Ahead of the upcoming Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Sony Pictures Animation and Sony Pictures Imageworks will release a brand new, original short film titled The Spider Within.
According to Variety in an exclusive report, the new short will take place in the world of Across the Spider-Verse, and will debut at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, which is set to take place between June 11-17, 2023.
The short will focus on Miles Morales as he struggles to balance his responsibilities as not only a teenager and friend but also a superhero defending the borough of Brooklyn.
“After a particularly challenging day living with these pressures, Miles experiences a panic attack that forces him to confront the manifestations of his anxiety and learn that reaching out for help can be just as brave an act as protecting his city from evil,” reads the official synopsis of the short.
The Spider Within short is a part of Sony Pictures Animation and Sony Pictures Imageworks’ new mentorship program LENS (Leading and Empowering New Storytellers). The initiative aims to provide high-potential candidates from underrepresented groups an opportunity to gain leadership experience. As part of the program, four candidates will be given creative leadership positions such as director, writer, VFX supervisor, and animation supervisor, and will work together to produce a short animated film.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse will be arriving in theaters on June 2, 2023. The film is directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson. It stars Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Jake Johnson, Issa Rae, Daniel Kaluuya, Jason Schwartzman, Brian Tyree Henry, Luna Lauren Velez, Greta Lee, Rachel Dratch, Jorma Taccone, Shea Whigham, Karan Soni, Oscar Isaac, and more.