Considered a benchmark superhero movie for its effective use of the multiverse narrative and breathtaking animation, “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” grossed over $375 million when it debuted in the winter of 2018. The film served as a solid first entry in what has become one of Sony’s biggest crown jewels, and, after years of anticipation, the studio debuted “Across the Spider-Verse” in 2023. The sequel brought in over $690 million worldwide, making it one of the highest-grossing films of that summer. Filled with tons of cameos that even longtime fans might have missed, the sequel is nothing short of a massive hit. It made over $325 million in profit for Sony, proving once again that “Spider-Man” can succeed in the medium of animation.
Unfortunately, the sequel didn’t win an Oscar like the original, losing out to Studio Ghibli’s “The Boy and the Heron.” Now, all eyes are on “Beyond the Spider-Verse,” which was initially supposed to hit theaters on March 29, 2024. As of this writing, the threequel doesn’t have a release date and has been removed entirely from Sony’s slate. The picture was delayed thanks in part to the Hollywood strikes in 2023, which prohibited the film’s actors from performing their lines and writers from working on the script. Beyond that, the working conditions on “Across the Spider-Verse” were notably criticized by animators, which might have compelled the studio and filmmakers to take a step back and focus on worker priorities.
Unfortunately, it’s unclear when “Beyond the Spider-Verse” will debut, but if it holds up to the first two films, it could emerge as another entry on the Rotten Tomatoes list.
