Jake Johnson, who plays Peter Parker in the upcoming film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, took some time to discuss the movie and explain why he thinks it’s so special.
Making Spider-Man interesting is becoming increasingly difficult, given that there have been six different movies about the character since 2002. However, both trailers for Into the Spider-Verse have proven very successful, due in part of the film’s unique art style and careful hints about the plot.
Johnson, however, says much of the movie’s appeal is based on the writing/producing team of Phil Lord and Chris Miller, with whom he previously worked on 21 Jump Street.
“There’s a lot of very talented people involved in it. But the fact that Chris Miller and Phil Lord are part of the heart of that, I don’t think you’re going to find two more talented people,” he said. “Those are guys, I am proud to be in their Chris and Phil repertoire.”
The pair have been big names in Hollywood in recent years, especially since the success of The LEGO Movie; many were surprised at their ability to take what could have been a 90 minute commercial and give it legitimate cleverness and heart. They are currently working on the sequel, which is due out February 8, 2019.
Johnson also added that Spider-Verse is an upbeat story, which is especially important during the tumultuous occurrences in the real world.
“As a fan, it feels like, we’re in a new world. And I like the new world we’re going towards,” he said.
In a twist, Johnson’s Peter Parker is only the co-star of Into the Spider-Verse, serving as the older mentor to the main character, Miles Morales, who will be played by Shameik Moore.
The lesser-known Spider-Man among casual fans, Miles Morales was introduced in the Ultimate continuity in the comics. In that world, Peter Parker died young, and a new character, Miles, replaced him as Spider-Man. Years later, he would meet the Peter Parker from the “main” universe in a dimension-hopping adventure. This movie looks like it will combine those stories, along with the more recent Spider-Verse that draws in more characters, like Spider-Gwen (Hailee Steinfeld).
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse comes out December 14, and until then, its burgeoning fanbase will be looking forward to more trailers.
