Spider-Man is one of the most beloved heroes in comic book history, with a long tenure on both the page and screen. The mythology of Spidey is being told in a few ways; through the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Sony's still developing Spiderman universe, and the animated feature Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse. The latter is helmed by former Solo directors Phil Miller and Chris Lord, and will span a multiverse of wall crawlers, and their respective enemies. Much of the film's contents have been kept under wraps, but a new trailer outlines the plot, and features more of the Spidey and their rogues. Check it out.
Woah. There's so much to unpack here, and so much goodness. Let's break it all down.
Featuring narration from OG Spider-Man Peter Parker, we learn how Into the Spider-Verse will largely be focused on Miles Morales, voiced by Shameik Moore. The teenaged Spidey will investigate a device called The Collider, which essentially breaks down the walls between universes. This introduces Miles to Peter, and the rest of the motley Spider-crew, including Gwen Stacey, Spider-Ham, Spider-Man noir, and Peni Parker. It looks like the upcoming blockbuster is a bonafide team-up movie, essentially creating the first Spider-Team.
There will also be a large cast of villains to battle, including some Marvel royalty. While we'd already seen that Prowler would be a major villain for Miles Morales, plenty of other iconic Spider foes are also briefly shown. Most exciting may be the appearance of Kingpin aka Wilson Fisk. Fisk has become a fan favorite in Netflix's Daredevil, and he's looking giant in Into The Spider-Verse. You can also see glimpses of Scorpion, and a beastly version of Green Goblin. Smart money says there are even more tricks up Phil Miller and Chris Lord's sleeves.
Into the Spider-Verse is the Spider-Man movie to focus on Miles Morales, a lesser known character who takes the mantle of Spider-Man on in the comics. But he did get a major feature in Playstation's massively successful Spider-Man game, serving as a playable character. In the comics, Miles Morales is a mixed race teenager who is also bitten by a radioactive spider. This one was created by Spider-Man villain Norman Osbourne, in an attempt to duplicate Peter Parker's abilities. It makes his chemical makeup slightly different than Peter's, but he possess very similar super powers. But it's clear that Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse has other plans for his backstory.
From the first clips, it seems like Miles Morales is the only Spider-Man in his universe. That is, until the mysterious Collider is activated, and sends the young hero on a wild journey through time and villains. The animation looks unlike anything we've seen before, and it may serve as a palette cleanser in the wake of Sony's Venom movie.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse will arrive in theaters on December 14, 2018. In the meantime, check out our 2018 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
