Production is in full swing on Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse 2, and the sequel faces a tough task in living up the lofty expectations that surround it. Not only was the first installment a critical and commercial smash hit that snagged the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, but it’s also widely regarded as one of the greatest comic book adaptations ever made.
The bar will need to be raised significantly to ensure that the second chapter manages to outdo the opener in every conceivable way, from concept through to execution. And a combination of teases, rumor, and speculation may have hinted at any number of potential Spidey cameos.
Oscar Isaac’s Spider-Man 2099 will no doubt have a bigger part to play, while a lot of folks would love Nicolas Cage’s Spider-Man Noir to return. On top of that, we’ve heard about the possibility of 1990s favorite Christopher Daniel Barnes being welcomed back into the fold and the debut of Spider-Man India Pavitr Prabhakar.
It was only a few weeks ago that Jake Johnson revealed he was negotiating a deal to return as washed-up web-slinger Peter B. Parker, but based on his latest comments in a podcast interview, it doesn’t sound as though his contract is signed, sealed, and delivered just yet.
“I’ll be pretty heartbroken if I don’t get to play Peter B. Parker again. He’s a character who I don’t think his story’s over. I would like to know what happens to him.”
So far, the only names confirmed for Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse 2 are Shameik Moore’s Miles Morales, Hailee Steinfeld’s Gwen Stacy, and Issa Rae’s Jessica Drew. But looking at the sprawling ensemble that was gathered last time out, it should hopefully be safe to assume that Johnson’s return is a mere formality at this stage, with a raft of new additions expected to follow shortly afterwards.