A deep dive into the Spider-Verse
For decades, fans across the globe have come to know so many superheroes from the world of comics, film and television. Standing out for their fascinating backstories, bold costumes and superhuman powers – we all have our favourite.
When it comes to Marvel, popular characters include Iron Man, Captain America, Black Widow and Spider-Man. But when it comes to your friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man, how old is the superhero and who has played the iconic character?
Here, BBC Bitesize takes a closer look at multiple versions of Spider-Man and what the character can teach us. You can also find out more about the film genres explored in its adaptations and much more.
Image source, Disney XD / ContributorWho is Spider-Man and when was the character created?
Image source, Marvel Studios / ContributorThe alter ego of Peter Parker, Spider-Man is a Marvel superhero who has been known for generations. First appearing in Marvel Comics’ Amazing Fantasy #15 in 1962, the character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko.
Typically portrayed as a shy and intelligent high school student, Peter Parker lives in New York City with his Aunt May and Uncle Ben, following the death of his parents. He takes on the secret identity of Spider-Man after being bitten by a radioactive spider.
The bite gives him incredible spider-like superhuman powers such as strength, agility, the ability to shoot spider webs and cling to surfaces and a “spider-sense” that detects danger. He uses his powers to fight crime and in a quote usually attributed to Uncle Ben, learns “with great power comes great responsibility.”
In the comic series, we meet his friends, love interests like Mary Jane Watson and Gwen Stacy, and villains like the Green Goblin and Doctor Octopus. One of the most popular Marvel superheroes, the character has also been adapted to star in numerous films, television shows, video games and more.
Image source, Marvel Studios / ContributorWhat is a superhero and what can they teach us?
A superhero is a benevolent character who possesses superhuman powers - and while they are fictional, they can teach us a lot. Aside from their extraordinary powers and skills, they are confident, selfless, brave and courageous.
They are known for having their own identity, as well as a strong moral compass and a passion for helping others. They often have a secret identity, and their real identities are unknown to the public, especially the friends and family they try to protect.
This makes them more relatable as they can have their own struggles and problems while also leading a double life and creating change. The term superhero is also used to describe real-life people who do amazing things in everyday life.
How many Spider-Man movies are there?
Over the last 25 years, there have been several popular Spider-Man film franchises, including live-action adaptations and incredible animated films. The original trilogy was released in the 00s and consisted of Spider-Man (2002), Spider-Man 2 (2004) and Spider-Man 3 (2007).
It starred actor Tobey Maguire as the lead, as well as Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane Watson and James Franco as Harry Osborn. A few years later, a new franchise hit cinemas and starred Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker.
The Amazing Spider-Man was released in 2012, followed by The Amazing Spider-Man 2 in 2014. Actress Emma Stone played Gwen Stacy and Sally Field starred as Aunt May.
The most recent live-action Spider-Man adaptation stars Tom Holland as famous superhero and Zendaya as Michelle Jones-Watson (MJ). Spider-Man: Homecoming was released in 2017, followed by Spider-Man: Far From Home in 2019 and Spider-Man: No Way Home in 2021.
But in more recent years, we have also been introduced to a universe full of different worlds and variations of the famous characters. Voiced by Shameik Moore, Miles Morales is Spider-Man in the animated Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023).
How many different versions of Spider-Man are there?
Through the decades, audiences have been introduced to so many iconic superheroes in comics, film, TV, video games and more. But sometimes, it can feel like the superheroes in the spotlight are fairly similar.
Over time, big names like Marvel have worked to bring more diversity to their established characters, as well as new ones. This can be seen in one new Spider-Man franchise in particular.
In the Spider-Verse animated films, we're not only introduced to a new lead whose alter ego is Spider-Man, but also a universe full of alternative Spider-people and animals with their own identities and purposes. Instead of Peter Parker, we meet Miles Morales as Spider-Man, who is Afro-Latino.
