---
title: "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse"
year: 2023
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/spider-man-across-the-spider-verse"
fi1m_id: "spider-man-across-the-spider-verse"
imdb_id: "tt9362722"
tmdb_id: 569094
wikidata_id: "Q76448600"
fi1m_score: 82
critics_score: 86
critics_reviews: 11
published: "2026-09-12"
updated: "2026-09-18T08:38:06.245799+00:00"
region: "BG"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023)

Directed by Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson, Joaquim Dos Santos · 2h 20m · BG B · Animation, Action, Adventure, Science Fiction

## Identity

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/spider-man-across-the-spider-verse
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** spider-man-across-the-spider-verse
- **IMDb ID:** tt9362722
- **TMDB ID:** 569094
- **Wikidata ID:** Q76448600
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9362722/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/569094, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q76448600

**Fi1m score: 82** · Critics 86 from 11 reviews

*In a sentence:* Every universe gets its own paint style, and after 140 minutes a title card tells you to come back later

> The second Spider-Verse film is more beautiful, funnier and stranger than the first, with a different painting style for every world it visits. It is also 140 minutes long, a good deal of it spent explaining rules, and only half of a longer story.

## Synopsis

Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) is the only Spider-Man in his Brooklyn, hiding his double life from his parents Jeff (Brian Tyree Henry), a police officer, and Rio (Luna Lauren Vélez), and missing Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld), who lives in a universe he cannot reach. A small-time villain called Spot (Jason Schwartzman), a man made of holes, turns out to be more dangerous than he looks, and Gwen reappears in Miles’s bedroom with news from elsewhere. Jake Johnson returns as Peter B. Parker; Oscar Isaac, Issa Rae, Daniel Kaluuya and Karan Soni join the voice cast. The second animated Spider-Verse film, directed by Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson and Joaquim Dos Santos.

## Review

Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) is still the only Spider-Man in his Brooklyn, still lying to his parents Jeff (Brian Tyree Henry) and Rio (Luna Lauren Vélez) about where he goes at night, and still missing Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld), who went home to a universe he cannot reach. Then she turns up in his bedroom. *Across the Spider-Verse* is the second of these animated films, directed this time by Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson and Joaquim Dos Santos from a script by Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and David Callaham. It is better looking than the first, funnier in places and a good deal longer. We recommend it, with the caveat that you are buying half a story.

The first film drew New York like a comic with the printer’s dots still showing. This one gives every universe its own paintbox. Gwen’s world, where the film opens, is done in watercolour, and the colour follows her mood: a conversation with her father George (Shea Whigham), a police captain, starts in cool blue and bleeds to orange and pink as it goes wrong. Hobie Brown (Daniel Kaluuya), a punk Spider-Man from a London that looks like a torn fanzine, moves to a different rhythm from everyone around him and his outlines never sit still.

Pavitr Prabhakar (Karan Soni) lives in a city that is half Mumbai and half Manhattan, all curves and gold. Spot (Jason Schwartzman), the villain, is a white figure with black holes for skin, drawn like ink dropped on wet paper. Patrick O’Keefe’s production design has to make these worlds sit next to each other without the film coming apart, and it does. We could tell which universe we were in from a frame with nobody in it.

The scene that got us is the prologue. Gwen is drumming alone in her room while the walls run to red, and Steinfeld tells us in voiceover that she has never been able to tell anyone the truth. What follows between her and her father we will not detail, except to say that it is the best written thing in either film and that we were moved more than we expected to be by a cartoon about a girl in a white hood. It was the paint that did it. Nobody says what she is feeling; the walls do.

Daniel Pemberton’s score gives Gwen a drum kit and Spot a set of clicks and scratches, and it keeps the biggest chase from turning into noise. Michael Andrews cuts so that the eye always has somewhere to go, which in frames this crowded is a real achievement; the sequence in Pavitr’s city, with Soni talking the entire way, is the funniest stretch of the film. Jake Johnson is back as Peter B. Parker, now a father, and gets the best throwaway lines. Henry plays Jeff as a man who suspects and cannot bring himself to ask.

