Ryan Coogler’s Unused Plan: Kraven the Hunter in Black Panther
Ryan Coogler nearly brought a legendary Spider-Man adversary into Black Panther, but Sony Pictures had other ideas. Discover which villain was almost part of the Marvel blockbuster.
Ryan Coogler has shared that his original vision for Black Panther included a rather unexpected antagonist. While the film is remembered for its compelling adversaries—Erik Killmonger, portrayed by Michael B. Jordan, and Ulysses Klaue, played by Andy Serkis—Coogler had considered introducing a third, rather notorious figure from the Marvel universe.
Kraven the Hunter, a character long associated with Spider-Man, was at one point set to make an appearance in the Wakandan epic. This would have marked a significant crossover, bringing a classic villain into the world of T’Challa. The idea, however, never made it past the planning stage.
Coogler’s ambition to feature Kraven was ultimately thwarted by Sony Pictures. The studio, which holds the rights to several Spider-Man characters, decided against allowing Kraven’s inclusion. Instead, Sony opted to reserve the character for a standalone project, keeping him firmly within their own cinematic plans.