Fans of Spider-Man in some shape or form are likely familiar with the proverb, "With great power comes great responsibility." That quote continues to reign true in the latest short film starring the web-slinger. We see Spider-Verse protagonist Miles Morales struggle with mental health as he tries to balance being a superhero and a student.
The Spider Within: A Spider-Verse Story serves as a mini-sequel set between the events of 2018's Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and 2023's Across the Spider-Verse. This roughly seven-minute film depicts Miles Morales struggling to balance protecting the city with succeeding in high school.
Throughout the film, we see Miles somber and overwhelmed. The stress eventually amalgamates into a panic attack that's artistically represented in the form of a shadowy doppelganger that terrifies Miles. The film shows the humanity of superheroes behind the mask; at the end of the day, they are people, too, and not immune from enduring mental health challenges.
This is the first time The Spider Within: A Spider-Verse Story has been made publicly available since its debut at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival last June. The short film was directed by Jarelle Dampier and written by Khaila Amazan.
Sony's Spider-Verse franchise has enjoyed much success, with the most recent release, the aforementioned Across the Spider-Verse, seeing critical and commercial acclaim to the tune of over $690 million at the global box office. In IGN's Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse review, we wrote: "Surging with vibrant visuals and relentlessly chaotic action, Across the Spider-Verse is a worthy follow-up to an all-time classic."
A sequel, Beyond the Spider-Verse, has already been confirmed. It was supposed to come out this Friday, March 29. Unfortunately, Sony Pictures announced last July that it was delayed indefinitely due to the Hollywood strikes, with a new release date not being revealed as of March 2024.
While Sony has yet to share a release date for the follow-up to Across the Spider-Verse to hit theatres, this short film helps fill the void until then.
Taylor is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.
