Spider-Man in film facts for kids
Spider-Man has been a popular superhero in movies for a long time, starting way back in 1977! For many years, the rights to make Spider-Man movies belonged to Marvel. But in 1999, Sony bought those rights. Since then, Spider-Man has become one of Marvel's most successful characters in movies.
After selling the movie rights, Marvel started its own movie studio, Marvel Studios, and created the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). For a while, Spider-Man wasn't part of the MCU. But in 2016, something exciting happened! Sony and Disney (who owns Marvel) made a deal. This allowed Spider-Man to finally join the MCU. This deal was great for both companies. Movies like Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, which featured Spider-Man, earned over $2 billion worldwide! Sony also started its own superhero universe, called Sony's Spider-Man Universe, with other characters connected to Spider-Man.
Spider-Man's Movie Journey
Spider-Man, created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko for Marvel Comics, has starred in many movies for theaters and TV.
The first few Spider-Man films were actually linked to TV shows and only shown in theaters in some countries. Nicholas Hammond played Peter Parker/Spider-Man in the 1977 TV movie Spider-Man. He also appeared in two more movies made from TV episodes. In 1978, a Japanese company called Toei Company made a movie spin-off of their Spider-Man TV series, with Shinji Todō as Takuya Yamashiro/Spider-Man. These early films were not shown in U.S. theaters.
By 1999, Sony Pictures Entertainment owned the movie and TV rights for Spider-Man. They created a new Spider-Man animated TV show and two movie series until 2014. The first was the Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy (2002–2007), starring Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker. The second was the Marc Webb Amazing Spider-Man films (2012–2014), starring Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker.
In 2015, Disney, Marvel Studios, and Sony made a special deal to share the Spider-Man movie rights. This meant a new version of Spider-Man could join the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Sony Pictures still owned, paid for, and distributed the solo Spider-Man movies, but Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures distributed his appearances in other MCU films. Tom Holland plays this version of Spider-Man. He has been in six movies so far, from Captain America: Civil War (2016) to Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021). In 2019, after fans asked for it, Disney and Sony made a new deal. This allowed Tom Holland's Spider-Man to return for more films, including Spider-Man: No Way Home. In that movie, Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield also returned as their versions of Spider-Man! A fourth MCU Spider-Man movie is now being planned.
Sony also announced plans for an animated Spider-Man movie in 2015. This became Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) from Sony Pictures Animation. Shameik Moore voices Miles Morales/Spider-Man in this film. Many other versions of Spider-Man from different universes also appear. More animated Spider-Verse movies are planned.
Spider-Man movies have been very popular. Together, they have earned over $10.2 billion worldwide. Spider-Man: Far From Home was the first Spider-Man movie to earn over $1 billion globally, followed by Spider-Man: No Way Home, which became Sony's highest-earning film ever. Into the Spider-Verse even won an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
Contents
- Spider-Man's Movie Journey
- Early Spider-Man Movies
- How the Movies Were Made
- Sam Raimi's Spider-Man Trilogy
- Marc Webb's Amazing Spider-Man Films
- Spider-Man Joins the Marvel Cinematic Universe
- Animated Spider-Verse Movies
- Sony's Spider-Man Universe
- Other Spider-Man Films
- Who's Who in the Spider-Man Movies
- Images for kids
Early Spider-Man Movies
These were some of the first movies featuring Spider-Man.
The Amazing Spider-Man TV Series Films
These films were made from episodes of a TV show.
| Film Title | Release Date | Director | Screenwriter | Producer(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spider-Man | September 14, 1977 | E. W. Swackhamer | Alvin Boretz | Charles W. Fries, Daniel R. Goodman and Edward J. Montagne |
| Spider-Man Strikes Back | May 8, 1978 | Ron Satlof | Robert Janes | |
| Spider-Man: The Dragon's Challenge | May 9, 1981 | Don McDougall | Lionel E. Siegel | |
Spider-Man (1977)
This was the first TV movie. It was the pilot episode for The Amazing Spider-Man TV series. It starred Nicholas Hammond as Spider-Man. The movie first aired on CBS in September 1977.
