‘Beyond the Spider-Verse’ Early Footage Leaves Industry Insiders Stunned, and Miles Morales May Be About to Complete the Greatest Animated Trilogy Ever Made

Few franchises in recent memory have rewired what audiences expect from animation quite like the ‘Spider-Verse’ series. When ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ arrived in 2018, it redefined the genre, winning the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and earning a reputation as one of the finest superhero films ever produced.

Its 2023 sequel, ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’, pushed even further, earning a box office run of $690 million worldwide and generating another Oscar nomination on the strength of its breathtaking visual ambition. The bar, already stratospheric, was set even higher.

All of that context makes the first wave of industry reactions to ‘Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse’ feel genuinely significant. Sony Pictures showcased the debut trailer and opening footage for the film during the CinemaCon industry convention on May 5, 2026, giving attendees a five-minute look at the trilogy-capping film ahead of its scheduled June 18, 2027 theatrical release. The footage was introduced by the creative team, and what followed apparently left the room buzzing.

The footage itself picks up right where ‘Across the Spider-Verse’ left off. Miles is shown tied up and being interrogated by his Uncle Aaron and the Prowler variant of himself, with the Prowler coldly introducing himself while Miles tries to explain that he needs to return to his original universe to save his father’s life.

Hunted by Miguel O’Hara’s Spider Society and betrayed by his friends, Miles finds himself in the darkest corners of the Spider-Verse in a race against the clock to reunite everything he holds most dear. Reports also indicate that the footage offers a deeper dive into Spider-Punk’s universe and multiversal chaos on a scale that dwarfs anything seen in the series so far.

The filmmakers themselves have teased that this is the final chapter of Miles’ story and the most emotional and spectacular installment they have ever made. That sentiment is echoed by the cast.

Brian Tyree Henry, who voices Miles’ father Jeff Morales, told Variety that the conclusion will be anything but neat, saying “there’s not going to be a dry eye in the house” and that it “is not going to wrap up in a nice little bow.” The creative team at CinemaCon in 2025 also emphasized their commitment to getting the finale right as the core reason behind its extended delays.

The film is set for release in IMAX and premium large formats, making it the first Sony animated film to receive that treatment. With a franchise that has already grossed over a billion dollars combined and reshaped mainstream animation, the pressure on this finale is immense but, based on early reactions, Sony and the filmmakers appear to be meeting that moment head-on.

Let us know in the comments whether you think ‘Beyond the Spider-Verse’ has what it takes to close out the greatest animated trilogy in comic book history.