'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse' Named Best Animated Film by New York Film Critics Circle

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is building immense amounts of positive buzz weeks before it even lands in theaters, with that positivity continuing as it was named the year's best animated movie by the New York Film Critics Circle, as covered by The Hollywood Reporter.

The superhero film faced stiff competition in the form of sequels The Incredibles 2 and Ralph Breaks the Internet, as well as films from acclaimed filmmakers such as Wes Anderson's Isle of Dogs and Nick Park's Early Man. The accolade doesn't come entirely as a surprise, with Into the Spider-Verse currently sitting at 100 percent positive reviews on aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes.

Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the creative minds behind The LEGO Movie and 21 Jump Street, bring their unique talents to a fresh vision of a different Spider-Man Universe, with a groundbreaking visual style that's the first of its kind. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse introduces Brooklyn teen Miles Morales, and the limitless possibilities of the Spider-Verse, where more than one can wear the mask.

With last year's Spider-Man: Homecoming becoming a massive hit, fans were apprehensive about accepting a film focusing not only on a Spider-Man who wasn't Peter Parker, but also hesitant about whether an animated adventure could match the excitement of a live-action film. Those worries were clearly for naught, with early reviews praising the humor, heart, and action of the new film.

Over at IndieWire, David Ehrlich wrote, "The film's wild and contradictory aesthetic - elements of which clash against each other like some kind of dissonant cartoon jazz - dazzlingly explodes the outmoded idea that superhero movies have to look a certain way."

USA Today's Brian Truitt gushed, "It's a slightly insane, hilariously daring and often touching mashup of everything that makes super-flicks so darn popular with the introduction of a Spider-Man who's ready-made for today's generation of kids."

While it's possible to feel overwhelmed by Sony delivering audiences too much Spider-Man content in recent years, some critics think Into the Spider-Verse finds ways to feel new and exciting.

The AV Club's Jesse Hassenger shared, "This is the seventh Spider-Man feature film in 16 years, but this universe has rarely felt so fresh."

Despite fans potentially feeling apprehension about the film, the studio clearly knew they had a hit on their hands, having confirmed earlier this week that not only would the film be getting a sequel, but also that spinoff was in the works.

Check out Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse when it lands in theaters on December 14th.

Are you surprised that the Spider-Man film beat out the animated competition? Let us know in the comments below!