Venom and Kraven the Hunter are teased as the main villains in Kraven and Venom in Marvel's Spider-Man 2 look to follow that tradition.
The 2018 title Marvel's Spider-Man reinterpreted many of the wall-crawling hero's most iconic villains. Introduced as Peter Parker's brilliant and kind employer Otto Octavius, the dastardly Doctor Octopus eventually reveals himself as the open-world adventure's main antagonist. However, the supernatural gang leader Mr. Negative and his Demons faction serve as the primary threat in the game's first two acts. Other notable rogues like Shocker, Vulture, and Rhino appear as memorable boss fights throughout the game.
While little is known about the version of Kraven in Marvel's Spider-Man 2, the game's first teaser trailer does confirm that he is hunting Venom alongside Peter Parker and Miles Morales. Kraven's quest in Marvel's Spider-Man 2 will likely lead to a three-way struggle between the villains and Spider-Men, with New York likely getting caught in the crossfire. Meanwhile, post-credits scenes in Insomniac's first two Marvel's Spider-Man games suggest that the Venom symbiote will be in the possession of Peter's childhood friend Harry Osborn.
Venom & Kraven Have Clashed In Spider-Man Comics
Even before Marvel's Spider-Man 2, Venom and Kraven the Hunter have faced off repeatedly in the pages of Marvel Comics. A 2011 storyline saw Agent Venom, a version of Venom worn by war veteran Flash Thompson, face off against Kraven the Hunter in the prehistoric Savage Land. Written by Rick Remender with art by Tony Moore, the storyline sees Kraven and Venom stalk each other through dinosaur-infested jungles. Kraven eventually gets the upper hand over Thompson, but their battle is eventually interrupted by an enormous bat.
The two Marvel's Spider-Man 2 villains met again in 2017 during a Venom run written by Mike Costa and illustrated by Mark Bagley. With Eddie Brock as Venom once again, the story sees the lethal protector encounter Kraven in New York's sewers. The legendary hunter successfully outsmarts Venom in their first fight, trapping him and wounding him with a high-caliber rifle. A rematch later in the storyline has Kraven recruit Shriek, a sonic-powered supervillain, to exploit the Venom symbiote's weakness to high sonic energy. However, the run ends with Venom defeating Kraven after entering a berserker state.
Based on past encounters between the two, it seems that Venom and Kraven the Hunter are well-matched in a fight. Venom may be a superpowered alien monster, but Kraven is an incredible strategist capable of laying traps and thinking ahead of the bloodthirsty symbiote. Marvel's Spider-Man 2 will see Kraven hunt Venom alongside Peter and Miles, with traps and trickery likely playing a big role in his quest. Some fans are hoping for a playable Venom in Marvel's Spider-Man 2, which could allow gamers to live out the supervillain brawl first-hand.