Spider-Man Strikes Back (1978)
This film was made by editing together two episodes of The Amazing Spider-Man TV series. Nicholas Hammond returned as Spider-Man. It was released in theaters outside the U.S. in May 1978.
Spider-Man: The Dragon's Challenge (1981)
This movie was also made by combining episodes from The Amazing Spider-Man TV series. It was released in Europe. Nicholas Hammond played Spider-Man again.
Japanese Spider-Man Film
Japan also had its own Spider-Man movie!
| Film Title | Release Date | Director | Screenwriter | Story by | Producer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spider-Man | July 22, 1978 | Kōichi Takemoto | Susumu Takaku | Saburo Yatsude | Susumu Yoshikawa |
In 1978, Tōei released a movie based on their Japanese Spider-Man TV series. It was shown at the Tōei Cartoon Festival.
How the Movies Were Made
Making a big superhero movie takes a lot of planning and deals!
Early Attempts to Make a Film
After the movie Superman III didn't do very well in 1983, Hollywood wasn't very interested in making comic book movies for a while. In 1985, a company called Cannon Films got the rights to make a Spider-Man movie from Marvel Comics. They had a deadline to make the film by April 1990, or the rights would go back to Marvel.
There were many ideas for the movie. Some early ideas were very different from the comics, like Spider-Man becoming a hairy, eight-armed monster! Stan Lee from Marvel wasn't happy with these ideas and pushed for a story closer to the comics. They even considered actors like Tom Cruise for Spider-Man and Bob Hoskins for Doctor Octopus. Stan Lee wanted to play J. Jonah Jameson!
However, Cannon Films had money problems because of other expensive movies. They had to cut the budget for Spider-Man, and the director, Joseph Zito, left because he didn't want to make a cheap version of the film. The project eventually stopped after a lot of money was spent.
Later, another company called Pathé bought Cannon Films. The Spider-Man rights ended up with Menahem Golan, who started a new company, 21st Century Film Corporation. He tried to get the movie made, even pre-selling rights to companies like Viacom and Columbia Pictures.
Sony Pictures Gets the Rights
Eventually, Columbia Pictures (owned by Sony) and MGM had a big trade-off in 1999. Columbia gave up its rights to make new James Bond movies, and in return, MGM gave up its claim to Spider-Man. This was a huge deal! Columbia Pictures finally got the rights to make Spider-Man movies.
Sony agreed to pay $10 million, plus a percentage of the movie's earnings and half the money from toys and other products. After more than ten years of trying, the first big Spider-Man movie, Spider-Man, finally went into production in 2002. Since then, all Spider-Man films have been distributed by Columbia Pictures, which is part of Sony.
Sam Raimi's Spider-Man Trilogy
These were the first big Spider-Man movies, directed by Sam Raimi.
| Film Title | U.S. Release Date | Director | Screenwriter(s) | Story by | Producers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spider-Man | May 3, 2002 | Sam Raimi | David Koepp | N/A | Laura Ziskin and Ian Bryce |
| Spider-Man 2 | June 30, 2004 | Alvin Sargent | Alfred Gough, Miles Millar, and Michael Chabon | Laura Ziskin and Avi Arad | |
| Spider-Man 3 | May 4, 2007 | Sam Raimi, Ivan Raimi, and Alvin Sargent | Sam Raimi and Ivan Raimi | Laura Ziskin, Avi Arad, and Grant Curtis |
Spider-Man (2002)
This movie introduces Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire), a high school student who gets bitten by a special spider. He gains amazing powers like super strength, speed, and the ability to climb walls and shoot webs. After his Uncle Ben is killed, Peter learns he must use his powers to protect New York City as Spider-Man. Meanwhile, a rich businessman named Norman Osborn (Willem Dafoe) becomes the evil Green Goblin, and Spider-Man must fight him.
