'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse' Cast and Character Guide (2024)

2018 was one of the biggest years for movies based on Marvel Comics, with the release and unprecedented success of films like Black Panther and Avengers: Infinity War. It was the same year that we saw the birth of another hugely successful and loved, yet distinct franchise with Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. When it made its big-screen debut, many people were surprised by how the animated film took everything we thought we knew about superhero films and turned it on its head. It had a fresh perspective, style, and soul, all of which made the film unique in the superhero landscape. Not only is it rightfully regarded as one of the best Spider-Man movies, but also as one of the greatest superhero movies ever made, which leads us to its highly anticipated 2023 sequel, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.

The Multiverse is a vast expanse, and we have barely scratched its surface. But that will change once Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse hits theaters on June 2, 2023, delayed from an initial April 2022 date due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With new universes and new spiders in store, Across the Spider-Verse features both fresh and familiar faces, but much like the first film, the focus of the sequel will remain on Miles Morales. Keep reading below to find out who is who in the much-anticipated animated superhero film.

See Also

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Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Miles Morales catapults across the Multiverse, where he encounters a team of Spider-People charged with protecting its very existence. When the heroes clash on how to handle a new threat, Miles must redefine what it means to be a hero.

Release Date

June 2, 2023

Director

Joaquim Dos Santos , Kemp Powers , Justin K. Thompson

Main Genre

Superhero

Studio

Sony Pictures Animation, Marvel Entertainment, Arad Productions

Writers

Dave Callaham , Phil Lord , Chris Miller

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Shameik Moore as Miles Morales / Spider-Man

One of the most loved protagonists of not just the Spider-Verse but also all of Marvel in general, Shameik Moore will be reprising his role as Miles Morales, who is returning to resume his journey after taking on the mantle of Spider-Man in the first film. Previously, we got to know Miles Morales and saw how he transformed from a regular student into the perfect Spider-Man we all came to love. In the first film, we saw Miles defeat Kingpin and with that, he prevented the planet from slipping into the multiverse (not for good, considering the sequel is largely dependent on the multiverse concept). Given how his Uncle Aaron’s passing played a significant part in the previous movie's plot, it makes sense that in Across the Spider-Verse, Miles will continue to cope with his grief while also engaging in new adventures, overcoming different enemies while standing firm in what he believes to be right.

Shameik Moore is a versatile actor who has made a name for himself in both film and television. He first gained widespread recognition for his breakthrough role as Malcolm in the indie hit Dope (2015), a coming-of-age comedy-drama that showcased his natural talent as an actor. Moore also starred in the romantic drama The Pretenders (2018), and in the crime drama Cut Throat City (2020), where he played Blink, a struggling artist who turns to crime to support his family in post-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans. He was also a cast member on the Cartoon Network sketch comedy series Incredible Crew and had a memorable role as Shaolin Fantastic in the Netflix series The Get Down.

Hailee Steinfeld as Gwen Stacy / Spider-Woman / Ghost-Spider

Hailee Steinfeld, who was incredible as Spider-Woman/Ghost Spider in Into The Spider-Verse, is reprising her role for the sequel. Gwen Stacy's appearance in the first Spider-Verse movie was the character's cinematic debut. She resides on Earth-65, a world in which Peter Parker doesn't become Spider-Man but rather Gwen is bitten by a radioactive spider instead and turns into a superhero. She has many of Peter's characteristics and struggles, along with his skills and abilities, which include enhanced strength, speed, agility, spider-sense, and the ability to climb walls. She served as a sort of intermediary in Into the Spider-Verse between Peter B. Parker and Miles, demonstrating a level of bravery Miles is very much impressed by and strives to achieve.

Hailee Steinfeld started her acting career at the young age of 10. She first gained recognition for her breakout role as Mattie Ross in the Coen Brothers' Western drama True Grit (2010), which earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress at just 14 years old. Since then, Steinfeld has gone on to appear in a variety of films, showcasing her range as an actress. She starred in the romantic comedy The Edge of Seventeen (2016), in the musical comedy Pitch Perfect 2 (2017), and in the action film Bumblebee (2018), the sixth installment in the Transformers franchise. In addition to her film work, she starred in the Apple TV+ series Dickinson, which is a comedic take on the life of poet Emily Dickinson. Steinfeld's talent as a performer extends beyond acting as she has released several successful pop singles and has won awards for her music, including a 2017 Billboard Music Award for Top Covered Artist for her song Most Girls. In Marveldom, Steinfeld is also notable for playing Kate Bishop in the 2021 series Hawkeye.

