2023 Phase Zero MCU Preview: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

By Aaron Perine

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is finally coming to theaters this year. Miles Morales has become a massive fan-favorite after the success of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Comicbook.com's Phase Zero podcast has everything you need to know about the young hero's trip into the Multiverse on June 2, 2023. There have been two trailers that showed off more strange Spider-Man variants than you can shake a stick at. While Miles might have learned what it meant to be the "one and only Spider-Man last time out," something is threatening the fabric of time itself and he's going to find himself up against not only the villainous Spot, but other Spider-People in his quest to save his home and his friends. But, will this adventure bring the hero into the MCU proper? Let's talk about it!

Links to the podcast episode for downloading and subscribing can be found right here:

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(Photo: Sony Pictures Animation)

The Cast:

Delightfully, most of the main cast from the first movie is back for more in Across the Spider-Verse. Shameik Moore returns as Miles and at his side is MCU standout Hailee Steinfeld as Gwen Stacy. Crowd pleasing Dad Bod innovator Jake Johnson's Peter B. Parker also popped up in the most recent trailer with a new baby! Miles' parents are also here with Brian Tyree Henry as Jefferson Davis and Luna Lauren Velez as Rio Morales. (Mama Morales has the most emotional moment of the last trailer.)

But, this isn't a Spidey adventure unless we're introducing other characters too! Issa Rae races onto the scene as a pregnant version of Jessica Drew aka Spider-Woman. Daniel Kaluuya was signed on to be Spider-Punk. Of course, Oscar Issac brooded his way through the trailer as Miguel O'Hara aka Spider-Man 2099. However, he doesn't seem to be the real villain of this piece with Jason Schwartzman's Spot making a mess of the Multiverse. The Vulture is also there to be a thorn in the Spider-Mans' sides, played by Jorma Taccone.

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(Photo: Sony Pictures)

Required Watching Heading In:


You know the drill, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. And depending on what happens, maybe it's live-action counterpart Spider-Man: No Way Home for reasons we'll get into in just a second here….

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Required Reading:

The biggest thing here might be Spider-Verse (2014-15.) In this crossover event, many alternate Spider-Man variants try to stop Morlun from eliminating all kinds of Spider-People. (Morlun is complicated, don't expect to see Spider-Totems get name dropped. If that happens, whew, we're going to need another explainer. For now, Wiki's and video essays are your friend.)

So, that would be The Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 3) issues #9-#15, Two Spider-Verse issues from Volume 2. Namely, #1 and #2. Spider-Man 2099's book might be worth looking at from that year as well. Issues #6 through #8 could end up being a nice compliment as Miguel O'Hara is seen beating the snot out of Miles in the trailers. (Check out Spider-Woman volume 5 as well, the first four issues might help with Issa Rae's arc here too!)

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Rumors:

Well, this should be easy. The biggest rumors surrounding this movie series have been if and when Tom Holland's version of the hero turns up. This one is called Across the Spider-Verse and the sequel has already been titled Beyond the Spider-Verse. Implying there's something beyond these animated universes has fans salivating. Add in the fact that Holland's suit in Spider-Man: Far From Home is very similar to one of the spiders we see in the second trailer and the rumor mill is ablaze. We'll have to see.

Coming in second is: Will this be the way that Miles Morales ends up entering the MCU somehow. With the rumors swirling about Hollands involvement, and Sony having broken the seal on a live-action Spider-Verse with Spider-Man: No Way Home, it's fair game to wonder if this is going to be the case. At this point, it's not a reach to wonder about Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield either. With Marvel Studios chugging along towards Avengers: Secret Wars, fans no doubt remember that the Jonathan Hickman event ended with Morales being a part of the "main" Marvel continuity. With the fate of the Multiverse in the balance, a lot of critics see it as only a matter of time before Miles' Spider-Man is running around the MCU too.

How excited are you for the Spider-Verse sequel? Let us know what you think down in the comments!

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