SPOILER: Absurdly long post ahead, considering the topic. . .
I'm up for any good story told through the medium of film. Though it was enough for many years just to be a comic movie (I bought the damn Affleck Daredevil DVD when it was released. . .), the novelty isn't enough to keep my attention anymore if it isn't good. Sony is frustrating because they are responsible for the Spiderverse movies, which I think are some of the best comic book movies to ever be made. I re-watched the first one a couple of days ago and it was even better than I remembered. But their live action output is complete garbage. It's like they are following WB's DC template from 15 years ago. Release a Nolan Batman movie, then Catwoman, or Jonah Hex.
I just looked up the creative team here. Director made A Most Violent Year, which I thought was OK at the time, but very forgettable. I only remember a single scene involving the guy's wife and a deer. . .other movies I never heard about, but his Rotten Tomatoes record is pretty impressive, with all movies scoring at least a 70%. So good on Sony for that.
Writing team includes three people, two of whom are apparently best known for the first Iron Man and Punisher War Zone. I liked both of those, but that was a long time ago. Other than that they were involved in some pretty bad movies, including a Transformers sequel, the 2019 Men In Black movie, and a rewrite for Morbius (though they don't get credit). Third writer was responsible for a bunch of junk. I'm not optimistic about this. Marvel Studios took some random TV directors in the Russo Bros. and that paid off in spades. Maybe that's the strategy here, but. . .when you are investing countless millions into a movie like this, why not invest in someone with a quality track record? I'm sure there are countless solid writers out there who could make a compelling story.
Cast seems OK, though I haven't heard of most of these people. Taylor-Johnson is solid if lacking the kind of charisma you would want in a lead actor, but I suspect the core cast could make a decently written and directed movie work.
Cinematographer is very accomplished not only with superhero movies but acclaimed, smaller movies including the beautifully made Banshees of Inisherin. Apart from someone like Roger Deakins you couldn't ask for more on this front.
So on balance, that team seems like it could be responsible for a decent movie, though nothing else matters if the story sucks, and that seems to be the weakest point out the gate.
The formula doesn't seem too complicated. Hire quality professionals with good judgment. Lay out some rough parameters to guide the "universe" along (e.g., you can use these guys, can't use those, must use these, next step in the larger storyline is X so do something to build to that, etc.). Keep the clueless execs at arms' length. Don't cheap out with cheesy special effects. And hope for the best.
Won't always work, but hiring people with a questionable track record, predictably needing rewrites and reshoots to try to salvage something may only work in random and unpredictable cases like Venom--a bad movie that for whatever reason appeals to a large audience--doesn't seem like a strategy for success to me. Maybe paint a Spider symbol on Kraven's chest and people will see it?
In the comics, his story certainly was. In fact, one of the most well done dramatic series in comics through the '80s, in the Kraven's Last Hunt storyline that was referenced earlier. Quite a shocking story at the time, with art by Mike Zeck, which in itself is reason to seek it out. As I think of it, the Death of Jean DeWolff story also came out around that same timeframe. Spidey was dark before it was cool!
Aaron-Taylor Johnson (Quicksilver, Kraven)
Also Kick ***. Plus Russel Crowe was Zeus in the horrible Thor 4. Not a lot of imagination with these studios, I guess.