Spider-Man 2 (2004)
Two years later, Peter is struggling to balance being Spider-Man with his normal life. He still likes Mary Jane Watson, who is now engaged. Peter's friend Harry Osborn still blames Spider-Man for his father's death. Spider-Man faces a new villain, Doctor Otto Octavius (Alfred Molina), a scientist with four powerful mechanical arms.
Spider-Man 3 (2007)
Peter is still with Mary Jane. Harry Osborn becomes the new Green Goblin. A new photographer, Eddie Brock (Topher Grace), tries to make Spider-Man look bad. Meanwhile, an escaped criminal named Flint Marko (Thomas Haden Church) becomes the sand monster, Sandman. Peter also finds out that Marko killed Uncle Ben, which makes him angry. A mysterious black alien substance called a symbiote bonds with Peter, giving him a new black suit and making him act differently. When Peter separates from it, the symbiote finds Eddie Brock, creating the villain Venom. Spider-Man must fight all these villains.
Canceled Fourth Film
After Spider-Man 3, plans for Spider-Man 4 began. Director Sam Raimi and the main actors were set to return. They even thought about making a fifth and sixth film! Raimi wanted to include the Lizard and even Quentin Beck/Mysterio in the fourth movie. John Malkovich was considered to play the Vulture, and Anne Hathaway might have played Felicia Hardy.
However, in 2010, Sony announced that Spider-Man 4 was canceled. Sam Raimi left the project because he wasn't happy with the script and felt he couldn't make the movie as good as he wanted by the release date.
Marc Webb's Amazing Spider-Man Films
After Sam Raimi's films, Sony decided to restart the Spider-Man movie series with a new director and cast. Marc Webb directed these two films.
| Film Title | U.S. Release Date | Director | Screenwriters | Story by | Producers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Amazing Spider-Man | July 3, 2012 | Marc Webb | James Vanderbilt, Alvin Sargent, and Steve Kloves | James Vanderbilt | Laura Ziskin, Avi Arad, and Matt Tolmach |
| The Amazing Spider-Man 2 | May 2, 2014 | Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, and Jeff Pinkner | Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, Jeff Pinkner, and James Vanderbilt | Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach |
The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)
This movie shows Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) in high school as he develops his powers. It also focuses on his relationship with Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone). He fights the Lizard, who is actually Dr. Curt Connors (Rhys Ifans), a scientist who used to work with Peter's father.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)
Two years after the first film, Peter continues to fight crime as Spider-Man. He battles Electro (Jamie Foxx), a man who can control electricity. Peter also gets back together with Gwen Stacy and meets his old friend Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan), who is very sick.
Canceled Third Film and Spin-offs
Sony had planned for The Amazing Spider-Man 3 and even a fourth film. They also wanted to create a bigger universe around Spider-Man with spin-off movies. Ideas included films about Venom and the villain team Sinister Six.
However, after The Amazing Spider-Man 2 didn't do as well as expected, and with the new deal between Sony and Marvel Studios, the planned sequels and spin-offs in this series were canceled. Sony later decided to make new movies based on Spider-Man characters, but separate from the MCU. These include the Venom movies and Morbius.
Spider-Man Joins the Marvel Cinematic Universe
Sony's original deal for Spider-Man rights means they must release a new Spider-Man movie at least every 5.75 years to keep the rights.
Before The Amazing Spider-Man 2 came out, there were talks between Sony and Marvel Studios about bringing Spider-Man into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). They even thought about having the Oscorp Tower from The Amazing Spider-Man appear in the MCU film The Avengers to show Spider-Man existed in that world. There were also ideas for a crossover movie with Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield playing their Spider-Man versions!
In February 2015, Sony Pictures and Disney announced a big deal. Spider-Man would appear in an MCU film, and Sony would release solo Spider-Man films co-produced by Marvel Studios. Sony still owned the rights and had the final say on the solo films. Kevin Feige, the head of Marvel Studios, said they had been trying to get Spider-Man into the MCU for a long time. They decided to use the Peter Parker version of Spider-Man.