The films also star Spider-Man characters Pavitr Prabhakar from India, Peni Parker from Japan and Miguel O’Hara as Spider-Man 2099, who is Irish-Mexican. Alongside female variations of the Peter Parker character, we also see his love interest Gwen Stacy in an alternate world become the hero as Spider-Gwen.
The Spider-Verse films also introduce us to an older Peter B. Parker/Spider-Man who is married with a child, as well as a pregnant Spider-Woman. The films divert from having a white-male superhero as the lead to featuring characters of different races, cultures, gender, age and circumstances – showing that anyone can be a hero.
There is no exact number of Spider-Man versions in the multiverse, however we have been introduced to many, distinct characters so far. Other notable versions include Spider-Man Noir – a monochromatic 1930s character, Spider-Ham/Peter Porker – a cartoon animal parody, Hobie Brown/Spider-Punk - a British punk-rock Spider-Man, and many more.
What is a genre and how many does the Spider-Man multiverse cover?
The Spider-Verse has so many unique characters – and as a result also explores many different genres. Genre is French for “sort” or "type” and helps categorise different types of media.
And if you look closely at the different characters, films and television shows, you’ll notice they explore numerous genres. A few obvious genres in the world of Spider-Man are action, adventure and coming-of-age.
But in the Spider-Verse films, several genres are blended through the characters featured, something which arguably revolutionises the popular superhero. There are so many to mention – but one is Spider-Man Noir, who is inspired by black-and-white film-noir movies.
The cinematic style, usually associated with the American films of the 1940s and 1950s, stands out for its distinct black-and-white visuals, as well as its dark, cynical themes. A few famous films in the film-noir genre include Laura (1944) and Sunset Boulevard (1950).
Spider-Hero, Peni Parker from Japan is designed in an anime style. Anime is a distinct style of animation originating from Japan and famous examples from the genre include works from Studio Ghibli, such as Spirited Away.
When it comes to animal-variations of Spider-Man, Spider-Ham/Peter Porker is a cartoon character who bears a resemblance to the Looney Tunes’ Porky Pig. But the nature and personality of the character fits into the comedy and parody genres – parody meaning an imitation of a particular style, artist or genre.
What is Spider-Noir and when is it being released?
A noir-themed take on the iconic superhero Spider-Man is coming in the form of a new American television series in 2026. Spider-Noir will be released on 25 May 2026 on MGM+ in the US and all eight episodes will be released globally on Prime Video two days later on 27 May 2026.
The show, based on the Marvel comic Spider-Man Noir, sees actor Nicholas Cage reprise his role as Spider-Noir, after he voiced the character in the Spider-Verse films. The series follows private investigator Ben Reilly (Cage), formerly superhero The Spider, and his life in 1930s New York City.
Spider-Noir also stars Lamorne Morris and Brendan Gleeson. Two versions of the show will also be released, an authentic black and white version in a nod to its original noir genre and a true-hue full colour version.
When is the next Spider-Man film coming out?
Away from television, Spider-Man fans will also be wondering when another film about the popular superhero is to be released. Well, there's a few more in the pipeline so far.
Following the success of Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), Far From Home (2019), and No Way Home (2021), actor Tom Holland is set to reprise his role as Peter Parker in a new film. Set to be released on 31 July, 2026, the plot of Spider-Man: Brand New Day has not yet been revealed.
But, if you remember how No Way Home concluded, we can assume part of the story will follow Peter Parker leading a new life as his friends no longer know who he is. Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, Zendaya is also reprising her role as MJ for Spider-Man 4.
When is Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse released?
If you’re a fan of the Spider-Verse series, there is also another instalment on its way – Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse. The animated superhero film is scheduled to be released on 18 June 2027.
The first two films in the series, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023) followed Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) as Spider-Man, as he navigates the multiverse and all the other Spider characters that come with it. Until its release, you can look beyond the Spider-Verse and explore more about the fascinating character and all its variations.
This article was written in February 2026