Sony’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse was a bit of a gamble in that it focused on a non-Peter Parker Spider-Man, Miles Morales, a.k.a. The Ultimate Spider-Man. But DAMN was it wonderful! Animated movies take a long time to make, and it seems that Sony was waiting to see how Into the Spider-Verse performed at the theater before greenlighting a sequel.
Across The Release Dates
Because the first film opened way back in 2018, it’s already been about four years. The sequel, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, previously known as Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Part One), was supposed to open in October of this year. Unfortunately, Sony has shuffled its release schedule. It has moved from an October 7, 2022 release to June 2, 2023.
In its place, Sony has bumped up the release of Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile. This live-action/CGI musical-comedy film is based on the classic children’s book by Bernard Waber, from November 18 to October 7.
It does not appear that Sony gave any reason for the delay of Across the Spider-Verse. But based on how visually innovative the first film was, it’s not out of the question that the creators just needed a little more time to finish post-production.
Across The Spider-Man Franchise
But Sony is going heavy on its Spider-Man universe in 2023. The Dakota Johnson starring live-action movie Madame Web will open on July 7, 2023, just a month after Across the Spider-Verse. It’s an odd move, considering that just this year, Sony pushed Morbius back to allow Spider-Man: No Way Home a little more breathing room at the box office.
It should be noted that Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless wrote Madame Web. They penned the recent dud Morbius, so it probably won’t be that good, and Sony doesn’t expect it to step on the toes of Across the Spider-Verse. (Poor Dakota Johnson. She’s so pretty but can’t quite seem to find a decent franchise, having starred in the poorly-reviewed 50 Shades brand. And she has those beautiful blue eyes. And now she’s starring in a movie where she’ll have to cover them with goggles the whole time.)
What We Know About ‘Across The Spider-Verse’
Across the Spider-Verse is the first of at least two animated sequels to Into the Spider-Verse. Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, and Jake Johnson will return to voice Miles Morales, Gwen Stacy, and Peter B. Parker, respectively. Oscar Isaac will have a larger role as Miguel O’Hara, a.k.a. Spider-Man 2099, and Issa Rae is joining the cast as Jessica Drew/Spider-Woman, who will co-headline a separate animated movie, Spider-Women, with Steinfeld’s Gwen. It has also been confirmed that Takuya Yamashiro, the “Japanese Spider-Man” from the 1978 live-action Spider-Man series, will also appear.
The film is rumored to also welcome back John Mulaney as Peter Porker/Spider-Ham, Kimiko Glenn as Peni Parker/SP//dr, and Nicolas Cage as Spider-Man Noir.
It sounds as if they will need all the help they can get. The plot reportedly involves “a villain more powerful than anything they have ever encountered.”
While Sony dropped the “Part One” part of this sequel, there is a second sequel titled Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse II. It has a scheduled release date of March 29, 2024.
Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, and David Callaham penned the screenplay for Across the Spider-Verse. (Lord co-wrote Into the Spider-Verse, and he and Miller served as producers.) Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson are directing the sequel. It’s worth noting that these aren’t the same directors that helmed the first. Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman helmed the first film.
Are you looking forward to Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse? Are you bummed it got push back to next year?
