"The press just crucified it," exec says in wide-ranging LA Times interview The post Outgoing Sony CEO Tony Vinciquerra Defends ‘Kraven the Hunter’ and ‘Madame Web’: ‘These Are Not Terrible Films’ appeared first on TheWrap.

The film was received poorly by audiences and critics, earning a record worst box office opening for a Sony superhero film at the time of its release.

"Madame Web" received a rough reception at the box office, and Sony Pictures Entertainment CEO Tony Vinciquerra is blaming critics.

The Sony Spider-Man Universe movie stars Kick Ass and Marvel Cinematic Universe actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the titular villain, a skilled hunter who sets his sights on Spider-M

The departing CEO of Sony Pictures, Tony Vinciquerra , actually thinks that Madame Web and Kraven The Hunter are good films, and it make me wonder why these people, who don’t know what good movies are,

Sony's slate of Spider-Man villain spinoffs has been a creative and commercial debacle. Barring the first two instalments of Venom, starring Tom Hardy, Sony has failed to introduce a product that justifies the existence of its universe in parallel with the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

When asked about the splashy failure of the Spider-Man-adjacent Kraven, which has yet to cross the $20 million mark in the U.S. in its first two weeks, Vinciquerra admits the long-delayed superhero movie was “probably the worst launch” Sony had during his tenure. But he stands up for the Aaron Taylor-Johnson vehicle, calling it “not a bad film.”

"For some reason, the press decided that they didn’t want us making these films out of 'Kraven' and 'Madame Web,' and the critics just destroyed them."

Kraven the Hunter bombing seemed like it could be the nail in the coffin for the Sony Spider-Man Universe (that doesn’t have Spider-Man). Madame Web opened the year with disappointing totals. Then Venom: The Last Dance also performed poorly relative to the previous Venom films.