successful news, Disney’s “Moana 2” continued to dominate, taking in $26.6 million domestically, and adding a robust $57.2 million internationally for a total of $717 million globally, making it the fourth highest-grossing film of the year. Meanwhile, “Wicked” secured its place with $22.5 million in its fourth weekend, pushing its domestic earnings past $359 million.

“Gladiator II” also made headway, collecting $7.8 million to bring its four-week domestic total to $145.9 million. Despite these wins, “Kraven the Hunter” marks a significant setback for Sony, reflecting the challenges of launching a successful franchise without the main Spider-Man character.

The R-rated “Kraven,” directed by J.C. Chandor, faced multiple delays, partly due to industry strikes, and was initially set for release in January 2023. With a production budget of $110 million and co-financed by TSG, it’s currently showing concerning signs of limited longevity, holding a mere 15% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a C grade on CinemaScore.

Industry analyst Paul Dergarabedian noted that connecting with audiences through spinoff characters can be unpredictable. “General audiences seem to want to know exactly what they’re getting,” he commented on the industry’s recent struggles.

A number of awards contenders also premiered in limited release this weekend, including Paramount’s “September 5” and “Nickel Boys” from Amazon MGM and Orion, which is based on Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel.

As the year progresses, major releases such as “Mufasa” and “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” are anticipated, alongside varied arthouse films like “Babygirl” and “Nosferatu.” The overall box office has shown signs of recovery since June, with the current deficit down to 4.8% compared to the same time last year.