User blog:ARTaylor/Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Released

Today is the day fans of animated works based on Marvel Comics have been waiting for. It is the release of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Okay, so technically the movie does not officially open until tomorrow but with the early Thursday screenings it is readily available today. A scene of the movie was already released as a post-credits scene for Venom back in October where it was indicated that the two were in the same multiverse.

The film was originally leaked when hackers from North Korea got into the databases of Sony Pictures Entertainment. Soon after, Sony officially announced the project from the makers of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, 21 Jump Street, and The Lego Movie Christopher Miller and Phil Lord. The story is based on the 2014 comic book series titled Spider-Verse from Dan Slott, itself finding inspiration in the 1998 episodes "I Really, Really Hate Clones" and "Farewell, Spider-Man" which were the two-part finale to Spider-Man. This story revolves around various alternate versions of Spider-Man, Spider-Girl, and Spider-Woman team up to fight a threat to each of their worlds. The film also draws on the Death of Spider-Man from the Ultimate universe which featured the death of Peter Parker and the rise of Miles Morales as the new webslinger.

Following the death of famed superhero Spider-Man, a boy from Brooklyn named Miles Morales takes up the webslinging mantle. However, he gets the surprise of his life when a Spider-Man from an entirely different universe appears and takes him in as his mentor. But things get weirder when more Spider-Men and Spider-Women appear and they must all band together to stop a threat to all of their universes.

Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman shared directoral duties. It was written by Lord and Miller who also produced. Other producers include Amy Pascal, Avi Arad, Matt Tolmach, and Christina Steinberg. It was made by Sony Pictures Animation along with Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures, and Marvel Entertainment.

The film features the talents of Shameik Moore as Miles Morales, Jake Johnson as Peter Parker, Hailee Steinfeld as Spider-Gwen, Oscar winner Mahershala Ali as Prowler, Brian Tyree Henry as Jefferson Davis, former Sabretooth actor Liev Schreiber as Kingpin, Lauren Velez as Rio Morales, Lily Tomlin as Aunt May, Oscar winner Nicolas Cage as Noir Spider-Man, Kimiko Glenn as Peni Parker, John Mulaney as Spider-Ham, Chris Pine as Peter Parker, Zoe Kravitz as Mary Jane Watson, Kathryn Hahn as Doctor Octopus, Lake Bell as Vanessa Fisk, Jorma Taccone as Green Goblin, Oscar Isaac as Miguel O'Hara, and Krondon as Tombstone. The film also features the first cameo appearance by Spider-Man creator Stan Lee following his passing, playing a costume shop owner named Stan.

The film has already received an overwhelming positive reception. On the review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a near perfect score of 98% and an 86 on Metacritic. This makes it not only the best reviewed Spider-Man film but the best reviewed superhero film. Critics have praised the unique visual style as well as focus on biracial character Miles. It has received numerous awards already from the African-American Film Critics Association, Chicago Film Critics Association, Detroit Film Critics Society, and New York Film Critics Circle as well as nominations from Annie Awards, Critics Choice Movie Awards, and Golden Globes. It has already been submitted for entry into the Academy Awards and looks to be a frontrunner. Already a sequel has been put into production as well as a female-centered spin-off.