Voltron Duo Tapped for Spider-Verse Sequel and Spinoff

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse hasn’t even opened yet and it’s already got a Spider-Verse sequel AND a spinoff in the works!

Announced today, Sony Picture Animation has greenlit a Spider-Verse sequel and spinoff, probably hoping to capitalize on the buzz around Into the Spider-Verse and the (apparently) unexpected popularity of the recent film Venom, based on an iconic Spider-Man villain.

Joaquim dos Santos, known for his work Netflix’s Voltron Legendary Defender as well the equally awesome Avatar: The Last Airbender, has been tapped to direct the sequel. There are no details yet (obviously, since the first one won’t be in theaters for another two weeks!), but allegedly crumbs are dropped in the upcoming film that may hint at what the sequel will entail.

David Callaham (The Expendables, Wonder Woman 1984, Zombieland 2) will pen the script.

Meanwhile, dos Santos’s VLD creative partner, Lauren Montgomery, is in talks to direct an as yet untitled spinoff set in the Spider-Verse and likely centered around the female Spider superheroes. The film will supposedly gather the Spider-ladies together for one epic adventure. Gwen Stacy (aka Spider-Gwen) appears in Into the Spider-Verse and is the most likely candidate for the main character, but there is also Spider-Woman, Spider-Girl, Madame Web, and Silk to consider.

Bek Smith (Zoo) is writing.

Amy Pascal, a producer for Spider-Verse as well as the live-action films, will return to produce both projects. Phil Lord and Chris Miller, as well as Avi Arad and Christina Steinberg, are all expected to be involved in some form or another.

I’m not going to lie. That’s a lot of Spider-Man, especially when you consider that the next Tom Holland as Spider-Man film, Far From Home, is due out next year. However, the Spider-Verse movies allow other characters a chance to shine. An entire series set around Miles Morales is a spectacular idea; don’t forget that when Sony announced they were rebooting the web-slinger (the first time), there was a big internet movement to shift away from Peter Parker and cast Donald Glover as Morales. While Glover did voice Morales on DisneyXD’s Ultimate Spider-Man, it’s long past time for a big-screen outing for this character.

Likewise, it’s time to put a spotlight on the ladies of the Spider-Verse. Gwen Stacy is a character in DisneyXD’s Marvel Rising franchise (as Ghost-Spider and not Spider-Gwen), but does a mainstream audience even know about Jessica Drew (Spider-Woman) or Cindy Moon (Silk)? Not to mention that superhero films are usually a testosterone fest. Wonder Woman and 2019’s Captain Marvel are excellent starts, but there are tons of wonderfully complex female heroes (and villains) who deserve to be on the big screen.

Plus, as a huge fan of Voltron, I’m beyond excited to see what dos Santos and Montgomery can bring to the series.

Into the Spider-Verse opens in theaters December 14. It is expected to earn between $25 million and $30 million opening weekend and is building buzz as a contender for animation awards due to its unique style (it was rendered on computer and then finalized by hand).

Author: Jamie Sugah

Jamie has a BA in English with a focus in creative writing from The Ohio State University. She self-published her first novel, The Perils of Long Hair on a Windy Day, which is available through Amazon. She is currently an archivist and lives in New York City with her demon ninja vampire cat. She covers television, books, movies, anime, and conventions in the NYC area.

Twitter

Help support independent journalism. Subscribe to our Patreon.

Copyright © The Geekiary