Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse: Release Date, Cast, And More

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How many Spider-Mans is too many Spider-Mans? Just kidding, of course — the more spider-powered people, the merrier! Back in 2018, "Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse" dazzled audiences with the emotional introduction of Miles Morales and such stylistic flair that it has since influenced numerous studios to follow in its footsteps. Five years later, Miles Morales is primed to make his return with a sequel that takes the groundbreaking animated franchise to the next level. Get ready to journey even further into the multiverse with "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse"!

Now that he's mastered the "thwip and release," it's time to find out what else this young superhero can do. The upcoming film is a direct sequel to the first, reuniting Brooklyn's friendly neighborhood Spider-Man with Gwen Stacy. And they won't be alone. This time, they'll apparently be joined by 240 new Spider-People, to defend the multiverse from a frightening new threat.

Miles Morales is set to make his return on June 2, 2023 in "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse." It's been five years since he first debuted on the big screen, but the sequel has been anticipated since the very start.

Sony officially confirmed the sequel in November 2019, with its initial release date planned for April of 2022. But like so many others, the film's schedule changed drastically due to the COVID-19 pandemic. And then there's the fact that "Across The Spider-Verse" is an insanely ambitious film that takes Miles on an interdimensional journey across various animated styles. If they needed more time to make the movie great, then so be it! The important thing is that there was never any question about audience demand: the masses are overjoyed to swing back into the Spider-Verse.

"Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" continues the story of Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) and builds on his relationship with Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld). Producer Amy Pascal previously revealed that the film will explore a romance between the pair, which was cut from the original story. The seeds for their relationship have certainly been planted, but given they literally live in alternate dimensions, it's not hard to imagine a few complications coming up along the way. Perhaps the biggest obstacle standing in their way is whatever threat lurks at the heart of "Across The Spider-Verse," a movie who a villain so threatening that it takes a couple dozen Spider-People to save the day. In the sequel, Miles and Gwen will team up with other heroes trying to protect the multiverse — and, unfortunately, not everyone will agree on how best to keep the world safe. Per Sony, below is the official synopsis:

Miles Morales returns for the next chapter of the Oscar-winning Spider-Verse saga, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. After reuniting with Gwen Stacy, Brooklyn's full-time, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is catapulted across the Multiverse, where he encounters a team of Spider-People charged with protecting its very existence. But when the heroes clash on how to handle a new threat, Miles finds himself pitted against the other Spiders and must redefine what it means to be a hero so he can save the people he loves most.

The sequel sees the return of Shameik Moore as the voice of Miles Morales, now a full-fledged hero, more comfortable with his Spider-Man abilities after fighting off Wilson Fisk with the other Spider-sonas. Jake Johnson will also return as his disheveled but occasionally wise mentor, Peter B. Parker. Hailee Steinfeld will again voice Gwen Stacy, Spider-Woman from another dimension who helped Miles accept and adapt to his new identity as a hero. Other familiar faces include Miles' parents, Rio Morales (Luna Lauren Vélez) and Jefferson Davis (Brian Tyree Henry).

Oscar Isaac also returns as Spider-Man 2099 aka Miguel O'Hara, who was briefly seen in the after-credits sequence for the first film. No stranger to traversing between dimensions, Miguel is the leader of the Spider-Force, a group of Spider-People from alternate universes who protect the multiverse.

New to the Spider-Verse, expect to hear Issa Rae as alternate-reality Spider-Woman, Jessica Drew; Daniel Kaluuya as Spider-Punk, a British, punk rock version of the hero; Jason Schwartzman as the Spot, a supervillain who can travel through different universes; Greta Lee as Miguel's AI assistant, Lyla; and Jorma Taccone as Vulture. Also, be on the lookout for other surprise guest stars, since there are many Spider-themed roles to be filled.

Based on characters created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, the Spider-Verse films are steered by producers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. For the sequel, the pair co-wrote the screenplay with David Callahan ("The Expendables," "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Tend Rings"). Directors include Voltron showrunner Joaquim Dos Santos ("Justice League Unlimited," "Avatar: The Last Airbender"), Kemp Powers ("Soul"), and Justin K. Thompson ("Spider-Man: Into The Spider-verse"). Producers on the project include Lord, Miller, Amy Pascal, Avi Avad, and Christina Steinberg.

The second audience caught a glimpse of "Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse," it was clear that the newest iteration of Spidey would be a groundbreaking feat of animation. Its particular mix of 2D and 3D animation — emulating the pop-art style of classic comic books — resulted in gorgeous, eye-popping visuals. It was so effective, that movies like "The Bad Guys" and "Puss In Boots: The Last Wish" clearly took note. Going into the next chapter of Miles' adventure, the "Across The Spider-Verse" filmmakers knew they wanted to push even further. ​​

"The first film had one animation style that dominates the movie," Phil Lord told reporters. "This movie has six." As Miles and co travel through the multiverse, each new environment will come with its own sense of style. Lord added:

"We're taking those tools, adding all the things we learned on The Mitchells Vs The Machines, and then growing them further to accommodate the ambition of this movie. Which is to wow you every time you enter a new environment, and also to make sure that the style of the movie reflect the story, and that the images are driven by feelings, as opposed to some egg-headed art project. Which it also is, by the way!"

2018's "Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse" was rated PG for frenetic violence and mild language. While the sequel has yet to be rated by the MPAA, it's likely to get very similar results. Per The Direct, animator Ere Santos has already gone on the record to say, "It's not a kid's movie." Don't let the lively, colorful animation fool you — Miles, Gwen, and all their Spidey counterparts are dealing with life-and-death situations. Violence is very much on the table.

Not to get ahead of ourselves, but on the subject of the upcoming Spider-Verse movie, it's hard not to wonder whether Sony will keep the hype train rolling for a third animated adventure? The studio is already betting big on the wide world of Spider-People, with live-action titles including "Madame Web," a "Silk" TV series, and the untitled live-action Spider-Man Noir series. But what's next for Miles? 

The good news is that his next adventure has already been confirmed: "Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse" has been announced and is slated for release on March 9, 2024.

The bad news? Since it acts as Part Two for "Across The Spider-Verse," don't expect Miles to solve all his problems in this year's film.

The first trailer for "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" has already been released and is just begging to be dissected for easter eggs and plot details. Luckily, /Film already has you covered with a trailer breakdown. Otherwise, here's the official synopsis for the movie from Sony Pictures Animation:

Miles Morales returns for the next chapter of the Oscar-winning Spider-Verse saga, "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse." After reuniting with Gwen Stacy, Brooklyn's full-time, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is catapulted across the Multiverse, where he encounters a team of Spider-People charged with protecting its very existence. But when the heroes clash on how to handle a new threat, Miles finds himself pitted against the other Spiders and must redefine what it means to be a hero so he can save the people he loves most.