2023 was a big year for superhero movies, and arguably the best of the bunch was Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. The sequel was just as critically acclaimed as Into the Spider-Verse, if not more so, and the Across the Spider-Verse ending set the stage for Beyond the Spider-Verse with a major cliffhanger. Unfortunately, Beyond has been delayed multiple times and currently doesn’t have a release date. It bums me out, but a big behind-the-scenes update that’s come in has me feeling a little more hopeful.
It was officially announced on the Spider-Verse Instagram page and other social media platforms that Bob Persichetti and Justin K. Thompson will direct Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse together. That’s a relief to hear considering that these two are already well acquainted with this continuity that spotlights Shameik Moore’s Miles Morales. Persichetti directed Into the Spider-Verse with Peter Ramsey and Rodney Rothman, and Thompson directed Across the Spider-Verse with Joaquin Dos Santos and Kemp Powers. Now these two men will team up to helm this upcoming superhero movie that will round out the trilogy that began in 2018.
Don’t get me wrong, I would still appreciate knowing when Beyond the Spider-Verse will be released, and obviously I’ll be excited once footage from the movie is shared with the public. Having said that, I am relieved that the threequel will have directors from both movies tackling this project rather than bringing new talent aboard. Sure, maybe said new talent could have churned out a great movie, but I feel more comfortable knowing existing talent are holding the helming reins, and look forward to what Bob Persichetti and Justin K. Thompson put together.
When we last left off with the main Miles Morales in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, he’d ended up on Earth-42, i.e. the Earth where the spider that bit him came from. Because that spider didn’t bite Earth-42’s Miles (voiced by Jharrel Jerome) like it was supposed to, he became his world’s Prowler and New York City was rampant with crime because there’s no Spider-Man. Additionally, while his uncle Aaron Davis was still alive, his father, Jeff Morales, is dead.
Earth-42 Miles and Aaron captured the main Miles, which was bad timing considering that the latter Miles was trying to make it back home to Earth-1610, as The Spot was gearing up to attack that world’s New York City. As a glimmer of hope though, the Gwen Stacy of Earth-65, a.k.a. Spider-Woman, gathered a group of allies to help her find Earth-1610’s Miles. And then there’s Miguel O’Hara, who thinks it’s necessary for Earth-1610’s Miles’ father to die because it’s considered a “canon event,” though Gwen learned from her father retiring from the police force rather than dying in the line of duty that such events aren’t always set in stone.
Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more updates on what’s going on with Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, from the first specific plot details to the other people who will be working with Bob Persichetti and Justin K. Thompson. Remember that you can also currently stream Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse with a Netflix subscription.
