If there were ever a sign to go see Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse on the big screen, this is it. Although it only released today, June 2, the Sony Pictures animated sequel is already garnering praise, and the reviews are gushing about everything from the animation and creativity to the voice performances and inclusivity. Already, having an Afro-Latino superhero in Miles Morales at the helm of the planned trilogy is enough representation in itself, but Across the Spider-Verse takes it a step further, including almost every minority group in some capacity.
Audiences are calling it one of the greatest accomplishments in animation history, which is a bold statement, considering it’s still early days. When we consider other triumphs in animation, Disney projects, or anime, that’s some stiff competition for Across the Spider-Verse, but everyone seems certain Sony Pictures outdid themselves with this one.
All over social media, Spider-Man fans are gushing about the continuation of Miles Morales’ adventure. From comments such as “perfect doesn’t begin to describe,” and “my heart and soul feel moved,” it’s easy to tell that this story is one for the ages — not to be compared unfavorably to its predecessor, which was also a complete win for animation.
It might have been five long years of waiting, but it sounds like the sequel couldn’t have been more worth it. It’s rare nowadays for a sequel to be just as good — if not better — than the original, but there’s always that one in a million, and it seems Across the Spider-Verse is it. We’re not surprised that Shameik Moore and Hailee Steinfeld are receiving an abundance of love for their portrayals of Miles and Gwen Stacy, respectively.
And then, there’s the matter of representation. Even from trailers, we saw that Miles entered the vast Spider-Verse, which sees all manner of Spider-People — Black, white, Asian, disabled, LGBTQ+ or whatever they may be — living as a huge society. We saw the internet lose their minds over Sun-Spider, a Spider-Person who uses crutches to get around, so we can’t even imagine how many more Spider-People exist to represent minority groups.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is showing in theaters now.