Jake Johnson as Peter B. Parker / Spider-Man

Jake Johnson is coming back as Peter B. Parker, the Spider-Man most of us are familiar with. In the first film, Peter B. Parker literally came crashing into Miles’ life and his worn-out appearance as a result of his existence as a vigilante/superhero came as a unique surprise for many. Although Peter had never considered being a mentor, being sucked into a parallel world and working with Miles gave him a new outlook on life, and he became a grumpy and goofy mentor to him throughout the film, while also attempting to deal with a personal crisis of his own. Peter B. Parker's full circ*mstances in the follow-up are a mystery, but the previous film gave him a new sense of purpose and a more upbeat attitude on life, leading him to take the first steps necessary to mend his relationship with Mary Jane Watson (Zoë Kravitz). Given his role as a mentor to Miles, Peter's reappearance will likely involve him teaching the young heroes even more as he learns to balance his personal and vigilante life, with his young Spider baby ready to swing along.

Jake Johnson is perhaps best known for his role as Nick Miller in the popular television series New Girl (2011-2018), where he showcased his talent for comedic timing and relatable characters. He also starred in the comedy Tag (2018), which follows a group of friends who had spent one month a year playing the game of tag since their childhood. In addition to his acting work, Johnson has also worked behind the scenes as a writer and producer. He co-created and produced the film Win It All (2017), which follows a small-time gambler who must resist the urge to bet it all. In the animated television series Hoops (2020), apart from starring in the lead role, he also serves as an executive producer.

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Oscar Isaac as Miguel O'Hara / Spider-Man 2099

Oscar Issac stars as Miguel O’Hara or Spider-Man 2099, whose presence was pretty much confirmed by his appearance in the Into the Spider-Verse credit sequence. A genius in the field of genetics, Miguel was betrayed by his employers and research partners. As a result, he ended up with 50% spider DNA and became the Spider-Man of his time, adventuring with the aid of Lyla, an AI program that is also shown in the credit scene. He appeared to have found the multiverse in Spider-Verse and is set to use Lyla's invention of a watch that can jump between universes to explore it with purpose. As per the recently released trailer, we see O'Hara as an always-angry, practical vigilante who is the leader of the Spider-force. O'Hara's past has led him to believe that the ends justify the means, which sets him at odds with Miles.

Oscar Isaac first gained recognition for his roles in the films Drive (2011) and Inside Llewyn Davis (2013), where he showcased his talent for nuanced and complex performances. Isaac's career has since taken off, with notable appearances in several high-profile films. He played the role of Poe Dameron in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, bringing his natural charm and charisma to the beloved franchise. Isaac also starred in the science fiction thriller Ex Machina (2014), where he played Nathan Bateman, a tech billionaire who creates a humanoid robot with artificial intelligence. In addition to his film work, Isaac has also made memorable appearances on TV. He starred in the HBO miniseries Show Me a Hero (2015) and in the Marvel Cinematic Universe series Moon Knight (2022), where he played the titular superhero, a man with dissociative identity disorder (DID) who serves as an avatar to the Egyptian moon god Khonshu.

Issa Rae as Jessica Drew / Spider-Woman

Issa Rae stars as Jessica Drew, popularly known as Spider-Woman, who will make her film debut in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse after her self-titled animated TV series, which aired from 1979 to 1980. Jessica Drew may share a portion of Spider-Man's name and part of his abilities, but that's about all. She's not related to Peter Parker, and she wasn't bitten by a radioactive spider, but interestingly she can fly. There are even more characteristics about Spider-Woman that only comic book readers are aware of because of the character's lengthy on-page history, but her presence in the film will undoubtedly re-popularize her. Despite how little we've seen of this Spider-Woman in the newly released trailer, we can expect her to join the Spider-team in defense of the multiverse, and where her visuals are concerned, the remarkable style of Spider-Verse's animation technique is certain to portray the hero uniquely.

