Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse Trailer: Miles Morales, Meet The Multiverse
Is the superhero movie bubble about to pop? The middling box office performances and tepid critical response of "Shazam! Fury of the Gods," "Black Adam," and even "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" have come one right after another in recent months, sending off alarm bells among those of us who pay way too much attention to such things.
When set against the breakout success of a string of original blockbusters (albeit sequels) like "Avatar: The Way of Water," "Top Gun: Maverick," "John Wick: Chapter 4," and more, one can't help but wonder if audience tastes are shifting once again. Are superhero movies simply not delivering what moviegoers want anymore?
That's too broad of a question for now, admittedly, but here's hoping that a few upcoming comic book movies can help stave off the inevitable for just a little while longer. Chief among them has to be Sony's animated sequel "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse," the sequel to the 2018 smash-hit that introduced Miles Morales to a whole new generation of fans. The film came in just ahead of the multiverse craze that several studios have sought to cash in on throughout the last few years, setting an extremely high bar that — if you ask me, at least — hasn't yet been topped.
It's been a few months since our first real look at "Across the Spider-Verse" and, with the release date coming up faster than you might expect, it's about time the marketing ramped up once again. Luckily, Sony is on the exact same page. Check out the newly-released trailer below!
Watch the new Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse trailer
After getting a mere taste of what the multiverse had to offer in the first film, "Across the Spider-Verse" looks set to flip the script entirely. Rather than having other Spider-folk like Peter B. Parker, Spider-Ham, Spider-Man Noir, and the other colorful cast of characters invade Miles' reality, the sequel seems to thrust the young hero and his friend Gwen Stacy into a much wider multiverse than they ever thought possible. While Jake Johnson will return to voice the lovable Peter B., the sequel will pit Miles and Gwen against an even bigger group of stars: Oscar Isaac's Miguel O'Hara, Issa Rae's Jessica Drew, and many more.
While "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" kept itself separate from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which is currently growing its own multiverse, this new trailer for "Across the Spider-Verse" creates an overt connection when Miguel O'Hara says, "Don't even get me started on Doctor Strange and the little nerd back on Earth-199999." It seems Spider-Man 2099 is not happy about the multiverse-shattering shenanigans featured in "Spider-Man: No Way Home" and "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness."
But wait! There's more!
One trailer not quite enough for you? Then check out the new international trailer for "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" as well! Building on the MCU link in the domestic trailer, this one opens with quotes from the live-action versions of Spider-Man played by Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, and Tom Holland, before launching into Miles Morales' new adventure. With one of the five main universes set to be featured in "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" still being kept under wraps, it's not out of the question that the movie might end up crossing over directly into the MCU. After all, the MCU's own multiverse started in the animated series "What If...?"
"Across the Spider-Verse" comes from a new trio of directors: Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson. Comedic genius Phil Lord returns to produce and pen the script alongside frequent partner Christopher Miller, as well as Dave Callaham. Actors Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Brian Tyree Henry, and Luna Lauren Velez will all reprise their voice roles from the 2018 movie and are joined by Daniel Kaluuya as Spider-Punk, Jason Schwartzman as the Spot, Karan Soni as Spider-Man India, and more. Here's the official synopsis:
Miles Morales returns for the next chapter of the Oscar-winning Spider-Verse saga, "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse." After reuniting with Gwen Stacy, Brooklyn's full-time, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is catapulted across the Multiverse, where he encounters a team of Spider-People charged with protecting its very existence. But when the heroes clash on how to handle a new threat, Miles finds himself pitted against the other Spiders and must redefine what it means to be a hero so he can save the people he loves most.
"Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" will hit theaters on June 2, 2023.