How Bullet Train Helped Aaron Taylor-Johnson Land A Major Marvel Role

Aaron Taylor-Johson couldn't have landed his "Kraven the Hunter" gig without his "Bullet Train" performance.

When it comes to Hollywood's most talented actors, it's difficult to deny the charisma and charm that Aaron Taylor-Johnson exudes. Born in England, Taylor-Johnson has been a fixture of American cinema since the 2010s, lending his talents to various projects over the years. He received considerable acclaim for his stint as the titular superhero in "Kick-Ass," his first of many IP-based projects. Following his debut flick as the wannabee vigilante Kick-Ass, Taylor-Johnson immediately found himself brushing shoulders with some of the industry's most prolific filmmakers, including Oliver Stone, whom he worked with on 2012's "Savages."

In 2015, Taylor-Johnson stepped into the shoes of Quicksilver for the Marvel Cinematic Universe's "Avengers: Age of Ultron." Many believed that Taylor-Johnson would have a prolonged life in the MCU, but, unfortunately, the Joss Whedon-directed film killed him off. While speaking with CinemaBlend in 2015, the actor expressed interest in returning to the Marvel franchise, saying, "I mean, I thoroughly enjoyed working on [this movie], and would love to do, I would love to [be] doing more movies with the guys at Marvel." That, of course, didn't happen, as the MCU doesn't seem interested in bringing Quicksilver back. 

No matter, as the actor has already nabbed another major Marvel role thanks to Sony Pictures. Taylor-Johnson is on track to play Kraven the Hunter in Sony's corner of the "Spider-Man" universe. According to Deadline, Taylor-Johnson's performance in "Bullet Train" compelled Sony executives to hand the Kraven role over to the English actor. They were particularly impressed with how he managed to hold his own against Brad Pitt in several scenes. Once they saw his performance, Sony knew that they had to get the "Bullet Train" actor on board for their next superhero flick. 

It's not surprising that Aaron Taylor-Johnson's performance in "Bullet Train" got him his own solo Marvel film. After all, Taylor-Johnson is just one of the many standouts in the David Leitch-directed "Bullet Train." The film focuses on Ladybug (Brad Pitt), an American assassin on a Japanese bullet train, whose plans are thwarted after he comes across a nefarious medley of characters. One such devious individual is Tangerine, played by Taylor-Johnson. Suave and measured, Tangerine is the brother to Lemon (Brian Tyree Henry), another assassin aboard the bullet train.

Taylor-Johnson definitely steals the show in "Bullet Train," with many critics, like Looper's Alistair Ryder, singling out his chemistry with Henry. "... The pair have an infectious comedic chemistry that feels lived-in, helping them land jokes that would likely feel tiresome in the hands of any other performers," Ryder wrote in a review for the Leitch-directed flick. While Taylor-Johnson and Henry's chemistry is charming, it's the Marvel actor's scenes alongside Pitt that make him a memorable standout in the crowded, ensemble picture.

One of the best scenes in the film is when Tangerine goes up against Ladybug in a hilarious, soft-paced fight. While speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, the actor gushed about working with Pitt in the scene, where the two are interrupted by a concession worker. "So Brad and I would just go, "What if we fight with a packet of crisps and a bottle of sparkling water?" You start to take from the Jackie Chans of the world and the Buster Keatons of the world, and that's what makes a David Leitch movie," Taylor-Johnson said. 

In the same chat, Taylor-Johnson candidly confirmed Deadline's report that the brass at Sony offered him the Kraven the Hunter gig after seeing his "Bullet Train" performance. 

During his conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, which took place in 2022, just a week after the debut of "Bullet Train," Aaron Taylor-Johnson opened up about getting the Marvel role. "It's one of those magical and rare moments where the stars align from just doing your job the best you can," Taylor-Johnson said about being offered the job. "And then someone else further up the totem pole was looking down and noticing the hard work and what I was trying to achieve," he added.

For Sony, "Kraven the Hunter" is another bold entry in their ever-expanding "Spider-Man Universe." For one, the film rebrands Kraven the Hunter as an anti-hero, rather than presenting him as a traditional villain. Secondly, the film is the first in Sony's Marvel franchise to be rated R. So far, the franchise consists of Tom Hardy's "Venom" films and Jared Leto's maligned outing as the vampire Morbius. While "Kraven the Hunter" was originally set to debut in 2023, the J. C. Chandor-directed flick has been pushed back to 2024 due to the SAG-AFTRA strike. Audiences will have to wait to see the English actor's performance as one of Spider-Man's most notorious villains, though they do have the option of checking out the film's trailer, which expertly teases its R-rating.

For Sony Pictures CEO and chairman Tom Rothman, Taylor-Johnson is the perfect guy for the role, telling Esquire that "when a guy can hold up his end of the tennis match with Brad Pitt ... you should pay attention," acknowledging the Marvel star's "Bullet Train" performance. Clearly, the studio thinks that the actor is a superstar, and rightfully so, as Taylor-Johnson has consistently delivered memorable performances, regardless of genre. 

"Kraven the Hunter" hits cinemas on August 30 2024.