Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse Producer Clarifies the 240 Unique Characters in the Film

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse producer Chris Miller wants to make it clear: the sequel to Into the Spider-Verse will not feature 240 characters that viewers will have to keep track of. Miller's partner Phil Lord made the numerical reference during Across the Spider-Verse's panel at CinemaCon 2022, when he talked about the massive undertaking for the movie, which required 1,000 people working on it: "We had to try and break new ground, so it's way bigger," Lord said on-stage. "The number of characters [is massive]. The first movie has 40. This one has 240 characters."

So what does it mean that Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse will have "240 characters"? According to a follow-up tweet by Chris Miller: "To clarify, amidst the universe-hopping there are 240 unique characters that had to be designed and modeled but they're mostly minor or background characters. The scale is grand, but the story is personal & centers on Miles and his family, along w/ Gwen and a handful of others".

Looking back from that perspective, Into the Spider-Verse had 40 characters which included all the major supporting or background characters in Brooklyn, NY, Miles Morales' school, Wilson Fisk's Alchemax company, etc. Across the Spider-Verse is apparently going to take the level of background characters involved and expand it exponentially. That's not exactly a surprise: the film is titled "Across the Spider-Verse" because (as the first teaser showed) that's exactly the journey that Miles Morales will be in for: visiting all kinds of other dimensions (6 different universes "so far" according to Miller), and the Spider-Man variants that belong to them. 

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(Photo: Sony Pictures)

ComicBook.com was at CinemaCon 2022 and got to see the new Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse footage. Check out the description, below: 

Earth-65. The Gwen Stacy Spider-Woman sneaks through the window of her apartment building. Her father, Captain George Stacy, is washing dishes. 'We caught a break in the Spider-Man case,'" he tells Gwen. A hostage situation at the Guggenheim museum interrupts. The Vulture! He speaks Italian in stylized subtitles, Da Vinci style. Gwen suits up and swings into action, quipping the Vulture is a 'Renaissance man.' Adrian Toomes has lethal claws, a 40-foot wingspan of razor blade sharp wings, and modern weaponry like drones. It's Spider-Gwen versus Vulture in the museum. Vulture pins Gwen and is about to cut her to shreds: 'This is THE dumbest way to die!'

Suddenly, a multiversal portal opens. A glowing red web shoots out. Out leaps Miguel O'Hara, the Spider-Man 2099 of Earth-298. Gwen asks if he's 'the Blue Panther.' No, but he's from another dimension. Gwen and Miguel double team attack Vulture. Miguel begrudgingly asks Lyla, his quirky virtual assistant, to send backup – he grumbles again, 'Call for backup!'

Jessica Drew, another Spider-Woman, rides out of the portal on a super-spy motorcycle. She wears a two-toned suit of red and black. Gwen notices her big belly – Jessica proudly says she's five months pregnant. Outside, Miguel wrestles with the Vulture up in the air. In shadow, he bares his fang-like teeth. They're interrupted by a police helicopter. The Vulture knocks it out of the sky.

The helicopter falls, tumbling down towards a crowd of onlookers below. Gwen, Miguel, and Jessica race into action – Gwen does a dazzling, dizzying move as she leaps over the chopper, spinning a web to catch the helicopter. Miguel and Jessica help slow its descent with webs – together, the trio catch the copter in a web just before it crushes the people below.

In the wreckage, Gwen stumbles – exhausted. She tries to catch her breath when a shadowy figure sneaks behind her. It's her father, gun drawn. 'You are under arrest for the murder of Peter Parker!'

Trapped, Gwen unmasks to reveal the shamed face of Gwen Stacy. "I thought about telling you," she says of her secret identity. About the late Peter Parker, "I didn't know it was him!"

'I'm not a murderer… I'm your daughter." Captain Stacy reads his daughter her rights. She's under arrest. Miguel saves Gwen — again — with a futuristic device that temporarily traps Captain Stacy in a force field bubble. Seeing she's upset, Jessica doesn't want to leave Gwen behind as Miguel opens a portal. Miguel gives Gwen a temporal wrist device. She looks at it, considers going with them – before she can make a decision, we cut to BROOKLYN. Earth-610. 

Miles Morales is Spidey-ing around and having a blast. But he's late. His parents meet with his guidance counselor. Miles has been missing classes but wants to attend a top physics program at Columbia University. Their quantum research is the key to figuring out how to open doors to other dimensions.

Something triggers his spider sense. Miles makes an excuse and rushes out. 'Your son is lying to you,' the guidance counselor tells Miles' mom. 'And I know you know it.'

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse stars Shameik Moore as Miles Morales / Spider-Man, Hailee Steinfeld as Gwen Stacy, Jake Johnson as Peter B. Parker, Oscar Isaac as Miguel O'Hara / Spider-Man 2099, and Issa Rae as the Jessica Drew Spider-Woman. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse will now hit theaters on June 2, 2023. 

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