The surprising success of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse back in 2018 led to the highly-anticipated announcement of its sequel, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. While the Oscar-winning film has been delayed until 2023, more concrete details have slowly been revealed, mainly focused on its story and stacked cast. Shameik Moore's Miles Morales and Hailee Steinfeld's Gwen Stacy are both set to reunite against numerous villains, with a scary new foe named The Spot being one of them.
Based on the sequel's title, a previous report revealed that Across the Spider-Verse will feature "240 characters" and "takes place in 6 universes." The scope is much larger than the first film, considering that its predecessor was only set on Miles Morales' Earth.
Even though the film is a year away, a significant update emerged online.
Spider-Verse 2 Adds Vulture & Captain Stacy
Sony Pictures Animation officially revealed new casting and plot details for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse during the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in France.
The studio confirmed that Jorma Taccone is the voice of The Vulture, with the villain being described as an "anachronistic" version of the character. Alongside Taccone, Shea Whigham is also part of the upcoming sequel as Captain George Stacy, the father of Hailee Steinfeld's Gwen, and is being described as a "by the books cop."
Taccone and Wingman join already-confirmed cast members Oscar Isaac (Spider-Man 2099), Issa Rae (Jessica Drew aka Spider-Woman), and Shameik Moore (Miles Morales).
Alongside the cast reveal, Sony Pictures also unveiled a brand-new clip for Across the Spider-Verse, showcasing what's in store in the sequel.
In the clip, Captain Stacy responds to a disturbance at the Guggenheim Museum. Gwen beats her dad to the scene, leading to a fateful encounter with new faces, namely Taccone's Vulture, Spider-Man 2099, and a pregnant Jessica Drew/Spider-Woman.
The crowd at the Annecy Festival was also shown a glimpse of Gwen Stacy's world, Earth-65. The official description described the setting as "beautiful, think watercolors, layered brushstrokes, and paper textures."
An official look at Spider-Man 2099 was revealed alongside a detailed character description. In the film, Oscar Isaac's Miguel O'Hara wasn't bitten by a radioactive bug and doesn't have Spidey Sense. However, his advanced tech and his own prowess allow him to have super strength, wall-climbing claws, a giant laser web, and a flying wing-suit.
Meanwhile, Jessica Drew's Spider-Woman was described as a "certified badass."
Spider-Verse 2's Dimension-Hopping Story
The "anachronistic" description of this new Vulture portrayed by Jorma Taccone could hint that this villain is potentially inspired by Noir Vulture. This terrifying iteration comes from the Noir universe, the world where Spider-Man Noir (Nicolas Cage) resides. Taccone's extensive background in comedy may hint that his Vulture will be a funny yet menacing foe.
Given that the clip is set on Spider-Gwen's Earth, it's possible that the Multiversal shenanigans of the sequel possibly transported Noir Vulture into a different world, leading to the disturbance at Guggenheim Museum. This could also explain why Spider-Man 2099 and Spider-Woman are present in the scene, meaning that the pair could've followed Noir Vulture into Spider-Gwen's world.
Meanwhile, a pregnant Jessica Drew could present complicated situations for Team Spider-Man. Spider-Woman could end up being the one who will be protected by the entire team from different villains across a plethora of dimensions, considering that their enemies will likely target her.
It is unknown if the clip will be shown to the public, but a new trailer could arrive in the coming months to boost anticipation for the animated sequel.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse swings into theaters on June 2, 2023.
