When the animated film swung into theaters in 2018, it did more than just introduce a new hero; it fundamentally changed what a superhero movie, and an animated movie, could look like, becoming a bona fide cinematic phenomenon and a cultural touchstone.
IMDb
The Plot: Miles Morales Finds His Mask
The film centers on Miles Morales (Shameik Moore), a gifted yet awkward Afro-Latino teenager from Brooklyn who struggles to live up to the high expectations of his parents while dealing with a new upscale boarding school. While spray-painting graffiti in a subway tunnel with his uncle Aaron, Miles is bitten by a radioactive spider and quickly develops classic Spider-Man powers.
His world is violently upended when he witnesses the death of his universe’s Spider-Man (Peter Parker) while the hero attempts to stop the villain Kingpin from activating a powerful interdimensional collider. The collider’s activation rips open the multiverse, pulling in five other “Spider-People” from parallel universes—including the jaded, older Peter B. Parker, Gwen Stacy, and the black-and-white Spider-Man Noir. Miles must overcome his grief and inexperience to learn to control his powers, defeat Kingpin, and send his new allies back to their dimensions before his reality collapses.
The Animation Phenomenon and Critical Acclaim
IMDb
Into the Spider-Verse was a success on every level. Critically, it was a near-unanimous triumph, earning a 97% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics praised its sharp writing, deep emotional core, and ability to handle the complex multiverse concept with clarity and humor.
However, its biggest impact was its visual style. The film revolutionized animated cinema by pioneering a bold technique that blended traditional 3D computer animation with 2D comic-book aesthetics. It incorporated onomatopoeia, halftone dots, panel layouts, and “thought bubbles” directly into the visuals, making the audience feel like they were watching a comic book come to life. This instantly iconic style led to the film winning the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, famously becoming the first non-Disney/Pixar film to win the award since 2011.
Box Office and Lasting Impact
Produced on a relatively modest budget of $90 million, the film earned a worldwide total of approximately $375 million. While this was the lowest box office gross for a Spider-Man film at the time, its theatrical run was remarkably strong, demonstrating consistent word-of-mouth success.
Seven years later, Into the Spider-Verse is still widely regarded as one of the best superhero movies ever made, setting the stage for its highly successful sequel and the eagerly anticipated conclusion to the trilogy in 2027.
