Why Sony's Animated Spider-Man Movie Should Star Miles Morales

Spider-Man is getting ready to makes his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in Captain America: Civil War, but that's not the only big-screen action the Wall-Crawler is getting. Sony is also planning an animated Spider-Man movie for 2018, with The LEGO Movie directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller attached.

Details about the film are scarce, but this could be an opportunity to bring a different Spider-Man to the big screen. While many Spider-Man fans are happy to see Peter Parker appearing in the Marvel Studios movies, a significant segment of fandom considers it a missed opportunity to bring the fan favorite "Ultimate Spider-Man," Miles Morales, into the MCU. Perhaps the animated Spider-Man movie is a way for Marvel and Sony to have it both ways.

Morales has already appeared in animated form, as part of Ultimate Spider-Man: Web Warriors on Disney XD. He's voiced by Donald Glover (Community), who had previously stated that he would like to play Spider-Man on screen. It would be possible to grant Glover his wish, in a fashion, by allowing him to voice Morales in an animated film. Considering how Sony and Disney have begun working together on Spider-Man, it's possible to imagine the animated feature even taking place in Morales' corner of the multiverse established in Web Warriors.

Having an animated Spider-Man that's different from the live action one might also help prevent confusion when it comes to what is or isn't MCU canon. By placing Parker in live action and Morales in animated, it is clear that that the animated film isn't interfering with the Peter Parker story being told in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Last and most importantly, Morales would provide some much needed representation in superhero cinema. Marvel Studios' entire superhero catalogue has been white so far. Yes, the Falcon had a major role in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, War Machine/Iron Patriot played a crucial part in the Iron Man trilogy, and Black Panther has his own movie coming up, but Marvel and Sony could stand to do more. An animated feature would be just one small step further in diversifying our screen heroes.

Do you want Marvel's animated Spider-Man film to star Miles Morales? Let us know in the comments.

The animated Spider-Man movie is planned for 2018. And to see when Peter Parker hits the big screen in Civil War and his upcoming solo adventure, head to ComicBook.com's Comic Book Movie Release Schedule.