INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE & WOKE Exclusive: Donald Glover "Haunted" The Set Of SPIDER-MAN" & Was Pitched As Keef

INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE & WOKE Exclusive: Donald Glover "Haunted" The Set Of SPIDER-MAN" & Was Pitched As Keef

It is well-known that Donald Glover's aspirations to play Spider-Man helped to inspire the character of Miles Morales, and it's now been revealed to us that he was also pitched as Keef, the star of Woke!

By LiteraryJoe - Nov 25, 2020 07:11 PM EST
Filed Under: Hulu

Marvel's Miles Morales, an African-American Spider-Man, has gotten more and more attention as the years go on, and diversity continues to expand throughout multiple forms of media. He has starred as the main character in the hit animated film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and the brand new Playstation 5 game, Spider-Man: Miles Morales.

Last month, when speaking with Academy Award-Winner Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse director Peter Ramsey, he told us that Donald Glover was in mind during the film's production and that his "ghost hovered around the set" as they snuck in his Community easter egg.

It turns out that Glover's inspiration on Marvel's Miles Morales led to the actor being pitched as the main character, Keef Knight, in Hulu's auto-biographical comic book television series Woke. The show was just renewed for a second season, and when speaking to creator and comic writer Keith Knight (The K Chronicles), we learned about the parallels between the show and Glover's own Atlanta.

Hear our full conversation with Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse director Peter Ramsey, and cartoonist and Woke inspiration Keith Knight using the podcast player below. Woke fans can also check out our last chat with Keef included along with the transcript.

Literary Joe: I think one of my favorite parts of the movie is the Community cameo from Donald Glover. Do you know whose idea that was or how that came to be?

Peter Ramsey: That feels like it could have been anybody. It feels like it was probably a little Rodney Rothman Easter egg. But it was definitely one of those things, where all through the production, the ghost of Donald Glover was hovering around in one way or another. So it's no surprise, that said, that he snuck in.

Literary Joe: I see parallels between Woke and Atlanta, with the three main characters of each show being very similar to one another, almost like it's a sister series to Atlanta, and I love it. So did you get inspiration from that series?

Keith Knight: Not so much inspiration, but Donald Glover was probably the first version of Keef that we pitched when we were first putting it together. But then Donald Glover got his show, and it was like, "okay, we'll never get Donald Glover." But the inspirations were definitely Atlanta, Insecure, and Dear White People.

We're at a point in Hollywood right now where the door has opened for black creators, and it's going to take two flops for that door to close. And I didn't want to be one of those flops like that. I don't want to be one; I don't want everybody to look at me going, "if it weren't for you, we'd still have a chance." So I think we did it. I think we did it. Okay. I think the door is still open because of the show.

Literary Joe: You mentioned Donald Glover, and he's had a huge inspiration on black Spider-Man, Miles Morales, and so many things.

Keith Knight: So that's why he was the first actor -  not considered, but when we were pitching in the room, Keef would be pitched as Donald Glover. Like when you try to look at a model and try it. Trying with executives, you have to lead them on very much. So I think, yeah. I think the original was like, Donald Glover would be Keef. And the guy from Hot Tub Time Machine, Craig Robinson, as Clovis. Like, just some things that people have in their head.

You know, I'll say this; it's amusing when people are like, "Oh my God. I didn't know there was a real person named Keith Knight that this is based on." So it's funny how I have been doing it for 28 years, I think. And that people are just discovering my work for the first time. And suddenly people are just ordering tons and tons of books.

*This interview has been edited for clarity.*


 
Ignorance was bliss. New comedy series, Woke, follows Keef, An African-American Cartoonist finally on the verge of mainstream success when an unexpected incident changes everything. Keef must now navigate the new voices and ideas that confront and challenge him, all without setting aflame everything he’s already built.

Woke Season 1 is currently streaming on Hulu.

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LiteraryJoe
LiteraryJoe - 11/25/2020, 7:39 PM
@origame @bkmeijer @rocket616 @elric @marvellousporg @drrichards @reeds2much @mrdoctor @thedoctor1225 @nebula @comicbrooks @8thdoctor @riel @dragon316 @amuro @dracula @malesmarcel -

Happy Holidays everyone, I hope you enjoy this fun piece!
ulyz
ulyz - 11/25/2020, 8:06 PM
"Marvel's Miles Morales, an African-American Spider-Man, has gotten more and more attention as the years go on, and diversity continues to expand throughout multiple forms of media. He has starred as the main character in the hit animated film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and the brand new Playstation 5 game, Spider-Man: Miles Morales."

