Miles isn’t Peter Parker. And that simple fact is really, really essential.
The differences Miles brings—and the power of on-screen representation—were major points of discussion when Variety talked to the creators and cast of the film at the recent premiere.
“I think that by them making this movie… and making it completely a representation of the world we live in and the families that are right next door to us, it’s so important because for some kids this is going to be their first vision of Spider-Man,” said Bryan Tyree Henry, who plays Miles’ father, police officer Jefferson Davis. “They’re opening up the imaginations of people to let them know that anything is possible.”
Director Bob Persichetti echoed the thought, saying that, “It’s a version of Spider-Man that is just representative of what it’s like in 2018 America or the world.” Gwen Stacy, too, got some of the praise, with Kristine Belson, president of Sony Pictures Animation, emphasising that her place as a Spider hero does similar work for girls viewing the film.
Miles and his world have been a part of Spider-Man for a while, but this is the first time they’ve gotten to be on screen. Which makes Into the Spider-Verse more than just a very good superhero movie. It also makes it an important one.