If you’re looking for multiversal excitement from a Spider-Man movie, Spider-Man: No Way Home won’t be your only option in the near future. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse 2 is on track to arrive in late 2022, and while we’re still in the dark on specific plot details, there have been various updates over the last year on behind-the-scenes talent contributing to the sequel. The latest news on that front is that we now know who’s making up Into the Spider-Verse 2’s directing team, and it includes a key figure from the Pixar movie Soul.
You’ll recall that back in November 2018, just a few weeks before Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse premiered in theaters, it was announced that Voltron: Legendary Defender’s Joaquin Dos Santos was tapped to direct Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse 2. Fast-forward to today, it’s been revealed that Dos Santos will share directing duties with Justin K. Thompson and Kemp Powers, the latter of whom co-wrote and co-directed Soul. Here’s what the directing team (who’s been together since the start of the project) had to say in a statement to Variety:
The crew behind the Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse set such a ridiculously high bar, and we’re humbled to take on the challenge of charting the next chapter in the story of Miles Morales.
While Kemp Powers (whose writing credits include Star Trek: Discovery and One Night in Miami) initially joined Soul to work on the script, specifically fleshing out the character of Jamie Foxx’s Joe, he was eventually promoted to co-director, making him the first African-American to hold that title in Pixar history. With Soul having scored numerous accolades, including two Golden Globes wins and currently being up for three Academy Awards, now Powers gets to work his magic on Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse 2. As for Justin K. Thompson, like Joaquin Dos Santos, he’s a Sony Pictures Animation alum, having worked as a production designer on Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and the Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs movies.
It was also announced that Phil Lord, Chris Miller, Amy Pascal, Avi Arad and Christina Steinberg are all returning to produce Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse 2, while Alonzo Ruvalcaba will co-produce and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse director Peter Ramsey will executive produce alongside Aditya Sood. Additionally, Lord and Miller will be credited screen writers on Into the Spider-Verse 2 with Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’ David Callaham. Shameik Moore and Hailee Steinfeld will reprise their roles of Miles Morales and Gwen Stacy, respectively.
Naturally with a new Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse movie, you can count on more than two Spider-heroes showing up. So far though, the only other protagonist who’s been officially revealed for Into the Spider-Verse 2 is Takuya Yamashiro, a.k.a. the Spider-Man from the live-action 1970s Japanese TV series. That said, it does seem like Oscar Isaac’s Spider-Man 2099 will have a bigger role to play this time around. As for the sequel’s antagonistic forces, it’s been rumored that The Spot will be a key villain, but that hasn’t been confirmed yet. Kathryn Hahn has also expressed interest in reprising her version of Doctor Octopus.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse 2 will spin its web in theaters on October 7, 2022, so stay locked on CinemaBlend for more updates on its progress. You’re also welcome to catch up to speed on what will hit the big screen later this year with our upcoming 2021 movies schedule.