Issa Rae first garnered attention for her work on the YouTube web series Awkward Black Girl. She is also known for her hit HBO series Insecure (2016-2021), which she created, wrote, produced, and starred in. The show explored the complexities of modern relationships and was praised for its honest portrayal of black culture. Aside from her work on Insecure, Rae has also made memorable appearances in many films. She starred in the drama The Hate U Give (2018), the fantasy comedy Little (2019), the romance The Photograph (2020), and the comedy thriller Vengeance (2022).

Daniel Kaluuya as Hobart "Hobie" Brown / Spider-Punk

Daniel Kaluuya will be starring in the voice role of the punk rock Spider-variant, Hobie Brown. In Marvel Comics, Spider-Punk is a relatively new hero and made his first appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man #10 (January 2015). As a civilian, Hobie is a homeless teenager living in New York City on Earth-138 and was transformed by a spider that was exposed to radiation during President Norman Osborn's toxic waste dump. He transforms into Spider-Man with punk rock influences, using his music and his abilities to guide the oppressed citizens of New York against Osborn's V.E.N.O.M. forces.

Starting in the 2000s, Daniel Kaluuya has had quite an acting career. In 2017, Kaluuya had what was his most memorable role at the time, starring in Jordan Peele's horror film Get Out, which garnered him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor. Next came leading roles in the 2018 superhero movies Black Panther (2018) by Ryan Coogler, Widows (2018) by Steve McQueen, and, most recently, Nope (2022), another horror film by Jordan Peele. He also notably received the BAFTA and Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his depiction of Black Panther Party leader Fred Hampton in the movie Judas and the Black Messiah (2021).

Jason Schwartzman as Jonathan Ohnn / The Spot

Jason Schwartzman takes on the role of the supervillain known as The Spot, who made his comic book debut in the 1980s and has since established himself as an iconic (if ineffective) foe of both Spider-Man and Daredevil. Dr. Jonathan Ohnn, a research scientist who worked for Wilson Fisk aka Kingpin, was the original version of The Spot but, due to his secret identity, he stays largely unknown to many of his enemies. He is deemed to be a dangerous opponent because of his ability to create portals that can transport pieces of his body through another realm, allowing him to attack people in unexpected ways. Since many of these portals also manifest as spots on the Spot's body, he is difficult to fight. But, even then the powerful villain isn’t someone without their comedic element, as the trailer highlights through Miles’ and The Spot’s first interaction.

Jason Schwartzman has had a long career in the industry, and he's best known for his collaborations with director Wes Anderson. Schwartzman made his onscreen debut playing Max Fischer in Anderson's 1998 coming-of-age film Rushmore. After that, he has gone on to appear in six other Anderson films: The Darjeeling Limited (2007), Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009), Moonrise Kingdom (2012), The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014), Isle of Dogs (2018), The French Dispatch (2021) and the upcoming Asteroid City (2023). Apart from those movies, he also had notable recurring roles on the HBO series Bored to Death (2009-2011) and in the crime series Fargo (2015), which explores different crimes and misdeeds in the Midwest. In addition to his acting work, he was the drummer for the band Phantom Planet and has released solo music under the name Coconut Records.

Other cast members include Karan Soni as Pavitr Prabhakar / Spider-Man India, an Indian version of Spider-Man from an alternate universe who is a member of the Spider-Force, and Brian Tyree Henry as Jefferson Davis, a police officer and Miles's father, who at first opposed Spider-Man’s vigilante deeds but now admires him as a hero. Luna Lauren Vélez stars as Rio Morales, Miles’s mother; Greta Lee voices Lyla, Miguel’s AI assistant; Jorma Taccone voices bird-themed supervillain Vulture, and Shea Whigham appears as George Stacy, Gwen's father and a police captain. There's also a host of other new spiders appearing in the film, including Andy Samberg as Ben Reilly / Scarlet Spider, Amandla Stenberg as Margo Kess / Spider-Byte, Taran Killam as Cyborg Spider-Woman and Patrick O'Hara / Web-Slinger, and Mike Rianda as Spider-Therapist, and many, many more.