Then the second half slows down to explain itself. Oscar Isaac’s Miguel O’Hara arrives with a lecture, and the film delivers it three times, once with a diagram. The chase that follows is the sequence most critics have admired, and it is well built, and it goes on. At 140 minutes with a PG certificate, we watched a row of children in front of us start to fidget around the two-hour mark, and we could not blame them.

We knew going in that this was the first half of a two-part story, and we still felt short-changed when the lights came up, in the way you do when the person next to you says “is that it”. Most critics have forgiven this. We mostly have.

Set against the first film, it is bigger and less tidy. *Into the Spider-Verse* told a whole story in under two hours; this one tells half of a longer story in more. See it in a cinema, where the paint is the size of a wall. Then make a note of the last shot, because the film expects you to remember it.

*Fi1m score 82, published 12 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

The reviews for Across the Spider-Verse are close to unanimous, and the praise clusters almost entirely on the animation: the mixing of hand-drawn, painted and comic-book styles across its different universes, the use of colour and texture to carry mood, and set pieces most critics find inventive and quick. Several also credit the film with keeping Miles Morales’s coming-of-age story at the centre of the noise, and a few think it darker and more ambitious than its predecessor without losing its warmth. Reservations are few and consistent. The Telegraph is the lone mixed voice, finding the film overstuffed and too long, and The AV Club, though positive, thinks it lacks some of the first film’s emotional heart and ends abruptly. The cliffhanger ending comes up repeatedly, even in the warmest notices, as does a surplus of in-jokes and a villain some find familiar. The spread is narrow and the tone is largely delighted.

## Straight answers

**Is Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse worth watching?**

*Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse* is worth watching, and we scored it 82. Every universe it visits gets its own paint style, and the opening scenes with Gwen Stacy are the best written in either film. Be warned that it runs 140 minutes, spends much of the second half explaining its rules, and stops halfway through a longer story.

**How long is Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, and what is it rated?**

*Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse* runs 2h 20m and is rated B by the BG in Bulgaria. It is an animation and action film.

**Where can I watch Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse in Bulgaria?**

*Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse* is not on any streaming or rental service in Bulgaria at the moment. It is available in 1 other country; change your country at the top of the page to see where. Availability is checked daily.

**How does Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse compare to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse?**

*Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse* is more beautiful, funnier in places and stranger than [*Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse*](https://film.one/film/spider-man-into-the-spider-verse), but the earlier film is the tighter of the two. The first told a whole story in under two hours; this one tells half of a longer story in more. Newcomers should start with the first, which stands alone; this one does not.

**What should I watch after Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse?**

After *Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse*, try [*Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse*](https://film.one/film/spider-man-into-the-spider-verse) (2018, Fi1m 87): The first one: a whole story, printer’s dots and all, in under two hours. Then [*The Mitchells vs the Machines*](https://film.one/film/the-mitchells-vs-the-machines) (2021, Fi1m 76): Same producers’ sensibility, a family road trip, doodles scribbled over the frame; and [*Paprika*](https://film.one/film/paprika) (2006, Fi1m 80): Satoshi Kon’s dream-hopping thriller, where the animation changes rules as fast as the plot.

