Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verseis an animated cinematic feat, captivating audiences with its storytelling, visuals, and sharp character development. Ever since the Marvel adventure hit Netflix and a number of other digital platforms, however, fans have been experiencing deja vu. Just like eagle-eyed viewers noticedtiny variations between scenesduring the film’s theatrical run, the digital version contains even more tweaks.Most of these changes enhance existing momentsor add new information instead of bloating the already lengthy film: for example, a flashback depicting the momentGwen Stacy(Hailee Steinfeld) was bitten by her universe’s spider, Hobie Brown (Daniel Kaluuya) singing during his introduction, and less dialogue during Miles Morales' (Shameik Moore) escape from the Spider Society headquarters. But why keep changing a (supposedly) final product mere months after its theatrical debut? A recent interview with theSpider-Verseproducing duoPhil LordandChris Millersheds light on whyHollywood’s biggest movie about multiverseshas multiverses — or multi-versions, if you will — of its own.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Why Is the Digital Release of ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ Different?
In an interview withGamesRadar,producersPhil LordandChris Millerrevealedthat the changes to the digital release ofSpider-Man: Across the Spider-Verseserved specific purposes. One reason was plain old logistics. Miller cited the film’s release schedule, specifically the time needed to translate the movie for international markets. Miller explained, “There was an international version that was made almost two months before the movie came out because it had to be translated into different languages and these French censors have to decide what the rating of the movie is in Europe. The team at [Sony Pictures] Imageworks still had some shots that they felt they could do better for the finished version.” Miller added a secondary motive:creative peace of mind. “Certain crew members – people in the sound department or on the animation team – were like, ‘Oh, could we do this instead?'” he toldGamesRadar. “Because it’s a multiverse movie, it’s like there’s a multiverse of the movie – that was really the reasoning behind it. It was trying to make the best possible version that everyone was going to be the proudest of.”
James Cameron and George Lucas Have Also Updated Their Past Projects
One might call theAcross theSpider-Verseteam adjusting elements post-debut an example of “perfectionism.” That descriptor is typically loaded with negative, judgmental connotations, butperfectionism isn’t a dirty word if done healthily. Everyone wants to submit their best work regardless of artistic medium or profession.In the film world specifically,Across the Spider-Verseis far from the first movie to be modified by its creatives.James Cameron, a noted perfectionist,adjusted a shot of the night sky inTitanicto be historically accurate for the film’s 15th-anniversary theatrical re-release.
Star Wars creatorGeorge Lucas, meanwhile, is famous (or infamous, depending on your perspective) for the multiple updates he made to the original Star Wars trilogy. Many of these revisions were a way for Lucas and his visual effects company Industrial Light & Magic, always experimental pioneerswhen it comes to cutting-edge technology, to test new systems before Lucas shotThe Phantom Menace. For Lucas, who directedStar Wars: A New Hopeon a shoestring budget and with a wing and a prayer, and someone whoresisted the restrictive Hollywood studio system, these experiments also provided the chance to get his defining creation right.
He toldEntertainment Tonightin 1997:
“My original motivation in going back into the film and working on it is [that] films, unlike books or symphonies, are never finished. They are abandoned or yanked away from you. […] And it’s the same thing with fine art. […] [Painters] say, ‘Oh, yeah. I did that 12 years ago […] But there’s something I don’t feel right about it.’ […] There were a lot of things in [A New Hope] I just wasn’t happy with and when the film came out everyone said, ‘Oh, looks great. You love it.’ I said, ‘Well, you know it’s only about 60 percent of what I wanted it to be.’ Everybody thought I was nuts.”
Years before theStar Warsprequels were in active development, Lucas was also a staunch defender of artists' rights. In addition toquitting the Director’s Guild of Americaover a credits sequence, in 1988 theLos Angeles Timesreportedthat Lucas joined other Hollywood names advocating for a Congressional bill that would forbid businesses from colorizing black and white films. UnderTed Turner’s ownership of the MGM film catalog, classic black and white features likeThe Maltese FalconandMiracle on 34th Streethad been adapted from black and white into artificial color. Other artists in support of the restriction includedLauren Bacall,Sydney Pollock, and Lucas' frequent collaboratorSteven Spielberg.
This stance makes sense. A business executive imposing color upon a black-and-white classic isn’t the same as a director choosing to remaster their film with 4K technology, especially if the directors of said classics aren’t consulted first. As for the thorny subject of George Lucas and the original Star Wars cuts, fans craving the unedited theatricals make just as much sense. Claims that Lucas' additions disrupt the movies' flows or muddle character motivations are valid — but so isLucas' prerogative as director and creator.
UnlikeStar WarsandTitanic, several factors makeAcross the Spider-Verseand its variations unique. For one, modifying scenes after the movie’s debut raises eyebrows in the wake ofemployees accusing Lord and Miller of strenuous working conditions, which allegedly included “alterations to already-approved animated sequencesthat created a backlog of work across multiple late-stage departments.” If Lord and Miller allowed their team to revise something to their satisfaction collaboratively after the fact, that’s excellent.
But if theSpider-Verseworkplace is so perilous that an artist can’t produce their best work by the deadline — which four anonymous employees claimed was the case onAcross the Spider-Verse— that’s an unsustainable environment and another reason to supportwidespread unionization across the film industry. For another,George Lucas and James Cameron altered their productsyears down the road. In contrast,Across the Spider-Versemight be the only movie to release different versions in rapid succession. Beginning in June, theaters around the world played at least two different cuts, both of which, presumably,included improved sound mixingafter audiences cited difficulty hearing Gwen Stacy’s opening monologue. The digital edition premiered in August.
Because theSpider-Verse saga hinges on the multiverse concept, it stands to reasonAcross the Spider-Verseis one of the few movies that can get away with such back-to-back timing without major backlash. Naturally, not every fan enjoys the digital version’s revisions. This intersection of artistic license, fan response, and perfectionism has no right or wrong answer, only individual preference. Countless creatives long to “fix” their past work. Technological advancements, changes in opinion, and skill growth all affect how everyone perceives their creations. Some actors —even ones as marvelous asDame Judi Dench— won’t watch their films because they’d overanalyze and critique their performances!
One can argue that any creative team should be afforded ultimate freedom, especially for more mutable art and if a situation warrants change. On the flip side, there’s also the argument a work should stand as it was at the time of its conclusion. Unlike itsbox-office returnsand groundbreaking animation advancements,Across the Spider-Verseisn’t breaking the mold here. It just happens to bea movie about multiverseswith multiple cuts. All art is subjective. Whichever cut you prefer is your individual opinion, just like making different versions is the opinion, and the right, of said film’s creators.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verseis available to stream on Netflix in the U.S.
