While he wasn’t necessarily gone per se, it does feel like Aaron Taylor-Johnson is back in a big way. Not only is he headlining the upcoming superhero film, “Kraven the Hunter,” but he has also landed roles in films such as “Bullet Train” and “Tenet,” as well as upcoming movies “Nosferatu” and “The Fall Guy.” But according to the actor, there was a time he didn’t think he’d be doing blockbuster films anymore.
Speaking to Esquire, while promoting the aforementioned Sony ‘Spider-Man’ spinoff film, “Kraven the Hunter,” Aaron Taylor-Johnson talked about his decision to step away from massive film projects after reaching the peak of the “Avengers” franchise, and ultimately, what drew him back to the world of spandex and superpowers.
“There was ‘Kick-Ass,’ and then there was ‘Godzilla’ and ‘Avengers,’ and all those things lined up for me,” said Taylor-Johnson. “But I didn’t really care for them.”
After those films, the actor said that he was circling roles “that nobody knows about—big, huge franchises that were in play.” However, by that time, he had young children and didn’t care about doing huge blockbusters anymore.
“I wanted, purely, to be with my babies,” he added. “I didn’t want to be taken away from them. I battled with what that would be like. I would say I was probably not ready to be in that position anyway—it was too early. But yeah, I also slightly didn’t give a fuck.”
Again, this is an interview from an actor who is now promoting yet another superhero film. So, why the change of heart? It appears Taylor-Johnson isn’t 100% sure what has changed now.
“I mean, quite honestly, I thought I’d actually been done with these sorts of movies,” he explained.
But now, years after “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” “Godzilla,” and two “Kick-Ass” films, Taylor-Johnson is in “Kraven the Hunter.” Oh yeah, and let’s not even mention those pesky James Bond rumors. Needless to say, the actor is ready to tackle big projects yet again.
“You can’t step into this role, you can’t step into what this franchise is, with a fucking half-assed, Let’s see how it goes attitude,” he said about ‘Kraven.’ “You have to be mentally prepared for what could come with that. I think I’m secure in my life now to know that I’m happy to deal with that. I don’t think I was probably ready to invite that into my life earlier on.”
“Kraven the Hunter” was originally scheduled for an October release, but the SAG strike threw that all into disarray. Now, the film isn’t supposed to arrive in theaters until August 30, 2024.
