'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-V

2/6/2023 6:20

        American film-producing
        and writing duo Christopher Miller and Phil Lord were determined
        to weave a combination of art and heart into Sony Picture's
        "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse," and that meant broadening
        the stories of the Spider people.
        
        For their sequel to 2018's "Spider-Man: Into the
        Spider-Verse," they have sought to build new worlds to immerse
        audiences in a web of animated adventure.
        
        "We wanted each one to look very distinctive and have their
        own aesthetic," Miller told Reuters ahead of the film's opening
        on Friday. "So that was a really fun opportunity to tell a story
        where you get to go to all these places and see these worlds
        you've never seen before and give the audience something they've
        never experienced."
        
        The movie traces the journey of teenager Miles Morales,
        voiced by Shameik Moore, embarking on a mission with love
        interest Gwen Stacy, voiced by Hailee Steinfeld, to save the
        Spider-People in every universe from catastrophe.
        
        The animation styles were influenced by the Miles Morales
        Marvel comic books created by Brian Michael Bendis and Sara
        Pichelli, and also incorporate a watercolor look often seen in
        cover art for comic book series Spider-Gwen.
        
        The voice cast includes Issa Rae as Spider-Woman, Oscar
        Isaac as Spider-Man 2099, Daniel Kaluuya as Spider-Punk and
        Brian Tyree Henry as Miles' father, Jefferson Davis.
        
        The theme? For people from all walks of life to
        unapologetically accept themselves.
        
        "With this story in particular, there are just so many
        grounded themes of just coming into your own, trusting yourself,
        learning yourself," Rae said.
        
        At the world premiere in Los Angeles on Tuesday, Henry told
        Reuters that there is a Spider-Man for anyone because heroes
        look like every sort of person from every background.
        
        The pre-pandemic "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" raked
        in over $35 million during its first three days of release and
        went on to win the 2019 Oscar for best animated feature film.
        
        Despite some concerns that those box-office-busting days are
        far from returning, the sequel is expected to bring in about
        $115.5 million over its first three days in the U.S. and Canada,
        according to a projection from the BoxOffice Pro website. Sony
        Pictures forecasts a lower debut of between $75 million and $85
        million.
        
        For many film critics, this new superhero movie has all the
        makings of a box office success.
        
        Early feedback from review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes gave
        the film a 95% on the Tomatometer.
        
        "This feels like it could have been the first movie designed
        to earn a thumbs up from Andy Warhol and Stephen Hawking," Owen
        Gleiberman of Variety wrote.