Tom Holland, who plays Peter Parker/Spider-Man in the MCU, signed on for three Spider-Man movies and three solo movies. It was later confirmed that a young boy saved by Iron Man in Iron Man 2 (2010) was actually a young Peter Parker, meaning he was in the MCU from the beginning!
In 2019, there was a brief disagreement between Disney and Sony about the deal, and it looked like Spider-Man might leave the MCU. Fans were very upset! But a month later, Disney and Sony made a new deal. This included a third solo Spider-Man film and one other film, both set in the MCU. In 2021, it was even said that Sony and Marvel Studios plan to work together on another trilogy of Spider-Man films in the MCU!
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
Spider-Man first appeared in the MCU in Captain America: Civil War. The directors, Joe and Anthony Russo, really wanted Spider-Man in the movie. Many young actors tried out for the role, and Tom Holland was chosen. Marisa Tomei was cast as Aunt May.
In the film, Peter Parker has been a local superhero called Spider-Man for six months. Tony Stark (Iron Man) recruits him to join his team of Avengers. Spider-Man helps them fight Captain America and his team. Spider-Man, with an upgraded suit from Stark, proves to be a strong fighter.
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Spider-Man: Homecoming was released in July 2017. It was directed by Jon Watts. Tom Holland, Marisa Tomei, and Robert Downey Jr. returned as Peter Parker, Aunt May, and Tony Stark. New actors included Michael Keaton as the villain Vulture, Zendaya as MJ, and Jacob Batalon as Ned Leeds.
The movie takes place two months after Civil War. Peter is eager for his next mission from Stark, while also balancing his high school life with being Spider-Man. He investigates a series of high-tech robberies, which leads him to the mysterious weapons dealer, Vulture. Peter tries to stop him, even though Stark warns him not to get involved.
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Tom Holland was confirmed to appear in Avengers: Infinity War, directed by the Russo brothers.
In this movie, Peter joins Iron Man, Doctor Strange, and the Guardians of the Galaxy to fight the powerful villain Thanos on his home planet, Titan. Sadly, Spider-Man is one of the many heroes who disappear after Thanos uses the Infinity Gauntlet to wipe out half of all life in the universe.
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Tom Holland returned for Avengers: Endgame, also directed by the Russo brothers.
After disappearing in Infinity War, Peter and other heroes are brought back to life five years later by Bruce Banner. Spider-Man joins the Avengers and their friends in a huge battle against Thanos and his army. After the battle, Peter mourns Tony Stark's death and attends his funeral before returning to high school.
Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
A sequel to Spider-Man: Homecoming was released in July 2019. Jon Watts returned to direct. Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Marisa Tomei, and others returned. Jake Gyllenhaal joined as Quentin Beck/Mysterio. Samuel L. Jackson and Cobie Smulders also appeared as Nick Fury and Maria Hill.
The film takes place after Endgame. Peter and his friends go on a summer vacation to Europe. Peter wants a break from being a superhero, but he is forced to team up with Nick Fury and Mysterio to fight strange creatures called the Elementals.
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
In September 2019, Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures announced a third film. Jon Watts returned to direct. Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Marisa Tomei, and others returned. Benedict Cumberbatch and Benedict Wong appeared as Doctor Strange and Wong.
This movie connects to the earlier Spider-Man films through the multiverse. Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield returned as their versions of Spider-Man! Also, villains from past films returned, including Willem Dafoe as Green Goblin, Alfred Molina as Doctor Octopus, Thomas Haden Church as Sandman (from Sam Raimi's films), and Jamie Foxx as Electro and Rhys Ifans as Lizard (from Marc Webb's films).
After Mysterio revealed Peter Parker's identity as Spider-Man to the world in Far From Home, Peter asks Doctor Strange to make everyone forget with magic. But this accidentally breaks open the multiverse, bringing visitors from other realities into Peter's world.
