Four months after being announced, a Spider-Verse spinoff movie receives a promising update. It was announced in August that Sony Pictures Animation was developing a feature film about Spider-Punk, a character voiced by Daniel Kaluuya in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Kaluuya and Ajon Singh are co-writing the project.
While speaking with Deadline at the Red Sea Film Festival, Kaluuya shared that he and Singh are in the “finishing stages” of their first draft for the Spider-Punk movie and that “We’re in our process.” In terms of plot details, and whether it will be a standalone or include other established Spider-Verse characters, Kaluuya said, “TBD.”
Kaluuya explained that the “intense” and enthusiastic fan response to the character in Across the Spider-Verse led to Spider-Punk getting his own movie. He also added that the Spider-Verse‘s Phil Lord and Chris Miller are “great collaborators and storytellers” who continue to inspire him in the work he is doing for the Spider-Punk project.
Spider-Punk is an alternate version of Hobie Brown and Spider-Man. He plays an important role in Across the Spider-Verse and will return in Beyond the Spider-Verse, which is slated for a June 18, 2027 theatrical debut after several delays and release date changes.
With a first draft in the “finishing stages,” Kaluuya’s update confirms that the spinoff has been steadily moving forward since it was first announced in August. That being said, it will likely be several years before audiences get a chance to see the finished version of the film.
Along with this only being the first draft of the script, the animation process takes a long time to come to fruition. This can be seen by the franchise’s release timeline, with Into the Spider-Verse coming out in 2018, Across the Spider-Verse in 2023, and Beyond the Spider-Verse‘s release pushed to 2027.
As Kaluuya indicates, despite the many characters in Across the Spider-Verse, the anti-authoritarian Spider-Punk proved to be one of the most popular. Due to his return in the third installment, the sequel will not only expand his story, but also has the potential opportunity to provide setup for the spinoff.
In addition to the upcoming Spider-Verse movies starring Kaluuya, fans are preparing for the theatrical release of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day on July 31, 2026. Tom Holland reprises the role of Peter Parker/Spider-Man and will be joined this time by Frank Castle/the Punisher (Jon Bernthal), Bruce Banner/the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), and Sadie Sink in a role that remains under wraps.