These days, remaking popular animated films as live-action blockbusters is an established trend. Dreamworks is aiming to explore the trend with its How To Train Your Dragon remake, as Disney has been doing it for years.
Could Sony, with its Spider-Verse series, ever do the same? And if yes, would Jake Johnson (Jurassic World, The Mummy), who voices Peter B. Parker in the franchise, be open to making the switch from animation to live-action?
Johnson revealed there's just one scenario in which he would consider portraying the character in a live-action film, as reported by ComicBook.
"I really love how it is. I think the animation is great. I think for me, truthfully, it's all about Phil Lord and Chris Miller. If Phil Lord or Chris texted and said, 'We think this is really cool and we would like you to be part of it,' then I'm in."
"If it's Sony that says they have got a really fun idea and it's a new director who's at a great studio rate, I feel less excited about that. I think that a lot of this stuff is ... There's an element that's just money to make money, and projects just to make money. And then there's a few people who really care, and those people who really care, if it's them, I'm on board for anything."
The third installment in the wildly successful animated franchise is in development and is currently titled, Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse.
Originally scheduled for release on March 29, 2024, there's been a major delay due to production concerns centered around over-worked animators and the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strike that occurred this past summer. The current consensus is that the third installment won't be released until 2025, at the earliest.
If Beyond the Spider-Verse turns out to be as critically and financially successful as its predecessors, then it seems likely that there will be more installments in the franchise and possibly even a live-action remake.
While most of the current voice cast might be too old once that scenario rolls around, Johnson might still be young enough to play Peter B. Parker.
Johnson went on to double down on his above statement, adding, 'If Phil says, 'Hey, man, you're not going to like this, but we're going to put you in tights in front of a green screen,' but it's him and it's Chris, I'm like, 'The project's going to be so thoughtful and good and mean so much to so many people, and if you think I could help that, f-ck yes, I'm in.' But in terms of me individually having a desire, I don't."
An animated spin-off series focusing on Hailee Steinfeld's Spider-Gwen and Issa Rae's Jessica Drew has already been announced but don't be surprised if a few years after Beyond the Spider-Verse hits theaters, Sony announces plans for a live-action remake.
These days, it seems the time between when an animated film hits theaters and when the live-action remake gets announced, is getting smaller and smaller.