Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse Spider-Gwen

‘Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse’ just hit theaters, but Sony already has plans to expand this animated universe with a sequel as well as a film centered around Gwen Stacy/Spider-Gwen (voiced by Hailee Steinfeld), called ‘Spider-Women’.  But before that, Spider-Gwen will return in ‘Into the Spider-Verse 2’ (or whatever it winds up being called).

As reported by Vanity Fair, the sequel will explore a romance between Miles and Gwen.  Apparently, writer/producer Phil Lord has originally included a romantic subplot in a draft of the ‘Into the Spider-Verse’ screenplay, but it had to be cut due to time.

This alteration may have been due partially to time constraints, but it is hinted that it may also have something to do with female producer Christina Steinberg’s involvement.

As Lord revealed:

“I will say that Christina kept us honest.  As five boys making a movie, it was really good to have another filmmaker there going, ‘I don’t think you guys want to do it like this.’”

It’s hinted that Steinberg pushed for Gwen to be presented as a friend and hero first, and not just as “the love interest,” simply because she was female.

Steinberg wasn’t the only female Gwen champion behind the scenes.  Sony’s Chairperson of Motion Pictures, Amy Pascal is also keen on pushing Spider-Gwen as her own headliner.

Pascal stated:

“I think it’s great that we’re going to be able to tell movies about female superheroes in this realm, and in the live-action realm as well, because I believe that there are going to be characters that really resonate for people. They’re funny and quirky and different, and heroic in all kinds of different ways that only animation allows you to do.”

The sequel to ‘Into the Spider-Verse’ will be directed by Joaquim Dos Santos (‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’, ‘Voltron’) and written by David Callaham, who was also recently revealed to be working in a screenplay for Marvel Studios’ planned ‘Shang-Chi, the Master of Kung-Fu’.

In addition to the sequel to ‘Into the Spider-Verse’, Spider-Gwen will team up with two other female heroes, Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew) and Silk (Cindy Moon) in ‘Spider-Women’, to be written by Bek Smith, with Lauren Montgomery likely to direct.

But before all of that, ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ is now playing in theaters.