Shameik Moore And Hailee Steinfeld Are Thrilled To Suit Up Again For Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse - Exclusive Interview
In "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse," the sequel to 2018's stunning "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse," Shameik Moore and Hailee Steinfeld return to once again voice Miles Morales and Gwen Stacy, respectively, in this new animated epic. In the first film, Miles — who was introduced in Marvel Comics back in 2011 — is bitten by a radioactive spider and becomes the Spider-Man of his universe, while Gwen has already gone through the same experience in her universe, becoming known as Spider-Woman (or Spider-Gwen).
As Miles — a high school student who lives with his parents and struggles with the expectations of his police officer father (Brian Tyree Henry) — discovers, there are infinite other universes all containing their own versions of Spider-Man, a concept that is explored even further in "Across the Spider-Verse" (a third movie, "Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse," is due out in 2024).
In the new movie, directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson, Gwen introduces Miles to the Spider Society, a multiversal team of Spider-Heroes charged with making sure that all the universes stay safe — although the cost of doing that may be too much for Miles to bear.
In addition to the bond between Miles and Gwen growing even stronger, "Across the Universe" finds a way to delve even deeper into the characters amid all the visually mind-blowing animation, the epic, universe-hopping action sequences, and a plethora of exciting new Spider-People. "We see Miles face quite a few hurdles," says Shameik Moore in Looper's exclusive interview, "but he tackles them and he tackles them with his friends."
Why Across the Spider-Verse was different for the actors
You have some really emotional scenes together. Did you get to do any of them together in the vocal booth?
Hailee Steinfeld: We did, thank God. There is nothing like that real-time interaction. We didn't get that on the first film. I know Shameik did with other actors.
Shameik Moore: But this time ...
Steinfeld: This time, we made up for it. It was especially important for the scenes that you mentioned because those are throughout this film, and it's amazing to be able to be in the room with the person and do it in real-time.
Moore: Yes. I've never been able to work with Hailee on camera, so it was nice to look across and say the lines looking at her. It was nice.
What surprised you both when you got this script, and how did it line up with your own ideas of where you wanted to see these characters go?
Moore: I was excited. When they sat down ... We did a Zoom with my team and Chris [Miller, co-writer and producer], Phil Lord [co-writer and producer], and Christina [Steinberg, producer], and we got the breakdown, the shebang, it was all ... The second movie ended up being two movies. Honestly, I like where it's going. I believe in them. I trust them, and that's the preparation process for me ... I am very confident in my own creative abilities, so I learn from these guys.
It's an honor to be able to be involved in a project where Chris and Phil are in the lead, driving the car. Working with Kemp Powers for the first time and knowing that I have Hailee to the right, Jake [Johnson, voicing Peter B. Parker] to the left, Dan Kaluuya [voicing Spider-Punk] right behind me, Issa [Rae, voicing Jessica Drew/Spider-Woman] in front ... I'm like, "All right, what do you need from me? Cool. Let me do it just like that."
New challenges for Miles and Gwen
Where would you describe where Miles is in his life when this movie starts?
Moore: Miles is comfortably Spider-Man now. We ended [the last movie] where he was just starting to figure it out. He's comfortably Spider-Man now, but he's bored with the petty thefts. The stuff we love about some of the "Spider-Man" movies we know and love ... Miles is like, "Give me the super guy. Let me defeat another Kingpin-level opponent," and he's looking to be able to open up and talk to somebody about his troubles, his excitement, his accomplishments, et cetera.
He wants to learn; he wants to expand. He feels like he's in a box, and he knows that there's other dimensions where there are people that get it, so that's where Gwen pops in. That's where that heartbeat starts to pump, and we see Miles face quite a few hurdles, but he tackles them and he tackles them with his friends.
Gwen makes a lot of tough choices in this movie. She's already made some before the movie starts. Did that elevate it for you above the standard comic book fare in a way?
Steinfeld: Absolutely. I feel like the filmmakers weren't about to let this bold voice not be heard, and we start and end this story with Gwen looking for that sense of belonging and understanding where she's at in her life. She is in a similar place of trying to figure it out and get it right and feel good about who she is and make her father proud. I believe her sole purpose is to help people, and that's why she is wherever she is in this film. It's for that reason.
"Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" opens in theaters this Friday (June 2).
This interview has been edited for clarity.