### Reviews we read (20)

- **Radio Times**, James Mottram (5/5): This is a mind-boggling, untouchable achievement and a giant among animated sequels. It excels through its exhilarating blend of animation styles and deep character revelations. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/scifi/spider-man-across-the-spider-verse-review/)
- **Time Out**, Phil de Semlyen (5/5): This is absurdly brilliant popcorn entertainment delivered with pop art genius that reinvents what superhero movies can do. It pushes more visual boundaries than its predecessor with an anything-goes ethos. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/spider-man-across-the-spider-verse)
- **Empire**, Ben Travis (90/100, inferred): The film is masterful and another instant classic, cranking every dial to 11 without collapsing. It singles out the eye-sizzling excellence of its animation and electrifying energy, with inventive use of colour, composition and texture to convey mood. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/spider-man-across-the-spider-verse/)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Katie Walsh (90/100, inferred): The critic calls it a spectacular achievement with no sophomore slump, evolving the first film's elements into a darker, edgier place through a stunning blend of artistic traditions like Abstract Expressionism and punk. It singles out the disruptive attitude, production design, music, and themes of self-determination versus canon adherence. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2023-05-31/review-spider-man-across-spider-verse-marvel-animated)
- **Total Film** (85/100, inferred): A supremely confident, ravishingly rendered follow-up that dazzles with wit, imagination and thrills. It singles out the refined and exponentially advanced living comic book aesthetic, with thrillingly dynamic and acrobatic action. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/spider-man-across-the-spider-verse-review/)
- **The AV Club**, Brett Buckalew (B): It's a visual feast with ambitious storytelling and new characters, but lacks some of the emotional heart of the first film and ends abruptly as a cliffhanger. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/a-review-of-spider-man-across-the-spider-verse-1850490088)
- **The Times** (70/100, inferred): The film delights in exploring the limits of comic-book storytelling through its multiverse of Spider-people and postmodern style. Some elements like the villain and sequel setup feel derivative or crass. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/books/article/spider-man-across-the-spider-verse-review-plenty-of-postmodern-pizzazz-jspwp6msp)
- **The Telegraph** (3/5): The state-of-the-art animation is intoxicating but the film overdazzles with too many elements and overstays its welcome. It introduces new Spider-people effectively but feels excessive. [Read](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/spider-man-across-the-spider-verse-review/)
- **Screen Daily**: This stirring follow-up tops the original with stunning animation, dazzling set pieces and irreverent humour. It offers a darker, more ambitious tone while remaining one of the most vibrant and emotional superhero films in recent times. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/spider-man-across-the-spider-verse-review/5182720.article)
- **Sight and Sound**: The film delivers a dazzling visual experience that celebrates the craft of animation. It finds sparks of innovation through its polystylism and abstraction in a crowded field of multiverse stories. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/spider-man-across-spider-verse-delivers-dazzling-visual-experience-that-celebrates-craft-animation)
- **Slant Magazine**, Derek Smith: Matches stylistic experimentation with multi-tiered narrative, grounded in human drama of romance and family struggles, achieving exhilarating spectacle and ambition. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/spider-man-across-the-spider-verse-review/)
- **The Guardian**: The sequel is sublime and matches the first film's inventiveness with dazzling animation and new characters. It builds on themes of adolescence and belonging with heart and visual density. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/jun/03/spider-man-across-the-spider-verse-review-a-dizzying-dazzling-sequel)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Lovia Gyarkye: The critic finds the sequel less limber than the original but still exciting, praising its visual feast and focus on Miles' identity while noting some backstory weighs it down. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/spider-man-across-the-spider-verse-review-1235503261/)
- **The New York Times**, Maya Phillips (Critic’s Pick): The critic praises this charming sequel for expanding the multiverse concept and stakes while replicating the original's charms without overinflating or relying on shameless fan service. It highlights the impressive voice cast and the way the film handles alternate Spider-Man versions better than some live-action entries. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/01/movies/spider-man-across-the-spider-verse-review.html)
- **Vulture**: The film is a joyous spectacle with stunning animation that tells its story visually, thrilling as art and animation, making one want to visit all universes, despite the to-be-continued ending. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/article/the-joyous-spectacle-of-spider-man-across-the-spider-verse.html)
- **Collider**, Ross Bonaime (A): The critic praises the film's striking animation, deeper character connections, and how it elevates the series, calling it one of the best superhero films ever and cementing Miles Morales as the best on-screen Spider-Man. It singles out the ambitious multiverse storytelling, inventive visuals, and emotional core. [Read](https://collider.com/spider-man-across-the-spider-verse-review/)
- **Den of Geek**, David Crow (4.5/5): The critic praises the film as a visually stunning work of art with groundbreaking animation styles that captures the anxieties and ecstasies of adolescence and Spidey's power fantasy in a mature way. Minor issues noted with excessive easter eggs and a frustrating cliffhanger ending. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/spider-man-across-the-spider-verse-review-higher-than-live-action/)
- **The Ringer**, Daniel Chin (90/100, inferred): The critic calls it a multiversal masterpiece that is even more ambitious, adventurous, and visually spellbinding than its predecessor while remaining full of heart. It singles out the creative energy from the directors and writers, the evolving animation styles across universes, and the focus on Miles' coming-of-age story amid canon events. [Read](https://www.theringer.com/2023/06/02/movies/spider-man-across-the-spider-verse-review)
- **Deadline**, Valerie Complex: The critic describes the film as visually stunning and philosophical, with a roller-coaster ride through alternate realities and a commitment to authenticity in its comic book style and animation. They note some plot convolution but praise its ambition, emotional core, and innovation as a step up from the predecessor. [Read](https://deadline.com/2023/05/spider-man-across-the-spider-verse-review-colorful-web-of-destiny-for-miles-morales-1235383411/)
- **The Wrap**: The review calls the film a triumph of maximalist filmmaking that uses in-your-face techniques for a gigantically intimate story, transforming the Spider-Man formula into something with impressive heft around fate and chaos. It highlights the boundless possibilities of animation and varied artistic styles as a wonder to behold. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/spider-man-across-the-spider-verse-review-a-triumph-of-maximalist-filmmaking/)

