Kraven the Hunter has finally hit theaters, and the Marvel Universe movie has finally introduced an exciting version of the Rhino, and now I'm worried that might be all we get. The end of Kraven establishes a future for some of the characters, although it is not yet known whether they will ever be continued. Sony recently confirmed that it has no plans for any more Spider-Man spin-off filmssuggesting that Kraven the Hunter It will actually be the last time we see these characters, including Rhino.
With the death of the $2 billion franchise, Sony is moving on to other things. They clearly have plans for other projects, including their MCU Spider-Man 4 and the film starring Nicolas Cage Spider-Man Noir series on Prime Video. However, the abandonment of his established universe in recent years has left a number of questions, including about Knull's future. Following this line of thinking, I can't help but be disappointed that this will be the last time any of us will see this new version of Rhino.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 had a terrible Rhino adaptation
Paul Giamatti played the villain in Sony's expanding universe
Rhino has already made a live-action appearance, with Paul Giamatti playing Rhino as an obsessed madman in a giant metal suit. While the design of the mech that Giamatti drives is certainly an unusual choice, and while the actor's wacky performance doesn't line up with most comic book lore, it promises to be an interesting and unique iteration. I was excited to see what the film planned to do with Rhino after seeing him teased in the trailer, and was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.
Instead, the film did virtually nothing with Rhino. Until the scenes shown in the trailer, of Spider-Man and the Rhino fighting, were almost his entire appearance in the film. Worse still, the monotonous fight between the two characters was actually the final moment of the film, revealing as I watched that the film's ending had been shown in its advance marketing. With a series of strange and wrong choices, Giamatti's Rhino became perhaps the worst villain introduced in both films. Amazing Spider-Man film.
The villain actually looks like his comic book counterpart
With KravenDespite the negative reviews, it's clear that much of the film didn't work for many critics and audiences. With that said, a lot of what the film did with Alessandro Nivola's Rhino was really effective. The transformation from human to rhino is at least visually an exciting and intense take on the character's lore, and the film actually used some practical effects to make its design come to fruition. While the explanation behind his powers wasn't the strongest, the actual visuals were sometimes quite effective.
Most importantly, Aleksei Sytsevich actually becomes a Rhino in the film, in a transformation that actually feels true to comic book lore. Seeing the combat between him and Kraven in the following scenes was effective and the character's contribution to the story was satisfactory. A lot of that came from the design itself, which felt faithful while taking some unique spins. This led to an adaptation of the comic book villain that felt true to the spirit, and I thought it was quite satisfying. Unfortunately, this film wasn't the right fit for Rhino.
I'm disappointed the best rhino adaptation was wasted on Kraven the Hunter
Kraven the Hunter was a disappointment to most viewers
I would argue that Kraven the Hunter is another weak entry into the Sony universe. There's a lot to enjoy in the film, including fun realizations of familiar comic book characters and great Kraven easter eggs, but overall the film didn't entirely live up to its promise. With that in mind, Rhino didn't get enough screen time in the film and was even killed off before the end. As a result, it seems unlikely that even if a Kraven If the sequel were to happen, Rhino would have another chance to reappear in the universe.
This all seems like a disappointing waste. JC Chandor has made some excellent films, and I would say some of the Sony Universe pieces established in films like Morbius in fact, it has some vitality that could be better explored. I want to see Morbius and his involvement with characters like Chameleon and Rhino, and it's a huge disappointment that this movie is all we get. This live-action version of Rhino may have been the best yet, but that's a low bar; not enough has been done with the iconic character.
Will a Marvel movie get Rhino right?
The villain could be an important enemy of Spider-Man
Rhino is a strange and somewhat silly villain. The character debuted in 1966 as a Russian bandit who underwent an experimental procedure that gave him new skin and incredible strength. Stupidly, the brute used these powers for destruction, facing off against Spider-Man repeatedly over the years. With powers and intelligence that are not uncommon in the Marvel Universe, only his Rhino appearance sets the character apart as something special or unique. That said, other characters have received creative reinventions in the films, and Rhino should too.
Figures like Lizard were adapted faithfully and worked to tell complex character stories. Others, like Vulture, have been tweaked and changed significantly to be more effective in their films. I believe someone like Rhino could be effectively reinvented for something like an MCU appearance, and that it could be incredibly satisfying. After all, there are still good books and stories to draw inspiration from, including “Flowers for Rhino.” Rhino could turn into something even more satisfying than it has been so far.
I hope we get to see more of Rhino in the future, though I must admit that it seems unlikely that this version will return again. ONE Kraven the sequel probably won't happen, and even if it did, this version of the villain died. However, comic book lore about Rhino still persists, and there's reason to hope he could be included in other future Marvel projects. Whatever happens after Kraven the HunterI sincerely hope this isn't the last time we see these Spider-Man characters again.
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- Release date
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February 14, 2025
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Rays*
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- Release date
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July 25, 2025
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- Release date
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July 24, 2026