That was best part of the movie!
When Shameik Moore transformed into Donald Glover. Lol did you even read your own article.
LiteraryJoe
LiteraryJoe - 11/25/2020, 8:49 PM
@ulyz - I genuinely don't understand what you mean.
FearTheLiving
FearTheLiving - 11/25/2020, 9:05 PM
@ulyz - The text in question is referring to Miles Morales not Donald Glover.
LiteraryJoe
LiteraryJoe - 11/25/2020, 9:21 PM
@FearTheLiving - Thanks for reading and for clearing that up! Happy day off!
ulyz
ulyz - 11/30/2020, 9:45 PM
@FearTheLiving - I must have been half awake.
ulyz
ulyz - 11/30/2020, 9:46 PM
@LiteraryJoe - I must have been half awake. I'm sorry dude.
LiteraryJoe
LiteraryJoe - 12/1/2020, 3:21 AM
@ulyz - No stress, just bless! Happy Tuesday!
LadiesmanBumble
LadiesmanBumble - 11/25/2020, 9:49 PM
Yo, the title of this article is clickbaity as hell. @LiteraryJoe, you honestly need to rewrite the title of this article.
LiteraryJoe
LiteraryJoe - 11/25/2020, 10:02 PM
@LadiesmanBumble - Genuinely curious, but in what way?

These are both exclusive interviews with award-winning creators who explain how donald glover influenced two huge comic book properties, a movie and a tv show.

If it's really clickbait, that does bother me. But I don't understand how?
bkmeijer2
bkmeijer2 - 11/26/2020, 1:55 AM
@LiteraryJoe - I think he means that it looks like this is an exclusive with Donald Glover. Atleast I think that's where the conclusion comes from, but I'm not too bothered by it myself
Amuro
Amuro - 11/26/2020, 10:57 AM
@LiteraryJoe - To think that, without Glover, we wouldn't have had the biggest breakout character of Marvel from the 2000's or the Into the Spider-verse movie.

He wasn't able to play Spider-man in live-action at the time (he actually did play Miles in animation) but he opened a huge door for other people (Shameik Moore, Nadji Jeter) to portray Spider-man.
LiteraryJoe
LiteraryJoe - 11/26/2020, 11:17 AM
@Amuro - Oh for sure, man. I've been a fan of Glover since 2007 with Derrick Comedy and when he was rapping about Tony Stark BEFORE the first movie came out haha.

I have a pop vinyl of his character Troy, from Community. When I met Anthony Russo, I chose to ask him about Community over Avengers, because it's one of my favorite series.

I also remember his "Couldn't see me as Spider-Man and now I'm spittin' venom" line in a song haha. Love it.

Additionally, I remember the #DonaldGloverForSpiderMan campaign and Stan Lee backing his audition. But think of how different things would have been for TASM films is Glover was Peter Parker...

But, in that universe we might not have had Miles... It's a really tough one.
kirklazarus87
kirklazarus87 - 11/25/2020, 10:48 PM
So are we just going to forget Miles is half Puerto Rican?
Alphadog
Alphadog - 11/26/2020, 3:43 AM
@kirklazarus87 - You're right, but even in spider-verse he seems way more attached to the african american side of himself than the hispanic.
LiteraryJoe
LiteraryJoe - 11/26/2020, 4:07 AM
@kirklazarus87 - That's a big reason I love Miles, actually. Definitely not forgotten. Young Nova is also hispanic and gets overlooked.

The only reason I didn't mention it because Miles was inspired by a black man not being able to play Spider-Man. And the article was long enough already haha.

Thanks for reading!
Amuro
Amuro - 11/26/2020, 10:20 AM
@Alphadog - His mother and him often trade spanish expressions, so no, I don't think his puerto rican side is downplayed.

The way I see it, they just wanted Miles to represent the american citizen born from the melting pot culture. The thematic of being true to yourself (not trying to be someone that you're not), of being proud of who you are and finding your rightful place in the world... The story of the movie tells everything but it's up to the viewer to make his interpretation.
marvel72
marvel72 - 11/26/2020, 5:24 AM
Why would anyone want watch a show called woke?

Next new show SJW.
LiteraryJoe
LiteraryJoe - 11/26/2020, 6:23 AM
marvel72 - Well, it's based on a true story, so that's genuinely why most people are into it.

For me, it is a representation of how police officers treat minorities, and the way they have treated me. It's also a rather funny comedy with a solid cast, and the animation involved is fun with a lot of great voice actors and comedians.

Words mean different things to different people, depending on your perception. So I welcome the term SJW. There's no negative connotation in that phrase for me.

I think you meant offense, but I would rather reach out to you with kindness than reply rudely.

I hope you have a great holiday, and I look forward to more positive interactions between us in the future.

Much luv, bruv.
Alphadog
Alphadog - 11/26/2020, 6:16 PM
@LiteraryJoe - It's a good show and I'm glad it got renewed.
Amuro
Amuro - 11/26/2020, 9:34 AM
Donald Glover is one of the most gifted and charismatic actors of his generation. He nails pretty much every role I've seen him play.

I feel like he was wasted as Aaron Davis (a very secondary character) in Spider-man: Homecoming, unless they have plans for him on the long term. And I don't want him to replace Billy Dee Williams in every role that he used to play, but Glover would be the perfect choice for Harvey Dent.
LiteraryJoe
LiteraryJoe - 11/26/2020, 10:13 AM
@Amuro - Yes to everything you said.
Amuro
Amuro - 11/26/2020, 9:45 AM
I haven't heard about this show before but it does seem interesting. I'd like to check this out but sadly we don't have Hulu in France and it doesn't seem like anyone has bought the rights either so far.
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