Now that we’ve seen Rachel Zegler in Shazam! Fury of the Gods and Sasha Calle in The Flash, the next Latina up for her superhero (or more anti-hero) movie debut is Oscar winner Ariana DeBose (West Side Story). She will star as Calypso in the Sony Marvel film, Kraven the Hunter.
In the comic books, Calypso is a voodoo priestess who is the love interest of Kraven the Hunter. The title character in the new film is played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Bullet Train). As for her powers, she’s capable of mind control and resurrection and is adept at using potions.
“It’s a really cool depiction of who this person is,” DeBose told Entertainment Tonight. “Our superheroes are also people.” She described Calypso as “intelligent, sexy and open.”
The first glimpse of Calypso comes at the 1:51 mark when she asks Kraven, “Why do you hunt?” In the scenes leading up to her question, it seems like Kraven acquires superhuman abilities when the DNA of a lion that attacks him gets into his own bloodstream.
In one scene before Calypso is introduced, Kraven slits the throats of a few foes and bites the nose off another before spitting it out, proving that Sony films in association with Marvel really push the line.
DeBose returns at the 2:14 mark dressed in an elegant, all-black outfit, gold necklace, and sporting curly hair while looking like she’s on a mission. At the 2:34 mark, she calls Kraven a “goddamn lunatic.” Kraven responds: “Oh, you just figured that out now?”
We’ll see how well Calypso matches up with Kraven’s animal instincts and what her prowess and strengths are as she already seems to be in the same league as Kraven. Or maybe she’s even more powerful than he is.
Kraven the Hunter, featuring Ariana DeBose, hits theaters nationwide on October 6, 2023.