Will Rhino make an appearance in Kraven the Hunter movie? New trailer teases possible villain

The new trailer for Kraven the Hunter premiered today online and showcased more of what fans can expect from the film. Starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the titular character, the film will chronicle the origins of the iconic Marvel character and Spider-Man antagonist.

Joining Johnson's Kraven the Hunter in the film are Ariana DeBose as Calypso, Fred Hechinger as Dmitri Smerdyakov / Chameleon, Russell Crowe as Nikolai Kravinoff, and, surprisingly, another Spider-Man villain Aleksei Sytsevich, who is played by Alessandro Nivola.

For those who don't know, Aleksei Sytsevich in the Marvel comics is better known as Rhino, and if the new Kraven the Hunter trailer is anything to go by, then it looks like he will be the primary antagonist of the upcoming film. Rhino can be seen at the end of the trailer fighting Kraven in what looks like a jungle.

While Rhino has appeared prior in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, it looks like Kraven the Hunter's version of the character will be visually more accurate to the comics.

---

Rhino's comic book origins explored

Rhino was originally created by Stan Lee and John Romita Sr., and first appeared in Amazing Spider-Man #41 in July 1996. Going by the name Aleksei Sytsevich, he used to operate as a thug for the Russian Mafia before he became the animalistic villain. Having dreams of being rich and living a lavish life, Sytsevich would give into a dangerous treatment that would turn him into a powerful agent.

However, the experiment would go wrong as Aleksei's armor permanently bonded to him. He was given the model of a rhinoceros as scientists Igor and Georgie believed that it would give off a great visual, and help him stand out as well. Aleksei was also chosen because he had low intelligence, but also a muscular build that made him a perfect subject.

Taking on the codename Rhino, his first mission would be to kidnap the son of J. Jonah Jameson, the publisher of Daily Bugle. However, he would betray those who gave him his armor and rather try to do the mission alone and claim its riches. This put him on a direct path with Spider-Man who stopped his plans, and thus the rivalry between the two began.

---

Kraven the Hunter's version of Rhino may be portrayed differently

If you're going into Kraven the Hunter expecting a comic-accurate Rhino, then you might just lower your expectations there. If the trailer is anything to go by, then it certainly looks like this version of Rhino might be visually accurate, but may not have the story from the comics.

In the trailer, Aleksei can be seen taking a serum that turns him into the destructive monster. From a story standpoint, it certainly looks like this take on the character will be different from how the villain is portrayed in the comics.

---

What is Kraven the Hunter about?

The film is a part of Sony's Spider-Man Universe of Marvel characters and is directed by J.C. Chandor. The official synopsis according to Sony Pictures Entertainment reads as:

"Aaron Taylor-Johnson plays Kraven, a man whose complex relationship with his ruthless father, Nikolai Kravinoff (Russell Crowe), starts him down a path of vengeance with brutal consequences, motivating him to become not only the greatest hunter in the world, but also one of its most feared."

---

You can check out the film when it is released in theaters on December 13, 2024.