Sony and Spider-Man love CinemaCon. The Las Vegas-based event is where Sony announced the title “Homecoming” for its first Tom Holland movie, where the first trailer for Spider-Man: No Way Home was screened, and in 2022, where the first 15 minutes of this summer’s Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse were revealed.
So it only made sense this year for the next 14 minutes to screen.
CinemaCon 2023 kicked off Monday night with a panel by Sony Pictures. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse co-director Kemp Powers and stars Shameik Moore, Issa Rae, and Hailee Steinfeld showed up to greet exhibitors and show more footage from the highly anticipated sequel, which opens June 2.
The footage is, basically, the second scene of the movie. The first scene is a massive action scene with Gwen Stacy and you can read all about that in our coverage from last year here.
This footage starts with Miles going into his room. He’s been grounded for two months, which he’s not happy about, so he puts on his headphones and just chills to some music. As he’s listening, things in his room — like his Jordan 1’s and a comic book that mysteriously looks like Amazing Fantasy #15 — all start floating. Another dimension is coming into focus. It’s Gwen, asking him if he’s got a minute — an exchange glimpsed in the film’s first trailer.
She drops down and asks him how he’s been, making it clear this is the first time they’ve seen each other since the events of the first movie (about a year before). She walks around his very messy, teenage-boy room, which he’s embarrassed about, and grabs an action figure off the shelf. Miles mentions that it’s collectible but Gwen asks why it’s still in the package and rips it open. The groan of geeks across the audience was audible.
She grabs one of his notebooks and sees many, many drawings of her in it. “I missed you too,” she says. Next, she asks if he wants to get out of there — but he’s grounded. Gwen then walks out the window and down the wall, and asks if Spider-Man is grounded.
Miles’ parents come into the room. They’re ready to talk. When he’s not there, his dad screams “Three months!” And we see that he and Gwen are now in full Spidey outfits and flying outside. Gwen tells him that there’s a secret society of the best Spider-people, of which she’s a part, and mentions Jessica Drew and Miguel O’Hara. She also mentions “Hobie,” who we know is Spider-Punk, but she doesn’t call him that.
This all happens as they’re doing all these dynamic, fun swings through New York — and the way the film gives us, basically, a narrative dump in the form of a reunion and an action scene is kind of brilliant. Miles is both surprised at how calm Gwen is about all these other Spider-people, and also jealous that she’s been in the group for months and hasn’t talked to him about it.
As they continue to swing through the city, they steal (then pay for) some hot dogs, and then get stuck between two subways. A young kid is licking the subway glass, which distracts Miles and he loses Gwen. Turns out, she’s got an alternate agenda. Using a special wristband, she plants a camera on a wall to capture something. We see that it’s filming what we as fans know is the Spot, but the movie hasn’t told you yet.
They walk around the roof of a building catching up. Miles asks about Gwen’s dad and it seems things haven’t gotten better. Miles says things haven’t gotten better with his parents either. And as all this is happening they casually change their perspective and start walking and sitting upside-down, which flips the city on our horizon.
The two have a heart to heart about being Spider-people and discuss that while Gwen’s Dad doesn’t understand it, maybe Miles is better off with his parents not knowing. Gwen then confides in him that he’s kind of the only friend she’s made since her Peter died. She says, though, that she’s worried because in every other dimensions, Gwen Stacy falls for Spider-Man. As this happens, Miles slowly moves his hand toward her. But, Gwen continues, in every other dimension, it never ends well for them. Miles’ hand slides back. There’s a pause and he says there’s a first time for everything. There’s more too, but it’s a poignant, quiet moment that feels almost opposed to what you think of when you think of Spider-Verse. And it’s beautiful.
The scene cuts to a barbecue which Miles and Gwen are at, along with Miles’ family. Miles’ parents look on from afar and comment on how old Gwen looks and that she probably doesn’t even speak Spanish. Miles asks Gwen what it’ll take for Miguel to notice him and she promises to put in a good word for him. He’s insistent and she rebukes him by saying there aren’t that many spots. Clearly, she is worried about him and doesn’t want him to be part of the group.
Mum decides to pop into the conversation to meet Gwen and Gwen uses her first name. Dad does the same and, again, Gwen uses his first name. They don’t like this. Miles says he knows her from school and that they’re friends, but Miles’ mum starts to say a lot of embarrassing things and Miles can’t take it. Gwen says she has to go and offers a firm handshake.
Mum and son stand there for a while and Miles says “I can hear you being quiet.” She says that he can tell her anything and he gets very close to revealing the truth, but ultimately doesn’t. Mum agrees to let him go after Gwen, but not before telling him how she’s worried about him and worried that he won’t believe in himself or how much he’s loved. “Promise to take care of that little boy for me,” Mum says to him, among other things. Miles agrees. They share a few more works, and he goes after Gwen.
While Across the Spider-Verse starts with an epic action scene, these next 14 minutes really set the tone for the characters and stakes. Miles loves Gwen. Gwen loves Miles. But Gwen has new responbilities that Miles may not understand yet. Plus, Miles’ family is so loving, it doesn’t quite mesh with being Spider-Man.
We can’t wait to see the rest of June 1.