## Details

- **Director:** Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson, Joaquim Dos Santos
- **Director:** Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson, Joaquim Dos Santos
- **Writer:** Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, David Callaham
- **Editor:** Michael Andrews
- **Music:** Daniel Pemberton
- **Production design:** Patrick O'Keefe
- **Producer:** Christina Steinberg, Avi Arad, Amy Pascal
- **Cast:** Shameik Moore as Miles Morales (voice); Hailee Steinfeld as Gwen Stacy (voice); Brian Tyree Henry as Jeff Morales (voice); Lauren Vélez as Rio Morales (voice); Jake Johnson as Peter B. Parker (voice); Oscar Isaac as Miguel O'Hara (voice); Jason Schwartzman as Spot (voice); Issa Rae as Jessica Drew (voice)
- **Runtime:** 2h 20m
- **Certificate (BG):** B
- **Release (Bulgaria):** 2 June 2023
- **Genres:** Animation, Action, Adventure, Science Fiction
- **Budget:** $100 million
- **Box office:** $691 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFrxzaBLDQM

## Where to watch in Bulgaria

Not streaming, renting or buying in Bulgaria at the last check.

Also available in: GB. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Animated Movie 2024: Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Animated Movie (won)
- Academy Awards 2023: Best Animated Feature (nominated)
- Annie Award for Best Animated Feature 2023: Annie Award for Best Animated Feature (won)
- Critics' Choice Awards 2023: Best Animated Feature (won)

## If you liked this

- *Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse* (2018), Fi1m 87: The first one: a whole story, printer’s dots and all, in under two hours. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/spider-man-into-the-spider-verse.md)
- *The Mitchells vs the Machines* (2021), Fi1m 76: Same producers’ sensibility, a family road trip, doodles scribbled over the frame. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-mitchells-vs-the-machines.md)
- *Paprika* (2006), Fi1m 80: Satoshi Kon’s dream-hopping thriller, where the animation changes rules as fast as the plot. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/paprika.md)
- *Everything Everywhere All at Once* (2022), Fi1m 77: Another multiverse, another family that cannot talk; this one finishes its sentence. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/everything-everywhere-all-at-once.md)
- *Belleville Rendez-vous* (2003), Fi1m 84: French, nearly wordless, and drawn as if every character were a caricature of a city. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-triplets-of-belleville.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/spider-man-across-the-spider-verse