As one of the most popular superheroes in the zeitgeist, Spider-Man has been the star of of a plethora of feature films since the turn of the century. Some of those are among the best the genre has to offer. Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 2 is still considered one of the strongest comic book adaptations more than two decades later. Spider-Man: No Way Home brilliantly blends multiple eras of Spider-Man film industry to give the Marvel Cinematic Universe one of its biggest highlights. The character’s cinematic legacy extends to the animation realm as well, as Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is arguably one of the best films of the 2010s. Several years after its premiere, it’s become a major hit on Netflix.
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For the week of December 29, 2025 to January 4th, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse was the No. 2 film on Netflix. It trailed only Evil Influencer: The Jodi Hildebrandt Story on the streamer’s top 10 chart. Into the Spider-Verse was a surprise addition to Netflix in late December, and fans made a point to add it to their watchlists. The continued success of the Spider-Verse franchise is a great sign, since the series isn’t showing any signs of slowing down.
The Spider-Verse Trilogy Will Finally Conclude Next Year
After receiving widespread critical acclaim (including an Oscar win for Best Animated Feature) and earning $394.8 million at the worldwide box office, Into the Spider-Verse received a sequel in the form of 2023’s Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Similar to its predecessor, Across the Spider-Verse was a well-received commercial hit, but it also ended on a captivating cliffhanger that revealed Miles Morales was trapped in the wrong universe. It’s been a long wait for that lingering thread to be resolved. At one point, threequel Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse was scheduled for 2024, but after numerous delays, it’s now slated to premiere in June 2027.
Whether or not the mainline Spider-Verse series continues after Beyond the Spider-Verse remains to be seen, but the franchise is looking to expand with spinoffs. There’s a movie about Daniel Kaluuya’s Spider-Punk in development, for instance. Years ago, there was talk of a film for Spider-Gwen and possible Spider-Verse TV shows, so it’ll be fascinating to see how the IP evolves over the next handful of years. As one of the most reliable franchises Sony has under its roof, there will probably be much interest in continuing Spider-Verse for as long as it can go.
It’s funny to think about now, but there was a time when some people were skeptical of Into the Spider-Verse. It was fair to wonder if there was a place for a feature-length animated Spider-Man film series while the live-action movies were still going strong. But in classic Phil Lord and Chris Miller fashion, Into the Spider-Verse was a questionable idea that turned into something special. The film boasted an incredible sense of heart and creativity, impressing viewers with its stunning visual style and emotional story. Releasing amidst countless other superhero films in the 2010s, Into the Spider-Verse stood out and showcased the possibilities of fully embracing a different medium, and now it’s impossible to think about comic book adaptations without it.
Considering Into the Spider-Verse‘s sterling reputation, it isn’t surprising that it’s a sizable draw on Netflix. The film set an incredibly high bar for not just its follow-ups, but superhero movies as a whole. Fortunately, Across the Spider-Verse proved to be a worthy successor, and the hope is Beyond the Spider-Verse will bring the trilogy to a compelling close next year. The creative team behind these films are committed to making the best movies possible, and their passion for the material is evident when watching them. As fans wait for new updates about Beyond the Spider-Verse, rewatching the film that started it all is a great way to pass the time.
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Image Courtesy of Marvel Comics
