We had a inkling this might happen, but it's finally been confirmed (via Toonado.com) that The Spectacular Spider-Man's titular web-slinger will appear in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.
A blurry screengrab from a recent TV spot (which you can watch below) started doing the rounds on social media, only for Matt McDonald, a lighter/composer at Sony Imageworks who worked on this sequel, to confirm that is who we think it is. Whether he'll do more than appear in the background obviously remains to be seen!
"I put a lot of extra effort into making him stay true to his Spectacular style," the artist says. "Hoping there is a larger resolution soon."
Fans first caught sight of this Spider-Man Variant in a poster for the Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse sequel; however, this footage makes it clear he'll also be part of the movie itself.
Greg Weisman was showrunner on The Spectacular Spider-Man between 2008 and 2009, and Josh Keaton voiced Peter Parker across all 26 episodes. Despite being a hit with fans and critics alike, the series was cancelled amid legal issues between Disney and Sony Pictures Television.
Fans have long hoped for a revival, but this looks set to be the next best thing...
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 neighbourhood Spider-Man is catapulted across the Multiverse, where he encounters a team of Spider-People charged with protecting its very existence.
But when the heroes clash on how to handle a new threat, Miles finds himself pitted against the other Spiders and must redefine what it means to be a hero so he can save the people he loves most.
The movie stars Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Jake Johnson, Issa Rae, Daniel Kaluuya, Karan Soni, Jason Schwartzman, Brian Tyree Henry, Luna Lauren Velez, Greta Lee, Rachel Dratch, Jorma Taccone, Shea Whigham, and Oscar Isaac.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is set to be released in theaters on June 2, 2023.