Black Panther Director Reveals Major Marvel Villain MCU Was Banned From Using in First Film

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Today, Black Panther feels like it’s always been a huge part of our culture. But before the movie, and before Ryan Coogler and Chadwick Boseman brought the character to life, it wasn’t a guaranteed success. Hollywood often struggles to see potential in ideas that haven’t been proven yet. Surprisingly, Marvel actually heard the word ‘no’ when the first Black Panther movie was proposed, a long time ago.

Ryan Coogler, the director of both Black Panther films and the Eyes of Wakanda animated series, has been developing the character and his world for years, exploring many different story ideas. In a recent interview on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Coogler revealed that they once considered Kraven the Hunter – a villain known from Spider-Man – as the antagonist for the first Black Panther movie. However, this idea was ultimately scrapped because it would have drastically altered the film’s entire direction.

Ryan Coogler Reveals True Story of Kraven in Black Panther Movie

Regarding rumors about Kraven appearing in the first Black Panther film, director Ryan Coogler clarified that Michael B. Jordan was always intended to play Erik Killmonger. He explained that Killmonger, along with Ulysses Klaw, was established as a villain in the initial movie outline—even before Coogler joined the project. This outline, based on Christopher Priest’s Black Panther comics, did allow for some flexibility in the story.

The filmmakers were considering Klaw and Kilmonger as villains, but weren’t completely decided. They felt Klaw was a good fit, and Coogler was excited about the possibility of working with Andy Serkis, who would play him. Ultimately, they decided to base the story on Christopher Priest’s ‘Panther’ comic series, which begins with a fight between Panther, Kraven the Hunter, and Ross in a kitchen. That kitchen fight was the starting point for the film’s conflict.

Ryan Coogler, a longtime Spider-Man fan—especially of Spider-Man: The Animated Series—had always been interested in Kraven as a villain, which led him to inquire about the possibility of using the character.

I asked if we could include Kraven in the movie, but the studio wasn’t sure. They checked with Sony, who immediately said no. They told me it wasn’t going to happen, and I accepted that. It took about two weeks of discussion, but honestly, I’m glad it didn’t work out. Kraven would have taken the role that ultimately went to Klaw, and I wouldn’t have had the chance to collaborate with Andy. It was never really going to happen anyway.

Marvel fans generally agree it was a good decision not to include Kraven in Black Panther. The character Klaw served an important purpose in connecting the film to the wider Marvel Cinematic Universe, especially considering his introduction in Avengers: Age of Ultron. He also played a key role in setting up Killmonger’s story by being killed, allowing Killmonger to infiltrate Wakanda and claim his place. Using Kraven in that way feels unlikely, and it would have removed a potential villain the MCU hasn’t yet explored. Kraven did, however, recently star in his own film from Sony Pictures, a 2024 movie with Aaron Taylor-Johnson, which currently marks the character’s only on-screen appearance.

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2025-12-29 19:12