Reddit user Hohoho-you compiled a list of some reported differences, which include a longer cut of Miguel about to bite the Vulture (Jorma Taccone), an alternate joke from Ben Reilly (Andy Samberg), and slight differences in comic book-style visual flourishes. /Film has not been able to confirm all these changes, and it’s possible there are even more that haven’t been spotted yet.
Any other day, this news story would feel like confirmation of what we already know: The “Spider-Verse” films are among the most innovative, creative, and clever animated films of the 21st century, a true cinematic gift that keeps on giving. That’s all true, but a new, less rosy story about the making of the film is also emerging, as Vulture reports that animators were tasked with working massive amounts of overtime to make constant changes to the film, reportedly at co-writer and producer Phil Lord’s request. The result, according to their sources, is that roughly 100 artists left the film before its completion. One animator noted that the third film in the series, “Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse,” doesn’t seem likely to make its 2024 release date.
With this in mind, the alternate versions of “Spider-Verse” take on a trickier, more morally complex meaning, as they’re both an extremely cool and relatively novel idea, and something that could have caused overworked animators countless headaches to pull off. If you do want to take a second (or third or fourth) look at the movie, “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” is now in theaters. “Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse” is still currently set for release on March 29, 2024.