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Credit: Sony PicturesEver since Marvel Studios/Sony Pictures’ Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023) swung into theaters earlier this month, many fans have wondered: when will Miles Morales crossover into the MCU? We might’ve just gotten an answer recently, and unfortunately, it doesn’t sound too promising.
The highly-anticipated sequel to 2018’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is on track to become one of the year’s top-grossing summer blockbusters. Directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson, Across the Spider-Verse has already become Sony’s highest-grossing animated release in history, surpassing $384 million at the global box office over the weekend.
Starring Shameik Moore as Miles Morales, the comic book sequel also sees Hailee Steinfeld reprising her role as Gwen Stacy (AKA Ghost-Spider) and Jake Johnson as Peter B. Parker. Rounding out the A-list cast are Oscar Isaac, who voices the mysterious Miguel O’Hara (AKA Spider-Man 2099), Issa Rae, who plays Jessica Drew (AKA Spider-Woman), and Daniel Kaluuya, who voices Hobie Brown (AKA Spider-Punk).
Check out the official trailer for Marvel Studios/Sony Pictures’ Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse below:
The premise of Across the Spider-Verse is that Miles finds himself in the middle of a Multiverse of Spider-People after Gwen takes him to the not-so-secret Spider-Society, led by Miguel. Here, audiences got a glimpse at all sorts of Spiders, including a Cat-Spider, Lego Spider-Man, and even a Horse-Spider.
But two Spider-Men that specifically caught viewers’ eyes were Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield, whose live-action iterations of Peter Parker/Spider-Man made it into the film, but only for a short moment.
While Miguel explains the idea of “canon events” to Miles, we get exposition about said events via archival footage, which shows each of these events playing across the multitude of webs we see onscreen. One scene of which shows Tobey Maguire crying over the death of his uncle, Ben, and another sees Andrew Garfield crying over the loss of Captain Stacy and his universe’s Uncle Ben.
Garfield and Maguire’s “cameos” in the new film led many to wonder: where is Tom Holland’s MCU Spider-Man? His fan-favorite take on Peter Parker has been the unquestionable highlight of three smash-hit solo movies for Marvel: Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019), and Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021). Holland has also appeared in several Avengers films, but still not in the animated Spider-Verse.
With Miles back in the spotlight thanks to Across the Spider-Verse, fans are clamoring to see this character crossover into the MCU in live-action—potentially with Tom Holland’s Spider-Man. When asked about Miles’ live-action debut at a recent press event, producer Amy Pascal, who worked on both the Homecoming trilogy and the Spider-Verse movies, teased, “You’ll see all of it,” it’s “all happening.”
But now, it seems like Pascal has gone back on her word, implying in a new interview that fans shouldn’t get too excited about seeing Miles crossover into the MCU anytime soon.
Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, the producer called both franchises within Sony’s Spider-Man Universe “separate worlds,” saying filmmakers “have a lot of movies to make about Miles” and “a lot of movies to make about Peter,” alluding to the two characters remaining separated:
They’re completely separate worlds. You never know. I would never say no to anything. But we have a lot of movies to make about Miles and a lot of movies to make about Peter. I am a movie producer. I want to keep going with this franchise with Tom.
Based on these remarks and Pascal’s insistence on continuing “this franchise with Tom,” it seems like the Marvel camp is choosing to focus more on the live-action iterations of Spider-Man moving forward. However, fans shouldn’t give up hope yet—the producer did say she “would never say no to anything,” but it seems like bringing Miles into the MCU just isn’t a priority for the studio at the moment.
As for live-action casting for the character, Shameik Moore has already put in his bid to bring Miles to life. Other actors such as Marcus Scribner, RJ Cyler, and Tyler James Williams have also been popular fancasts.
For now, the future of Miles Morales post-Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse (2024) seems shrouded in uncertainty. But given just how popular the character has been with audiences, it would be a big mistake on Sony/Marvel’s behalf not to continue his story in live-action.
What do you think of Amy Pascal’s recent comments? Who’s your pick for live-action Miles Morales? Let us know in the comments below.