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‘21 Jump Street’ duo Phil Lord and Chris Miller reunite as writers and producers on – yes – another movie version of ‘Spider-Man’: ’Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’. But as they explain, this riotous animation is unlike any Spidey flick we’ve seen.
1. It’s not so much about Peter Parker
This time Peter Parker takes a back seat as Brooklyn teen Miles Morales gets into the suit. ‘Miles is a regular nerdy kid from a lower-middle-class family,’ says Miller. ‘His story is inspiring and inclusive. It feels like the contemporary version of the [original] Stan Lee and Steve Ditko Spider-Man.’
Sony Pictures Animation
2. It’s partly voiced by Nicolas Cage
Comic-book superfan Nicolas Cage lends his growly tones to Spider-Man Noir. ‘He’s a world-weary guy trapped in a world of puns,’ explains Lord. The hard-bitten superhero is part of the posse of Spider-people who team up to help Miles tackle the evil kingpin.
3. It’s got a killer soundtrack
No effort was spared to provide a banging soundtrack for Spidey to swing to. ‘We had a DJ mix four hip hop tracks for one sequence,’ says Lord. ‘It was a pain in the butt!’
4. It features a superpig…
Yes, you read that right. ‘Into the Spider-Verse’ sees the debut of Spider-Ham, a Marvel hero that Lord and Miller both devoured as kids. ‘We love Ham,’ says Miller. ‘This movie is inclusive – even to pigs.’ Look out for an unlikely #spidergoals bromance with Spider-Man Noir. ‘One of the co-directors was obsessed with putting them next to each other,’ says Miller.
Sony Pictures Animation
5. …and a Banksy joke
Sneaky art ninja Banksy is the subject of an unexpected sight gag in the movie when alternative universes open over New York. ‘That joke predates the art-shredding,’ notes Miller. ‘Somehow we have a Banksy joke that works with a general audience,’ adds Lord.
6. It’s full of bonkers visuals
‘My hope is that we’ll look back on this movie in ten years and go “Oh, that’s quaint,”’ says Lord. It’s pretty unlikely – not least with multiple styles of animation sharing the frame. ‘There’s anime, cartoony [style] and a black-and-white noir thing,’ says Miller. ‘It’s pretty mind-melting. It felt inspiring to do.’