Highlights
- Insomniac Games has a track record of telling original stories in the Spider-Man series, making adaptations of comic storylines like Kraven's Last Hunt unlikely.
- While Kraven's Last Hunt is iconic, there are several reasons why it probably won't be adapted in Marvel's Spider-Man 2, including the comic story's dark and sensitive themes.
- Adapting Kraven's Last Hunt would not make much sense within Insomniac's universe, as it relies on Kraven having a chip on his shoulder from losing to Spider-Man. Additionally, Kraven's suicide would be hard to depict in a game with a T rating.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is shaping up to tell another original story, something Insomniac Games has been doing regularly throughout the series thus far. The developer has kept all the most important aspects of the characters from the comics intact, but it has also put unique spins on them, like Prowler becoming a proper ally for Miles and Mary Jane Watson being a journalist. Alongside some smart alterations to its cast, Insomniac has told fully new tales as opposed to borrowing its plots directly from the comics. This is just one reason that Kraven’s Last Hunt will likely not be adapted in the sequel.
Kraven will be serving as a major antagonist in the upcoming game alongside the fan favorite villain Venom, and whenever Kraven appears, a mention of Kraven’s Last Hunt is often close behind. One of the most iconic Spider-Man stories of all time, Kraven’s Last Hunt takes The Hunter and his prey to a very dark place. While Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is confirmed to tell a darker story, there are a few reasons it will likely avoid Kraven’s Last Hunt that go beyond Insomniac’s focus on originality.
Why Kraven’s Last Hunt Does Not Work For Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
One reason that Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 fans may be expecting Kraven’s Last Hunt to be retold within the game is the fact that the black suit and Kraven are both going to be a major focus. However, one misconception about Kraven’s Last Hunt is that it is a Symbiote story. In the comics, after Peter ditched the alien parasite, he still used the black costume for a time due to its immense popularity. This was the case for Kraven’s Last Hunt, as though he wore the black suit, there was no Symbiote corrupting Peter and impacting his actions. As such, the Symbiote and Kraven being in the same game does not guarantee that this story is on the way.
Another important thing to keep in mind about Kraven’s Last Hunt is that it serves as a payoff for years of failure on Kraven’s part. By the time the tale begins, Kraven The Hunter has completely snapped, with his mental state rapidly deteriorating due to a deadly disease. At the end of the story, Kraven shoots himself, satisfied with his “victory” over Spider-Man and not wanting to die slowly. Considering that Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 will seemingly be Kraven’s first Spidey-related hunt, it would be odd for it to be his last. It is hard to imagine Kraven being so desperate and unhinged without having lost to the wall-crawler at least once, so Kraven’s Last Hunt may be worth saving for Marvel’s Spider-Man 3 instead.
Another thing to consider is that a good story does not always translate well to another medium, and this particular arc could be a good example of that. For a large portion of Kraven’s Last Hunt, Peter is buried in a grave, with Kraven shooting him and leaving him for dead. After this moment, readers saw Kraven pretending to be Spider-Man, as he wanted to prove that he was superior to the wall-crawler. Unless Insomniac Games were to make Kraven playable, th story would not translate well to a game, as there would be very little gameplay involved.
In general, Kraven’s Last Hunt does not make much sense within Insomniac’s universe. After “killing” Peter, it would make sense for Kraven to hunt the other active Spider-Man, Miles Morales, as opposed to donning Peter's suit and out-heroing him. Alternatively, Miles would likely hunt for Kraven himself if Peter were to be taken down. Insomniac's version of Mary Jane would not sit around worrying about where Peter has gone like her comic book counterpart did, either. A large portion of the original comic storyline simply would not work within the framework Insomniac has established.
Lastly, the concept of suicide is a sensitive subject, and one that is hard to touch on in a game that is rated T for Teen. With all this in mind, this beloved Spider-Man comic is unlikely to influence Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 all that much. While Insomniac may find a way to pay homage to the legendary artwork showing Peter as he crawls out of a grave, anything beyond that seems unlikely. This does not have to be a negative, though, as it means Insomniac will have a chance to tell an entirely new Kraven tale. While Kraven’s Last Hunt sets a very high bar, perhaps Insomniac can deliver a different story about The Hunter that is just as memorable.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is scheduled to release on October 20 exclusively for PS5.
