A new short from Sony Pictures will bring Miles Morales back for his first appearance after Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.
Miles is currently taking his latest victory lap thanks to the incredible success that Spider-Verse 2 is earning, already outgrossing the box office totals of its predecessor, Into the Spider-Verse, in just over a week on the big screen.
And with 2024's Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse already looking to ramp up the excitement in record-breaking fashion, many are already anxious to see new Miles Morales material sooner rather than later.
Miles Morales' Next Appearance Confirmed
Sony Pictures (via The Wrap) shared the first look at a new short called The Spider Within, which will revisit the Miles Morales fans know from the Spider-Verse movies.
Miles is seen in his childhood bedroom sitting on the window sill, although there are no signs of his Spider gear anywhere around him in this moment.
Also included was the first image of the title card for The Spider Within, which uses the same text that both Into the Spider-Verse and Across the Spider-Verse utilize.
Director Jarelle Dampier loved the idea of putting Miles in a horror setting, calling the genre "the perfect envelope to give great messages out" for younger viewers as it highlights a character "that kids really love:"
"My favorite genre is horror. I think it’s the perfect envelope to give great messages out, especially to younger audiences, and I think it’s something that we’ve kind of shied away from for a long time. But I think if you take a character that kids really love and you put that character in a thrilling situation, I think they get a lot out of it. I say kids, but really I’m talking about all of us. I’m talking about the kid inside of us, you know what I mean? The ability to use something scary with something we love, I think that’s the combination to landing the points, sticking the landing in the film."
Dampier also praised Spider-Verse 2 producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller for their support of his work, as they made it clear that he didn't have to take their notes on it fully to heart after they watched his work:
"There was a screening for Phil [Lord] and Chris [Miller], writers and producers of the franchise] and they loved it. Prior to that, I had not worked with Phil and Chris, but I just heard that they might not love a lot of things that they see right off the bat. So the fact that they loved the short, it was flattering. It was an honor for me. Even when they gave me notes, they were very like, 'You don’t have to do these notes, but if you’d like to, here’s our thoughts.' They were amazing notes. Yeah, I don’t know. I was just so fortunate. But there was never a moment where anyone strongly disagreed with the short or thought that it should change at a fundamental level, and that’s what I loved. I feel like that vision remained the same."
When asked when it takes place in relation to Spider-Verse 2, he wouldn't reveal anything yet, although he confirmed that there are "several Easter eggs" in the short that confirm that answer:
"That’s an interesting theory. I will say that I would love to be able to answer that question, but I think I want to wait a little bit. I will say that there are several Easter eggs inside of the short."
There's also no set release date for this short just yet, although Dampier remains "excited about the possibilities" that it will open up:
"I don’t know yet, officially. I don’t know, really. I’m excited about the possibilities, and I know that there’s some things being talked about, but I know about as much as you know."
What Will Miles Morales' Next Appearance Deliver?
With not much information available on The Spider Within, especially with regards to where it fits in the grand Spider-Verse timeline, it's difficult to predict exactly what will happen when Miles Morales jumps back into action.
Miles being in his room seems to suggest that it will take place either before the newly-released sequel or early in its plot before things go truly crazy, but as mentioned, the lack of Spider-gear in the image leaves the timeline wide open.
This short will also help bridge the gap between Spider-Verse 2 and Spider-Verse 3, which already has fans deep in discussion about how it could change the game for animation once again.
And considering how the first two movies earned such high praise universally from most sources, this new short should be high on fans' wishlists while they wait for more information to become available.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is now playing in theaters worldwide.
