Every major role in any big name franchise undergoes a rigorous fan casting process on social media long before the project in question even begins its search in earnest, and there’s always plenty of joy to be found when the final result matches up to initial expectations, no matter how much of a coincidence it might turn out to be.
The latest blockbuster looking to give the internet what it wants is the Sony Pictures Universe of Marvel Characters’ Kraven the Hunter, with tipster Mikey Sutton claiming that Karl Urban was being eyed for the lead even before the recent wave of support that his theoretical casting gathered online.
Keanu Reeves was rumored to have been offered Kraven, but according to reports, it was old news, and the beloved star had actually turned it down months ago. Despite his enduring popularity, Reeves never felt like the right fit for the comic book big game hunter, either, who has always been a more physically imposing and intense presence than the John Wick star’s established screen persona.
However, Urban certainly possesses both the gruff charisma and manic energy to pull it off, not to mention the fact that he’s got vast swathes of experience dealing in both the superhero genre and effects-driven studio releases. Fans would no doubt be fully on board with the idea, too, and it’s about time the 48 year-old was given his chance to shine in a major title, having typically been reduced to supporting parts in his most high profile outings.
Urban proved he could effortlessly deliver a winning turn in a comic book film using only his chin in Dredd, and he’s got to be regarded as one of the standout candidates for Kraven the Hunter at the moment.