Latest 'Spider-Man' installment is like nothing seen before says cast, director

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Latest 'Spider-Man' installment is like nothing seen before says cast, director

Published: 14 Jun. 2023, 14:30

From left, Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld and director Kemp Powers speak during an online interview with local reporters on Wednesday for ″Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.″ [SONY PICTURES KOREA]

The latest "Spider-Man" film is totally different from other super-hero movies — not just because it's an animation, but because the message of humanity, hope and family lie in the heart of the never-before-seen action scenes, according to the cast and director of “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse."

“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” is the long-awaited sequel to “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” (2018), a computer-animated superhero film that grossed $384.3 million worldwide.

The latest film, which was released in domestic theaters on May 31, picks up from the previous installment's story where main characters from the Spider-Man universe, such as Peter Parker, Miles Morales and Gwen Stacy live in a multiverse setting with superhero powers. “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” has so far grossed $396.8 million globally and received critical acclaim, reaching 96 percent on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.

Main poster for ″Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse″ [SONY PICTURES KOREA]

“I think that this film represents humanity and shows love and bravery,” said Shameik Moore, who voiced the character of Miles in “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” during an online interview on Wednesday with local reporters. He was joined by Hailee Steinfeld and director Kemp Powers.

“It brings awareness and shines a light on the issue of a moral compass that we all need, and also deals with determining or distinguishing what feels right and wrong. We also deal with family dynamics and reflect on the world that we live in today.”

“'Spider-Man: Across the Universe’ is unlike any other movie that we’ve seen,” said Hailee Steinfeld, who voiced Gwen Stacy in the film. “I would say it will take you a minimum of 100 times watching it to fully understand it and feel immersed in the world of the film.”

A scene from ″Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse″ [SONY PICTURES KOREA]

Multiverse films are in vogue and many moviegoers love their stories because of the idea of the path not taken, according to Powers, who is one of the three directors of “Spider-Man: Across the Universe,” along with Joaquim Dos Santos and Justin K. Thompson.

Multiverse films such as the various Marvel movies and those like "Everything Everywhere All At Once" (2022) have swept the box offices and award shows in recent years, with the latter even winning Best Picture at the 95th Academy Awards and grossing $141 million worldwide.

“People love to explore the idea of the path not taken, and the multiverse setting allows that to be explored,” said Powers during the online interview. “What your life might have looked like if you had taken a different path or made a different choice is something people always think about.”

A scene from ″Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse″ [SONY PICTURES KOREA].

For viewers to be really immersed in a multiverse film, the creators need to make it easy to relate to and care about the characters, said Powers.

“I think when the first movie ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ came out, what that movie did so amazingly well was it made the language of the film very understandable,” said Powers. “That is essential for a multiverse film especially. You need to be able to relate to the characters and empathize with them.”

Powers also congratulated the Korean talent who worked on “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse," such as Park Tae-hyun, who "oversaw the process of creating all the backgrounds needed for the characters in the film."

A scene from ″Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse″ [SONY PICTURES KOREA]

“Our Korean creators did very well and were essential for making the film,” said Powers. “Storyboard artist Ben Choi captured the flow of the film by visualizing the script as an image sequence. Senior animator Lee Seung-hee expressed the characters more vividly, and VFX lighting and compositing artist Gina Yoon created the atmosphere for the story of the film.”

"There are so many great artists like actor Song Kang-ho and director Bong Joon-ho in Korea," said Powers. "I would very much like to work with them in the future."

"As if there is a diversity DNA, Korean films have the whole world in them," said Steinfeld. "If I had to choose one actor I would like to work with it would be Hoyeon from 'Squid Game' (2021). She is such a terrific actor and I would love to work with her."

“I really hope that Korean fans will also enjoy ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,’” said Steinfeld. “I think that the story of family dynamics, humanity and hope will really speak to Korean viewers.”

BY LIM JEONG-WON [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]