Future MCU Spider-Man Films
Plans for a sequel to Spider-Man: No Way Home and a second trilogy of films in the MCU have been confirmed. Tom Holland is expected to return as Spider-Man. His character will go through a "soft-reset" after the events of No Way Home, meaning his civilian identity is now a secret again.
Animated Spider-Verse Movies
These animated films explore different versions of Spider-Man from across the multiverse.
| Film Title | U.S. Release Date | Director(s) | Screenwriter(s) | Story by | Producers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse | December 14, 2018 | Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman | Phil Lord and Rodney Rothman | Phil Lord | Avi Arad, Amy Pascal, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, and Christina Steinberg |
| Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse | June 2, 2023 | Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson | Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, and Dave Callaham | ||
| Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse | TBA | ||||
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
In 2015, Sony announced an animated Spider-Man comedy. It was released in December 2018. The film was directed by Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman. It stars Miles Morales as the main Spider-Man. This movie was praised for its unique animation style.
Spider-Ham: Caught in a Ham (2019)
The producers of Into the Spider-Verse were interested in making short films about Spider-Ham. A short film called Spider-Ham: Caught in a Ham was released in February 2019, along with the digital release of Into the Spider-Verse.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023)
A sequel to Into the Spider-Verse was announced in 2018. It continues Miles Morales' story and features his relationship with Gwen Stacy/Spider-Woman. The film was directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson. It was released on June 2, 2023.
Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse (TBA)
The story for the sequel to Into the Spider-Verse was so big that it was split into two parts! The second part is called Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse. It was originally set for release in March 2024 but has been delayed.
Potential Animated Projects
Along with the sequels, a spin-off movie focusing on female Spider-characters is being planned. It will star Spider-Gwen and feature characters like Cindy Moon/Silk and Jessica Drew/Spider-Woman. There's also interest in a spin-off film starring Spider-Ham!
Sony's Spider-Man Universe
Sony started working on a universe of movies using characters connected to Spider-Man in 2013. After The Amazing Spider-Man 2 didn't do very well, these plans changed. In 2015, Sony made the deal with Marvel Studios to bring Spider-Man into the MCU.
However, Sony separately developed Venom (2018) as a standalone film. This started a new franchise called Sony's Spider-Man Universe (SSU). This universe continued with Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021) and Morbius (2022). These films showed that the MCU and SSU are connected through the multiverse, a concept also seen in No Way Home.
In Let There Be Carnage, Eddie Brock and Venom are briefly transported to the MCU. They see the MCU's J. Jonah Jameson talking about Spider-Man's secret identity. In No Way Home, Brock and Venom are sent back to their original universe, but a small piece of the Venom symbiote is left behind.
Michael Keaton returned as Vulture from Spider-Man: Homecoming in the movie Morbius. After Doctor Strange's spell in No Way Home made everyone forget Peter Parker's identity, Vulture was accidentally transported from the MCU to the SSU. He then meets Dr. Michael Morbius and suggests they form a team.
Other Spider-Man Films
Spider-Man has appeared in other types of films too!
Marvel Super Heroes 4D (2010)
In 2010, an animated 4D film called Marvel Super Heroes 4D opened at Madame Tussauds London. It featured Spider-Man and Iron Man leading the Avengers against Doctor Doom. An updated version opened in New York in 2012.
Phineas and Ferb: Mission Marvel (2013)
In 2013, a crossover TV movie of the animated series Phineas and Ferb featured Marvel characters. It aired on Disney Channel and Disney XD. Drake Bell voiced Peter Parker/Spider-Man, and Danny Trejo voiced Venom.
Live-action Miles Morales Film
In May 2023, it was announced that a live-action movie about Miles Morales is being developed. Miles Morales is a popular Spider-Man character from the animated Spider-Verse films.
