You know, I think I’m excited for Spider-Man: No Way Home? I’ve already discussed how the first trailer left me kind of befuddled and underwhelmed, and now that I’ve seen another trailer for it which features shots of Spidey’s other baddies in the movie, I’ve warmed up to it a little bit more. But you know what Marvel movie I’m SUPER psyched about? Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse 2! Or, more properly known as Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Part 1) PART 1!!
Ok, sorry for screaming, but you have no idea how much I love the first movie, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. No idea. I have probably seen it more times than any other movie (well, besides Big Trouble in Little China), and you know what? I’m not mad at that fact.
It’s mostly because it’s my son’s favorite movie, and for a time, we watched the movie literally every single day once it came to Netflix. And once it left Netflix, we watched it some more on other streaming platforms. Hell, I even bought it one day when we couldn’t find it on any of the streaming platforms. And I don’t regret it one bit! I’m semi-excited for Spider-Man: No Way Home, but I’m MEGA EXCITED for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Part 1), and I have five reasons why.
I Don't Have To Be Worried If Other Spider-People Will Show Up Or Not Since I Already Know That They Will
Will Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire appear in Spider-Man: No Way Home? Well, maybe? Possibly. Sure, why not? Anything is possible. But, how are you going to feel if they DON’T show up? Are you going to be upset? Feel cheated? I’m sure many people will feel that way if they aren’t there since the rumor for months now has pretty much felt like a certainty that all three live-action Spider-Men will make an appearance in this film.
That said, none of that has been promised. Yes, we are getting villains from the other Spider-Man movies for certain, and it would make sense for Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Men to appear in this film, but they very well might not!
But I don’t have to worry about any of that in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Part 1). I already know I’m definitely getting Spider-Gwen again since she’s in the brand-new trailer, and I also know that Spider-Man 2099 (voiced by Oscar Isaac) will have a role in the film. We also know from an article in The Hollywood Reporter that Issa Rae will voice Jessica Drew, aka Spider-Woman, and in July 2021, Jake Johnson revealed that he was in the process of working on a deal to come back as Peter B. Parker. So honestly, I’m good. I have all the Spider-people that I could possibly ask for with Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse 2.
Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse Is My Favorite Spider-Man Movie Of All Time
I don’t think I have to argue this point all that hard since Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is the only Spider-Man movie to ever win an Oscar that was not for visual effects (It even freaking beat out a Pixar movie for crying out loud), but Into the Spider-Verse is the best Spider-Man movie ever. Okay, maybe that’s overly subjective, but I’m definitely not alone when I say that it’s my favorite.
And how can I not love this movie? There’s the style, the story, the sense of humor. It’s all unparalleled compared to other Spider-Man movies. Despite how funny the MCU is trying to make the current Spider-Man movies out to be, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is just head and shoulders better in every regard when it comes to the humor.
And while I'm anticipating seeing what Tom Holland’s Spider-Man will come up against next in Spider-Man: No Way Home, what I really want to know is what Gwen wants to tell Miles, and how he gets jettisoned off into the year 2099. That’s the storyline that I really want to follow.
There Is No Need To Connect It To Other Marvel Titles, So It Can Be A More Self-Contained Story
One of the reasons why I’m less than excited for Spider-Man: No Way Home is because of Dr. Strange. Now, don’t get me wrong. I love Dr. Strange, and I love Benedict Cumberbatch. That said, I kind of wish we didn’t have a connection to the rest of the MCU with this movie. Which is weird, right? The whole appeal of the MCU is that all of these characters are interconnected, just like the comics.
Even so, the MCU Spider-Man hasn’t really had an adventure all on his own yet since he’s always had either Iron Man, or the memory of Iron Man, and now, ostensibly, Dr. Strange helping him along, and it all connects to the overarching story of the MCU.
I don’t have that problem with Across the Spider-Verse. Could there be a connection to the MCU? Possibly. I mean, Venom did it, so there’s no saying that it can’t happen. But if this new movie is anything like the first movie (and I’m hoping that it is), I think I can depend on it being a more self-contained story within this universe that doesn’t have to connect to Dr. Strange, and for that, I’m thankful.
I Love Tom Holland, But I Still Prefer Miles To The MCU's Peter Parker
I do love Tom Holland (Though, he’s not my favorite live-action Spider-Man), as I think he’s a pretty good blend of the dorky Peter Parker, but also the wise-cracking Spider-Man. I enjoyed him in the first two movies, and I don’t see why I won’t also enjoy him in No Way Home. I do think it was kind of annoying in the first trailer how he wouldn’t shut up during Dr. Strange’s spell, but I suppose that aligns with his character in the other movies, so I can’t hate on it too much.
But I don’t hate on Miles Morales at all. In fact, aside from Jake Johnson, who plays my favorite cinematic Peter Parker, Miles Morales is my favorite cinematic Spider-Man, period. I just love everything about him. I find his awkwardness a lot more charming than Peter Parker’s, and I love his constant determination to prove himself. Unlike Tom Holland’s Peter Parker, who feels like the eternal apprentice, Miles Morales rose to greatness on his own out of necessity, and actually taught the teachers a lesson. How can you hate on that?
If It's Similar To The First Movie, Then I Can Take My Young Son To See It, While I Definitely Can't Take Him To See No Way Home
Lastly, I want to take my son to see Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. When the first movie came out, I saw it alone in the theater first to see if it would be okay for my son, and when I walked out, I knew it was. My son is 4, going on 5 by the way, but there was nothing in the movie that I thought was too much for him.
The problem was, I never had time to take him to the theater, so we wound up watching it, endlessly, on TV. He knows the movie front to back, and when I showed him the new trailer, he freaked out.
That said, I wouldn’t take my son to see any of the live-action Marvel movies since there is some questionable content in those films for my little boy. It’s the same reason why my son can’t watch any of the live-action content on Disney+ when it comes to Marvel. He can only watch the Spider-Man cartoons. And when it comes to cartoons, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is the very best, so I can’t wait to finally get to take my son to see a new Spider-Man movie in the theater. We’re both so pumped!
And that’s the list. But what do you think? Are you as excited as I am for Into the Spider-Verse 2? For news on upcoming superhero movies, make sure to swing by here often.
