Credit: Sony Pictures Animation/MarvelAnticipation is at an all-time high for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023), the follow-up to Sony/Marvel’s’ animated hit, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018). Ahead of its theatrical release, its director shared some new details about what fans can expect to see in the superhero flick, teasing a cliffhanger ending bound to leave fans wanting more from the titular team of web-slinging Spider-People.
Miles Morales, Peter B. Parker, Gwen Stacy, and a whole Multiverse of Spiders are set to swing into theaters next month in the long-awaited sequel to Into the Spider-Verse.
Across the Spider-Verse sees many of the original voice actors reprising their roles, including Shameik Moore as our protagonist, whiz kid Miles Morales, Jake Johnson as the newly-reformed Peter B. Parker, Hailee Steinfeld as Gwen Stacy (AKA Ghost-Spider), and Oscar Isaac as the mysterious Miguel O’Hara/Spider-Man 2099.
The movie will also feature an impressive group of franchise newcomers, including Oscar winner Daniel Kaluuya as Hobart “Hobie” Brown (AKA Spider-Punk), Jason Schwartzman as Spot, and Issa Rae as Jessica Drew/Spider-Woman.
Check out the official trailer for Marvel Studios/Sony Pictures’ Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023) below:
So far, story details remain scarce. But we know that Schwartzman’s Spot will serve as the story’s main antagonist and that the various Spiders must join forces to defeat a common threat. The movie will also follow the budding romance between Gwen and Miles, with their love story taking center, stage set amongst other Multiversal shenanigans.
The animated epic is well-primed to follow up on the success of its predecessor, with a threequel, Spider–Man: Beyond the Spider–Verse, already being scheduled for a 2024 release.
And according to Across the Spider-Verse‘s co-director, Kemp Powers, the events of the sequel will lead directly into the third film, setting up a grand finale that will leave audiences sitting on the edge of their seats.
Speaking with SFX Magazine (via GamesRadar), Powers might’ve accidentally spoiled the upcoming movie’s ending, saying it will “end on a bit of a cliffhanger” while simultaneously being a “satisfying tee-up for what’s coming in the third film:”
Across The Spider-Verse is a movie on its own, but it definitely ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. I think it’s a good cliffhanger. We hope that it’s a satisfying tee-up for what’s coming in the third film, because you want people to be excited about what’s coming next.
Powers emphasized that the filmmakers were able to play around with the second Spider-Verse movie a little more since they “knew going in that this was part two of a three-part story,” so they could “tackle it a bit differently:”
And it helps that we knew going in that this was part two of a three-part story. Since you already know that that third story is guaranteed, you can tackle it a bit differently. That being said, there’s a lot of key characters in this film, and there’s a story in this film that has an arc of its own that we needed to complete.
As Across the Spider-Verse is the middle chapter of the larger Spider-Verse franchise, Powers drew comparisons to another iconic sequel: Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980), which also ends on a cliffhanger:
I was very satisfied after ‘The Empire Strikes Back.’ And hopefully, this is our ‘Empire.’
While the second Spider-Verse adventure isn’t likely to end with Miles frozen in carbonite, it’s interesting to hear Powers compare the upcoming superhero flick to Empire Strikes Back, specifically. Considering the second Star Wars movie is widely regarded as one of the best sequels in cinematic history, comparing the two is a lofty statement.
The Star Wars sequel is one the darkest films in the entire series, so maybe Across the Spider-Verse will also venture into some tonally dark territory. With Empire Strikes Back having undertones of sacrifice, mentorship, and fatherhood, it’ll be interesting to see if the new Spider-Verse story will explore these more complex narratives.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse arrives in theaters on June 2, 2o23.
What do you think of Kemp Powers comparing Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse to Empire Strikes Back with its “cliffhanger” ending? Let us know in the comments below.