Netflix Superhero Epic Finally Gets The Multiverse Right

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse catches up with Morales once again, who has become more confident in his superhero persona. However, balancing the academic and social obligations of high school with superhero duties isn’t all that easy, especially since he’s still dealing with the grief over his uncle’s death.

However, the movie also centers on Spider-Woman, who becomes a member of an interdimensional team of Spider-Persons, which eventually leads her back to Miles Morales.

This all seems just like another typical multiverse movie in which the main hero meets other versions of themselves and battles multiversal threats—which is a cruel joke now that Disney has milked that particular trope dry.

However, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is different, as it uses the concept of the multiverse in such a thoughtful way that it’s actually refreshing—but also points out the limitations of the live-action format.

Namely, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is filled to the brim with different Marvel properties, but each one is done in a different art style, which brings novelty to the movie by blending animation with live action, 2D cartoons, comic book art, collage, watercolor, and even 8-bit sprites and Legos.

In other words, it carries over the inherent uniqueness of each character from their respective universe into other universes, providing a rather entertaining and aesthetically pleasing viewing experience.

This approach brings out something rather interesting: all Spider-Persons have experienced more or less the same basic life events that have been part of Peter Parker’s life.

But, by pointing out different portrayals and art styles, these small deviations to the Peter Parker/Spider-Man recipe make each character more meaningful and unique, and not just another Spider-Men variant.

And it worked; Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse has an approval rating of 95 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, which is quite an achievement, especially considering the state of Marvel’s other properties at the time.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse was a massive success; not only did it receive critical acclaim, but it grossed more than $690 million worldwide on a budget of $150 million. It won the Best Animated Feature award at the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards, Annie Awards, and Producers Guild of America Awards, and it received the same nominations at the Golden Globe Awards, BAFTA Awards, and Academy Awards.

It went on to become the third highest-grossing movie of 2023 in the US and the highest-grossing movie produced by Sony Pictures Animation.

Ultimately, its narrative has carefully laid the foundations for the upcoming third and final installment in the trilogy, Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, with a Spider-Woman spin-off in development. Those interested in watching Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse can watch the movie on Netflix.