Who's Who in the Spider-Man Movies
Here are some of the main characters and the actors who have played them in different Spider-Man movies.
This section includes characters who will appear or have appeared in more than two films in the series.
- An empty, dark grey cell indicates the character was not in the film, or that the character's official presence has not yet been confirmed.
- A indicates an appearance through archival footage or audio.
- U indicates an uncredited appearance.
| Character | Made-for-TV films (1977–1981) |
Spider-Man trilogy (2002–2007) |
The Amazing Spider-Man films (2012–2014) |
Marvel Cinematic Universe (2016–present) |
Sony's Spider-Man Universe (2018–present) |
Spider-Verse films (2018–present) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peter Parker Spider-Man |
Nicholas Hammond | Tobey Maguire | Andrew Garfield | Tom Holland
Tobey Maguire Andrew Garfield |
Tom Holland | Jake Johnson |
| May Parker | Jeff Donnell | Rosemary Harris | Sally Field | Marisa Tomei | Lily Tomlin
Elizabeth Perkins |
|
| J. Jonah Jameson | David White
Robert F. Simon |
J. K. Simmons | J. K. Simmons | J. K. Simmons | Adam Brown
J. K. Simmons |
|
| Mary Jane Watson Michelle Jones-Watson |
Kirsten Dunst | Shailene Woodley | Zendaya | Zoë Kravitz
Melissa Sturm |
||
| Norman Osborn | Willem Dafoe | Chris Cooper | Willem Dafoe | Jorma Taccone | ||
| Ben Parker | Cliff Robertson | Martin Sheen | Cliff Robertson
Martin Sheen |
|||
| Harry Osborn | James Franco | Dane DeHaan | ||||
| Doctor Octopus | Alfred Molina | Alfred Molina | Kathryn Hahn
Appeared |
|||
| Curt Connors | Dylan Baker | Rhys Ifans | Appeared | |||
| Flint Marko Sandman |
Thomas Haden Church | Thomas Haden Church | Referenced | |||
| Eddie Brock Venom |
Topher Grace | Tom Hardy | Tom Hardy | |||
| Gwen Stacy Spider-Woman |
Bryce Dallas Howard | Emma Stone | Hailee Steinfeld | |||
| Maxwell Dillon Electro |
Jamie Foxx | Referenced | ||||
| Aleksei Sytsevich Rhino |
Paul Giamatti | Alessandro Nivola | Appeared
Referenced |
|||
| Adrian Toomes Vulture |
Michael Keaton | Jorma Taccone | ||||
| Aaron Davis | Donald Glover | Appeared | Mahershala Ali | |||
| Herman Schultz | Bokeem Woodbine | Appeared
Appeared |
||||
| Quentin Beck Mysterio |
Jake Gyllenhaal | Appeared | ||||
| Matt Murdock | Charlie Cox | Appeared | ||||
| Sergei Kravinoff Kraven the Hunter |
Appeared | Aaron Taylor Johnson | Appeared | |||
| Cassandra Webb Madame Web |
Appeared | Dakota Johnson | ||||
| Julia Carpenter Spider-Woman |
Sydney Sweeney | Appeared | ||||
| Anya Corazon Spider-Woman |
Isabela Merced | Appeared | ||||
Stan Lee, one of the people who created Spider-Man, made short appearances (cameos) in all the films from the Raimi trilogy to Into the Spider-Verse. Bruce Campbell, a friend of director Sam Raimi, also appeared in all three of Raimi's films. In the first Spider-Man, he was the wrestling announcer. In Spider-Man 2, he was a theater usher. In Spider-Man 3, he was a French waiter.
Images for kids
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Actors who have played Spider-Man in modern film (from left to right): Tobey Maguire in the Sam Raimi films, Andrew Garfield in the Marc Webb films and Tom Holland in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films directed by Jon Watts, while Shameik Moore voices Miles Morales in the animated Spider-Verse films.
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Shameik Moore voices Miles Morales in the Spider-Verse films.
