If you like your Spider-Man movies to be as jam-packed with Spider-People as possible, then Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse is the superhero movie for you. The Phil Lord and Chris Miller-produced animation cracks open a multi-verse of web-slingers to bring several incarnations side by side, from protagonist Miles Morales, to an over-the-hill Peter Parker, Spider-Gwen, and the anime-styled Peni Parker. But while the film nods heavily towards the Sam Raimi Spider-Man movies in its Peter Parker segments, it doesn’t draw any explicit connections to the current big-screen live-action Spider-Man, played by Tom Holland in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
With a sequel on the way and Into The Spider-Verse proving a huge hit in its opening weekend, it’s not out of the question that Holland’s Spider-Man could find his way into the Spider-Verse in future installments. Speaking to Empire for an Into The Spider-Verse spoiler special Empire Podcast, Lord and Miller teased the possibility of the MCU’s Spider-Man becoming a presence in future animations. “Nothing is off limits,” the filmmakers said when asked if Holland is out of bounds. “The beauty of the multi-verse is that literally anything is possible, any variation you can think of. We'd like to think that all of these movies and worlds can exist in parallel, and you know, we'll see what happens.”
Sony currently holds the film rights to Spider-Man, working in conjunction with Marvel Studios to bring Holland into the MCU. Sony’s Venom doesn’t take place in the shared universe, and Into The Spider-Verse, from Sony Pictures Animation, is off in a different parallel dimension. Spider-Verse is already confirmed for a sequel, with a Spider-Gwen spin-off also in the works.
Listen to the full Spider-Verse interview with Lord and Miller, talking the film’s secrets and spoilers in full detail, on the Empire Podcast soon. Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse is in UK cinemas now.
Keep up to date with all the latest movie news, click here to subscribe to Empire on Great Magazines and have the latest issue delivered to your door every month.