In case you missed it, I had the incredible honor of interviewing Phil Lord and Chris Miller, the brilliant minds behind “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.” I recently sat down with the writing and producing pair for Rotten Tomatoes to uncover the secrets and inspirations behind this groundbreaking new film.

Phil Lord ad Chris Miller employed over 1,000 artists and animators to create “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”

*Note this interview contains spoilers for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.”

Boasting over 1000 animators (a record for an animated film), “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” takes us on a mesmerizing visual journey through various animation styles, representing different universes within the Spider-Verse. Lord and Miller explained that this creative decision paid homage to the rich history of Spider-Man comics, with each universe boasting a unique visual identity inspired by diverse artistic styles and iconic comic book covers.

At the film’s core lies the captivating story of Miles Morales and his relationships with his parents Jefferson and Rio, with Gwen Stacy, and pointedly with Miguel O’Hara and his place in the Spider-Verse.

Lord and Miller also mentioned that of the over 200 characters in the film, Spider-Punk, voiced by Daniel Kaluuya, and Spider-Woman, voiced by Issa Rae, were some of their faves. The film’s primary antagonist, Spot, provides a parallel coming-of-age journey for Miles and the villain himself.

Why Spider-Punk is the real hero of ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’

Spider-Punk was voiced by Daniel Kaluuya in “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”

Throughout our discussion, Lord and Miller emphasized their collaborative creative process, highlighting the importance of teamwork and the contributions of talented voice actors. They encouraged the actors to infuse their perspectives into their characters, resulting in unique and authentic portrayals—continuous workshopping of scenes allowed for organic character development and a cohesive storytelling experience.

They even worked with a 14-year-old animator for an exclusive LEGO sequence!

The massive team effort, incredible writing, and mind-blowing execution have paid off. A
Lord and Miller’s passion, combined with the entire team’s talent, has paid off. “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” made over $390 million worldwide in its first 12 days, surpassing what “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse” made in its entire first run!