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Credit: Marvel Studios / Sony PicturesSpider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023) has been in theaters for about week and has already seen major success.
The Spider-Verse sequel comes four and a half years after Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse premiered in 2018. The four years in between were not only a result of the 2020 COVID pandemic but also due to the actual time needed to work on the film. New animation techniques were developed for the film, and one scene literally took four years to animate and complete.
Compared to the four years between the first and second film, the fact that the final installment in the trilogy, Beyond the Spider-Verse, has already been announced for release next year was surprising to many fans. It’s possible they were working on both films semi-simultaneously while Across the Spider-Verse was in production, allowing them a shorter timeframe for release, but it doesn’t seem likely.
Unfortunately, it seems as though Beyond the Spider-Verse may already be seeing some delays. The official Across the Spider-Verse Twitter account has removed the expected release date of Beyond from its bio and the runtime has been removed from its IMDB page. In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Hailee Steinfeld says she hasn’t started recording any of her lines for Gwen Stacy yet.
Steinfeld said she started recording her lines for the sequel right after Into the Spider-Verse came out four years ago. Combined with the fact that the directors have also stated they aren’t sure if they’ll meet the promised release date, it’s not looking great for a 2024 window.
In contrast, compare the delays to the recent Marvel projects that have been released almost in excess over the last few years, resulting in bad VFX and disappointing performances. Fans are more than willing to wait for Beyond the Spider-Verse if it means a great movie at the end of it. Rather than rushing the movie for a quick cash grab, the directors and entire team are willing to take the time needed to release a “perfect” movie. As seen with Across the Spider-Verse’s success, it’s working extremely well for them. So for now, expect some delays for the final Spider-Verse story.
Are you willing to wait for Beyond the Spider-Verse, even if it means delays? Share your thoughts in the comments below.