Nearly 5 years after the release of its predecessor, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, the highly anticipated sequel to 2018’s Into the Spider-Verse, is about to finally hit theaters. And at this point, it should go without saying that the new movie has some very big web-patterned shoes to fill.
In the years since its release, Into the Spider-Verse has been hailed by fans and critics alike as a true masterpiece: not just one of the greatest superhero films ever made, but one of the greatest animated films as well. Any sequel to a massively successful movie has a high bar to meet by default, but infinitely more so when that sequel is following a film that’s considered one of the very best works in both its genre and its medium. But while living up to the standard set by Into the Spider-Verse may seem like an impossible task, there are a few key ways that Across the Spider-Verse can succeed in this endeavor.
Bring Something New to the Table
One critical task for any sequel is to avoid feeling like a rehash of the original. It’s not enough to repeat what the last installment did right — a good sequel needs to bring new elements into play in order to keep things fresh. It needs to strike a tricky balance between following in the footsteps of the original and being a distinct story. After all, if a sequel merely follows in the footsteps of its predecessor without branching out, then what’s the point in making a sequel at all?
Thankfully, it already seems like Across the Spider-Verse has gone a long way to fulfill this task. Even just judging by the trailers, the new film clearly has plenty of new tricks up its sleeve. Instead of the small, close-knit team of the first movie, there’s a veritable army of new Spiders in the mix, including Jessica Drew, Pavitr Prabhakar, Spider-Punk, and of course Miguel O’Hara, the Spider-Man of 2099 (voiced by Oscar Isaac of Dune, Moon Knight, and Star Wars fame).
Then there’s the film’s new villain — the Spot, voiced by Jason Schwartzman (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World). While he’s initially presented as a non-threatening comic relief character like his comic book counterpart, the trailers imply that he’ll become a threat to the entire multiverse. In general, the sequel’s story appears to have a much grander scale than that of Into the Spider-Verse. Rather than all the multiversal conflict encroaching on Miles’ home, he’ll be the one traveling through multiple universes on his most perilous journey yet.
Keep the Main Cast in Focus
But while higher stakes and added spectacle may help distinguish Across the Spider-Verse from its predecessor, they mustn’t distract from what’s truly important: the main characters of the story. With any film that boasts such a massive cast, it’s easy for the main protagonists to get lost in the shuffle. However, one of the greatest strengths of Into the Spider-Verse was how it managed to ground its story through the personal struggles of Miles Morales. In order for the sequel to prevail, it must do the same.
While the promise of new characters like Spider-Man 2099 or Scarlet Spider may excite fans, it’s crucial for the story to remain centered around the main trio of Miles, Peter, and Gwen. They were the most important characters in the previous film, and thus the story of the sequel needs to progress their character arcs — not just bring them back for more adventures, but advance their growth and develop them even further.
The characters are the heart of any story, and Across the Spider-Verse has any chance of succeeding, it needs to do its main cast justice. Granted, keeping an epic multiverse-spanning narrative focused squarely on the main characters and their development is a tall task for any film. But if Spider-Man: No Way Home could pull it off, then Across the Spider-Verse certainly can too.
Create New Iconic Moments
Of course, characters and story are all well and good, but they alone aren’t enough to elevate a film to the status that Into the Spider-Verse has achieved. It also has style — a distinct artistic flair that lends the film’s biggest plot beats even more impact. It’s that synthesis of clever scripting and eye-popping visuals that gave rise to such unforgettable moments as the frantic chase through Alchemax, Uncle Aaron’s tragic death, or Miles’ awe-inspiring “Leap of Faith” scene. It’s moments like these that embed themselves in the minds of viewers forever, cementing it as a modern classic.
If Across the Spider-Verse is to have any hope of matching its predecessor, it needs to create its own set of memorable sequences: new thrilling action setpieces, new dramatic emotional beats, and new climactic turning points that will get the audience cheering. It’s not enough to just play the hits and reuse “What’s Up Danger” — it’s a brand-new story, and thus needs to produce its own defining moments. Of course, creating a truly iconic movie scene is no mean feat. But if Across the Spider-Verse even comes close to replicating the enduring appeal of the original film’s greatest moments, then it will truly prove itself as a worthy sequel to Into the Spider-Verse.