Top 10 Things We Hope to See in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

It’s common for modern superhero movies to tease future projects set in the same universe. The MCU has mastered the art of worldbuilding, providing clever foreshadowing without overshadowing the story at hand. Sony, meanwhile, has a tendency to think more about long-term plans rather than taking it one movie at a time. “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” not only built up another sequel, but also a “Sinister Six” spin-off. All future sequels and spin-offs were canceled, though, because “Amazing Spider-Man 2” underperformed financially with many complaining it felt like a glorified preview. Hopefully, Sony has learned their lesson and keeps “Into the Spider-Verse” mostly self-contained with just a couple subtle hints of what might come next.

“The Amazing Spider-Man” was generally well-received, but even the people who liked it admitted that the story felt redundant. There’s only so many times we can watch Peter Parker adapt to his powers and cope with Uncle Ben’s death. There are also only so many different ways to say, “with great power comes great responsibility.” “Spider-Man: Homecoming” thankfully skipped over most of these familiar beats while still maintaining what makes Spidey special. “Into the Spider-Verse” will undoubtedly tackle the challenges of being a teenage superhero, but that doesn’t mean the filmmakers can’t put a fresh spin on certain clichés.

With “The Lego Movie,” directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller delivered a purely comedic version of Batman that was honestly more fun than some of the character’s darker incarnations and led to an awesome spin-off. Miller and Lord serve as producers for “Into the Spider-Verse” with Lord also contributing to the story and screenplay. In their hands, we’re expecting a film that’s self-aware and playful, but not at the expense of legitimate character development and genuinely heartfelt moments. These are the guys behind the “21 Jump Street” reboot, after all.

With “The Lego Movie,” Lord and Miller took the style of a “Brickfilm” and evolved it to a whole new frontier with CG animation. Lord and Miller strived to accomplish something similar with “Into the Spider-Verse,” producing a cinematic experience that also captures the essence of a comic book. The filmmakers mixed computer animation with “all sorts of comic book techniques,” resulting in a distinctive look that Miller compared to “a living painting.” The animators wanted to take full advantage of the medium, telling a story that wouldn’t work nearly as well in live-action. Based on the 35 minutes of footage shown at New York Comic Con, we should be in store for a visual marvel.

Emma Stone created a smart, strong, and all-around awesome version of Gwen Stacy in “The Amazing Spider-Man” films. So, as you can imagine, fans weren’t pleased with how Sony handled her rushed exit in the second film. With the invaluable Hailee Steinfeld inheriting the role, we’re confident that “Into the Spider-Verse” can deliver justice for Gwen. What’s more, Steinfeld isn’t just voicing Stacy, but also portraying the first big-screen incarnation of her alter ego Spider-Woman, AKA Spider-Gwen. Seeing how Gwen and Miles Morales briefly became an item in the comics, there’s potential here for an adorkable love story as well.

Vincent D’Onofrio turned in a pitch-perfect portrayal of Wilson Fisk on Netflix’s “Daredevil.” Since “Into the Spider-Verse” is clearly taking a more family-friendly approach, we’re not expecting Liev Schreiber’s interpretation to bash in anyone’s head with a car door. That being said, Kingpin can still be portrayed as a cunning, ruthless, and menacing foe akin to the version from the 90s animated series. We’re just keeping our fingers crossed that Sony doesn’t repeat their habit of cramming in too many villains.

Speaking of the 90s cartoon, the show ended on a high note with the “Spider Wars” two-parter, which saw Peter encounter other Spider-Men from different dimensions. “Into the Spider-Verse” shares a similar premise, as Miles, Peter, and Gwen cross paths with a variety of other characters with Spidey senses. Nicolas Cage puts a 1930s spin on Peter as Spider-Man Noir. Kimiko Glenn injects a dose of anime into the equation as Peni Parker. John Mulaney even hams it up as Spider-Ham. The roster for the “Spider-Verse” story arc this film is taking inspiration from was absolutely enormous, so we're hoping for at least a few interesting cameos.

Since this film takes place in a shared multiverse, it could pave the wave other silver screen versions of Spider-Man to appear. It’d be nothing short of epic if Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, and even Tom Holland all reprised their versions of Spider-Man here. These three could either make brief cameos or perhaps their presence could play a larger role in the story. Since the original “Spider-Man” trilogy and “The Amazing Spider-Man” series ended on such sour notes, this would be a clever way to revisit both incarnations and bring things full circle. There’s also room for Spider-Man’s many voice actors to make appearances, ranging from Neil Patrick Harris to Drake Bell, to Donald Glover.

Over the years, we’ve gotten numerous versions of Peter Parker through film, television, and comics. In almost every interpretation, he’s depicted as a nerdy high school student who gains superpowers, thus having to balance school, romance, and saving the day. Jake Johnson is shaking up the status quo, however, playing a middle-aged Peter who’s grown cynical, tired, and reluctant. Even in the film’s trailer, Peter sounds like he’s sick of hearing about himself and is ready to pass the torch to someone else. Speaking of which, the mentor/protégé dynamic between Peter and Miles should make for a gripping team-up. It’ll be especially interesting to see a Spider-Man movie where Peter isn’t the main character.

Since Miles Morales was only created in 2011, it makes sense that he hasn’t gotten as much mainstream attention as Peter Parker. Miles has come into his own in the comics, though, and we couldn’t be more ecstatic to finally see him take center stage in a theatrical film, even if we’re still waiting for an MCU version of the character. Shameik Moore voices Miles in “Into the Spider-Verse,” marking the most high-profile role of his career. For anyone who’s starting to develop fatigue for Spider-Man, Moore’s performance as Miles could very well bring a new energy and outlook to the long-running franchise. After all: