Surprise! We're getting not one, but two "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" sequels. That's right, Marvel fans, the studio has doubled down on the animated multiverse we were first introduced to in 2018 for a pair of sequels, as was revealed in the trailer for "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Part One)." The title itself was a big reveal, surprising us all with the big bombshell that this upcoming movie will be the first of a two-part story that will result in the Miles Morales character ending up with a trilogy of animated features. Buckle up.

So, how did this two-parter come to be? Well, as writers/producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller explained to Entertainment Weekly, it happened naturally as a result of the story they cooked up. The returning filmmaking duo simply carved out a story that was too big for one movie. Sony, unsurprisingly, was happy to oblige making this a two-part saga. Lord and Miller said the following:

"Miles' story is an epic. We wrote what we thought the story needed to be, and to our surprise we realized it was two movies instead of one. We're working on them both as we speak. Part Two will be out sometime in 2023. We will sleep again in 2024."

As those who watched the "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Part One)" teaser trailer already know, Miles will be taking a trip to the year 2099 to visit with Miguel O'Hara, aka Spider-Man 2099. That universe looks hugely different than what we came to know in the first movie. Lord and Miller also explained that is going to be a theme as we explore this ever-expanding Marvel multiverse.

"Every dimension looks and feels radically different from all the others. They all look like they were drawn by a different artist."

Big Story, Two Movies

It appears as though the filmmakers did not shy away from being ambitious with the upcoming sequel (or should we say "sequels"), and that's really saying something given how ambitious "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" itself was. It essentially proved audiences were ready for the multiverse, paving the way for everything that is happening on that front in the live-action worlds of Marvel and DC.

From a business perspective, this makes every shred of sense. The first movie was a universally-loved critical darling which ultimately won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, while also grossing $375 million worldwide. The sequel has breakout hit potential, and if it ends on a cliffhanger (as "Avengers: Infinity War" did), it could set up "Part Two" as another massive success – especially since the world will hopefully have settled into some semblance of normalcy by then. Or we'll be in some sort of "Mad Max" scenario and none of this will matter.

Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson are directing the movie, with Lord and Miller writing the screenplay alongside Dave Callaham of "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings" fame.

"Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Part One)" is set to hit theaters on October 7, 2022.

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