Be prepared to return to the Spider-Verse. After the 2018 movie “Into the Spider-Verse” became a big hit and won the Best Animated Feature award at the Oscars, a new movie is now being made as a sequel.
Even though Marvel Cinematic Universe dominates the superhero and film industry, other studios are also trying their luck. Sony, which owns the rights to Spider-Man, has been focusing on its own villain universe, with movies like Venom, Morbius, and upcoming ones for Kraven the Hunter and El Muerto. However, Sony surprised everyone with a significant film, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018), which made history by being the first Marvel Comics adaptation to win an Academy Award. It beat out tough competition like Ralph Breaks the Internet and Incredibles 2 for the Best Animated Feature Oscar, which was quite unexpected.
There’s a good reason why Into the Spider-Verse is highly praised – it’s considered a brilliant animated debut for the beloved comics character, Miles Morales. The movie stands out for its innovative art style, well-developed characters, emotionally engaging story, and more. Many even argue that it’s not just a great Spider-Man film, but possibly the best Spider-Man film ever made. Now, fans can look forward to another adventure with Miles and friends in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023), which is second part of a planned trilogy.
The movie titled Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse was announced in November 2019, and the animation work started in June 2020.
The Trailer
The first trailer for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse provides a glimpse of the upcoming animated multiverse adventure. It starts right where the previous film left off, with Miles enjoying the hit song “Sunflower” by Post Malone and Swae Lee. However, his peaceful moment is interrupted when Spider-Gwen (played by Hailee Steinfeld) unexpectedly returns through a portal from another dimension. Miles is flustered and surprised to see his crush from another dimension after their last adventure. Yet, Gwen doesn’t explain why she’s back; instead, she invites Miles, known as “New York’s One and Only Spider-Man,” to swing through the city with her.
Suddenly, we see Miles in his own Spider-suit falling into new dimensions, each with its unique art style. During his fall through the multiverse, he encounters Spider-Man 2099 (played by Oscar Isaac), who was teased in the end credits of the first Into the Spider-Verse film. Unlike the other Spider-Men Miles has met, Spider-Man 2099 appears to be more hostile and they engage in a fight before the teaser ends with a title card.
However, there are some outdated details in the trailer. The title card no longer includes the “Part One” subtitle, even though a third film has been confirmed. Additionally, the release date shown at the end of the trailer is no longer accurate.
The second trailer follows a similar structure, starting with a recap of Miles’ journey so far and an emotional moment with his mother. However, it quickly delves into the mind-bending world of the Spider-Verse. Alongside the return of Peter B. Parker (voiced by Jake Johnson) and the introduction of Spider-Woman (voiced by Issa Rae), the trailer showcases a facility filled with numerous Spider-Man variants. These include obscure comic references like the Amazing Bag-Man and beloved versions like the ones from the Spider-Man PS4 video game.
Although not all of these Spider-Men appear to be allies, Miles finds himself in a fight not only with the various versions but also with Spider-Man 2099, who might be the potential leader of the group. The trailer promises an action-packed and multiverse-spanning adventure as Miles faces challenges from different versions of Spider-Man.
The Plot
When Sony announced the title of the sequel, they also revealed the first official synopsis for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, which reads as follows:
“Miles Morales, the young Spider-Man, continues his adventures in the multiverse and crosses paths with new and old counterparts. As they come together, they discover that their respective realities are at risk. Miles must confront powerful enemies and make difficult choices to protect his friends and the entire multiverse.”
Director Kemp Powers (known for Soul) has revealed that the powerful villain in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse will be a somewhat surprising pick. Instead of one of the usual suspects like Green Goblin or Doc Ock, the antagonist will be a more obscure B-lister by the name of The Spot (played by Jason Schwartzman). The Spot’s ability to seamlessly access the multiverse will make him a formidable threat.
Furthermore, the movie will feature a vast variety of characters. Writers and producers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (the creative duo behind The LEGO Movie) have confirmed that there will be a whopping total of 240 characters in the film. The story takes place across six universes, setting up an ambitious undertaking to rival even that of something as large scale as Avengers: Endgame (2019). This promises an epic and exciting adventure in the Spider-Verse with an extraordinary lineup of characters.
Spider-Man Across the Spider-Verse cast
Absolutely! In addition to Shameik Moore and Hailee Steinfeld reprising their roles as Miles Morales and Gwen Stacy, respectively, several other stars from the first movie will also be returning for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.
The teaser trailer confirmed that Oscar Isaac will be back as Miguel O’Hara, also known as Spider-Man 2099, following his appearance in the first movie’s post-credits scene.
Luna Lauren Vélez will return as Miles’s mother, Rio, and Brian Tyree Henry will reprise his role as Miles’s father, Jefferson Davis.
Jake Johnson also revealed in July 2021 that he will be returning as Miles’s mentor, Peter B. Parker.
In the sequel, Issa Rae will join as Jessica Drew, also known as Spider-Woman, and Jason Schwartzman will voice the villainous character, The Spot, whose body is covered in inter-dimensional portals.
Furthermore, Daniel Kaluuya is confirmed to voice Hobart ‘Hobie’ Brown, aka Spider-Punk, while Shea Whigham and Jorma Taccone will voice George Stacy and the Vulture, respectively.
Although there were previous teases about Kathryn Hahn potentially returning as Doc Ock in a larger role, she has yet to be officially added to any cast lists or announcements.
However, it appears that John Mulaney as Spider-Ham, Kimiko Glenn as Peni Parker, and Nicolas Cage as Spider-Man Noir may not be returning for the sequel, much to the disappointment of fans, especially Cage who expressed his wish to be part of the new movie.
Nicolas Cage expressed disappointment about not being included in the sequel, leaving open the possibility that Spider-Ham, Peni Parker, and Spider-Man Noir could appear in the third film. The creators teased that Miles will reunite with old friends and meet new ones, hinting at potential returns for these characters in the future installment.
Who Is Making Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse?
Phil Lord and Christopher Miller are highly respected figures in feature animation, known for their work on projects like The LEGO Movie, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, and The Mitchells vs the Machines. They are returning to write and produce Across the Spider-Verse. Initially planning something on a similar scale as the first film, the sequel has since evolved and become an ambitious undertaking with the largest crew ever assembled for an animated film.
To handle this massive project, a new trio of directors has been chosen, each with extensive experience in the industry. These directors are Joaquim Dos Santos (known for Avatar: The Last Airbender), Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson (previously worked on Star Wars: Clone Wars). Joining Lord and Miller in the writing department is Dave Callaham, who has experience writing for the Marvel multiverse, having worked on Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Together, this talented team aims to create another spectacular adventure in the Spider-Verse.
We can’t list all the thousand-plus crew members, but here are a couple of important people leading the team: Daniel Pemberton, who composed music for Into the Spider-Verse and Steve Jobs, will be back. Mike Andrews, the editor from Shrek 2, is also returning. And we have Kevin Aymeric and Patrick O’Keefe as the production designers, Araiz Khalid as the art director from Ms. Marvel, and Brooklyn El-Omar as the costume designer from Raya and the Last Dragon.
What Is the Release Date of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
In summary, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse faced delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, moving from its original date of April 8, 2022, to October 7, 2022. It was subsequently delayed again, and the current official release date is set for June 2, 2023. Despite the delays, fans are willing to wait for a sequel that lives up to the high standards of the first film.
