Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse‘s Chris Miller & Phil Lord talk raising the bar on animation yet again, as well as new challenges.
Chris Miller and Phil Lord are legends in the Entertainment industry. They are known for their work on many series and films, however with Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse finally coming to theaters, let’s talk about this one.
This movie takes the bar that was already raised with Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, and raises it yet again. In this interview Chris Miller and Phil Lord discuss the challenges they came across, bringing in diversity, as well as Easter Eggs and cameos.
Spider-Man (Shamiek Moore) in Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation’s SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE.
Chris Miller & Phil Lord Talk Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse
Chris Miller confesses that Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse was a big challenge for them. “Obviously, the first film was beloved and was innovative and changed things. And we didn’t want to follow up with a sequel that was just more of the same, because we wanted to give the audience the same sense of surprise and delight, and go on on a new emotional journey with Miles.”
Because of this they knew they had to do something new and special. The pressure was felt by the entire crew working on the film. “Everyone wanted to take what we learned making the first movie and build on that to do something wholly original and so that’s why it took so long. It took us four and a half years to get this thing done because it’s such an ambitious movie. It’s trying to be something you’ve never seen before. Trying to amaze from a visual cinematic language, but also to be really compelling on a story level. It took a lot of really smart people working really hard for a very long time to pull it off.”
SPIDER-MAN™: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE
When it comes to cameos and Easter Eggs, just from the trailers it is clear there is going to be a lot of them in the film. When asked about them, both Chris Miller and Phil Lord were cautious, so as to not ruin any big surprises.
Phil says “there’s a bunch of delightful cameos that we can’t spoil” before revealing that their friend Taran Killam gets to play Webslinger in the film. This is a fun fact because he writes the Webslinger comic books so getting to voice him is really cool. Chris says that Metro Boomin makes his animated acting debut in Across The Spider-Verse and is also responsible for the beautiful soundtrack that really captures the feelings of the film.
SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE
Phil Lord says that what makes Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse so special is the combination of diversity, stunning visuals, and emotion. “When you add those things up together, it’s the value of any individual and their specific way that they are and the way that they choose to live has so much importance. Every step of this movie we were trying to express the critical importance of a single human creative thought.”
This is why every universe looks like a different comic book, and every character appears to be drawn by and designed by a singular artist. Phil also reveals that an early title for the very first Spider-Man movie was The Singular Spider-Man, which he admits would never have worked.
But that the meaning behind that is that each one of us is unique, and that uniqueness is critical to the larger group. “Each of these characters are standing next to each other, and they’re all drawn differently, and they all have different experiences. And yet, they are trying to form a team. That is really beautiful.”
Be sure to watch the full interview video above for tons more Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse behind the scenes details from writers Chris Miller and Phil Lord. The movie swings into theaters on June 2nd and you don’t want to miss it.
NEXT: Shameik Moore & Hailee Steinfeld Talk Returning in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
About Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Miles Morales returns for the next chapter of the Oscar®-winning Spider-Verse saga, Spider-Man™: Across the Spider-Verse. After reuniting with Gwen Stacy, Brooklyn’s full-time, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is catapulted across the Multiverse, where he encounters the Spider Society, a team of Spider-People charged with protecting the Multiverse’s very existence.
But when the heroes clash on how to handle a new threat, Miles finds himself pitted against the other Spiders and must set out on his own to save those he loves most. Anyone can wear the mask – it’s how you wear it that makes you a hero.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse swings into theaters June 2nd.
Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. She is also a Freelance Writer. Tessa has been in the Entertainment writing business for almost ten years and is a member of several Critics Associations including the Critics Choice Association, Hollywood Critics Association, and the Greater Western New York Film Critics Association.