Kraven the Hunter, Karate Kid Release Dates Delayed

Kraven the Hunter is seeking new hunting ground on the theatrical calendar, taking a date just vacated by The Karate Kid.

Sony has moved Kraven the Hunter to the prime winter spot of Dec. 13, 2024 (back from Aug. 30, 2024). The feature, based on the Marvel villain, stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson.

Kraven steps into a date that until today was occupied by fellow Sony pic The Karate Kid, a crossover event movie starring Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan. Karate Kid now moves to May 30, 2025.

The move comes after the sixth and final season of Cobra Kai, the Netflix spinoff starring Machio as his original Karate Kid movie character Daniel Larusso, was delayed due to last year’s actors strike. Sony pushed the new Karate Kid to allow it to follow Cobra Kai‘s final season, with the summer date also seen as friendly for the all-ages audience its intended for.

With an open holiday season 2024 date then available, Sony opted to move Kraven into Karate Kid‘s old spot. Kraven has been delayed multiple times, initially set for October of 2023, but was delayed by the actor’s strike. It also stars Ariana DeBose, Christopher Abbott, Fred Hechinger, Levi Miller and Murat Seven and Russell Crowe and is directed by J.C. Chandor.

Karate Kid centers on a young man (Ben Wang), a teen from China who moves to the East Coast and finds guidance from a tough but wise mentor (or possibly, two). It combines Machio’s character, as well as Jackie Chan’s mentor from a 2010 feature starring Jaden Smith. Jonathan Entwistle directs the feature. Joshua Jackson, Sadie Stanley, Ming-Na Wen, Aramis Knight and Wyatt Oleff also star.

The studio also put two features on the calendar. The Blumhouse horror feature They Listen, from writer-director Chris Weitz, will open Aug. 30, 2024. The cast includes John Cho, Katherine Waterston, Havana Rose Liu, Lukita Maxwell, with David Dastmalchian and Keith Carradine.

And Sony and Legendary’s live-action, animation hybrid Animal Friends will bow Aug. 15, 2025. Ryan Reynolds, Jason Momoa, Aubrey Plaza, Daniel Levy, Lil Rel Howery, Addison Rae and Ellie Bambe star in the feature, from duo Kevin Burrows and Matt Mider.

More to come.