Good news for fans of the Spider-Verse: The upcoming sequel, Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse, is bringing a new addition to its world – The Spider Within. This short film, set in the same universe, is due to make its debut at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in June.
As reported by Variety, The Spider Within will feature Miles Morales (voiced by Shameik Moore) juggling his responsibilities as a teenager, friend, and student while also being Brooklyn’s friendly neighborhood superhero. After a tough day of battling these pressures, Miles experiences a panic attack that forces him to confront his anxiety and understand that reaching out for help can be just as heroic as fighting evil.
What sets this short film apart is that it was created by Jarelle Dampier, Khaila Amazan, Clara Chan, and Joe Darko, who are all candidates in Sony Pictures Animation’s LENS (Leading and Empowering New Storytellers) mentoring program. The program aims to provide creatives who have traditionally lacked access to leadership roles with an opportunity to understand every element of the animated filmmaking process, including production design, animation, visual effects, lighting, sound, and various post-production processes.
The Spider Within may not show in front of Across The Spider-Verse (in cinemas on June 2), as Annecy runs between June 11 and 17. However, it could serve as a bridge between the first and second sequels. Beyond The Spider-Verse is set to release on March 29 next year.
What’s exciting is that the creation of this short film could mean that Sony Pictures Animation is committing to diversifying the industry by giving marginalized creatives an opportunity to take part in major productions. Programs like LENS can lead to more inclusion and representation on both sides of the camera.
We’re thrilled to see what else Sony Pictures Animation has in store for audiences, and can’t wait to watch The Spider Within make its debut at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival.