Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse delayed until 2027 but it’s actually good news
Sony PicturesSpider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse was meant to arrive in March 2024, but it will now be arriving in theaters in June 2027. But before you start sighing in frustration, try to keep in mind that it’s a good thing it’s been delayed – and one of the reasons that the franchise is such a success.
Sony Marvel’s Spider-Verse franchise kicked off in 2018 with the critically and commercially acclaimed Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, which shifts focus from Peter Parker to Miles Morales, with the animated format giving the creators freedom to push the boundaries of storytelling.
Its sequel, Across the Spider-Verse, landed in 2023 to similar acclaim, further expanding the multiverse and setting the stage for the third and final movie, Beyond the Spider-Verse, to deliver an even more ambitious conclusion.
The wait has felt especially agonizing due to the sequel ending on a massive cliffhanger, and there’s still a way to go. During its panel at CinemaCon on Monday, March 31, 2025, Sony revealed that Beyond the Spider-Verse will arrive on June 4, 2027 – more than three years after originally promised.
Why Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse is delayed
First things first, let’s address why it’s been delayed. Back in 2022, when the threequel was simply Part 2 of Across the Spider-Verse, the new movie got its title and a release date was set for March 29, 2024. However, it was delayed indefinitely in July 2023, during the writers’ and actors’ strikes.
But this is just one of the reasons Beyond the Spider-Verse is delayed. The Spider-Verse films are renowned for their groundbreaking animation, which have set new standards in the industry.
Their unique blend of 3D CGI and hand-drawn elements, inspired by traditional comic book visuals, is a meticulous and time-intensive process, one that simply cannot be rushed without compromising on quality.
Following the release of Into the Spider-Verse, producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller elaborated on the process and the difficulties of bringing the movie to life. “It’s really easy to say, ‘We want it to look like nothing’s ever looked before.’ It’s a lot harder to do it,” Lord said [via CBR].
Miller added, “It actually feels like you walked into a comic book. And it’s easier to say, but to actually actually accomplish it is super, super hard. It took years to figure out a process where we can match CG animation with hand-drawn 2-D animation and all these, like, comic book textures and effects and have it all feel like it was one painting.”
“It was four times as hard as making a CG-animated movie,” he continued. “It takes a week for an animator to make one second of footage on this, whereas normally, it’s like four or more seconds in a week. So, it’s a really hard process but we feel like it was worth it.”
2024 release was never going to happen
Expecting animators to deliver a film of the same caliber by March 2024 would have been unrealistic – not to mention unfair. Back in 2023, Across the Spider-Verse became the subject of controversy when animators spoke out about alleged “unsustainable working conditions.”
Sony PicturesIn a Vulture report, four animators who worked on the movie reportedly clocked in 11-hour days, seven days a week, for over a year – but that wasn’t the worst part of it.
As said by one, “Over 100 people left the project because they couldn’t take it anymore. But a lot stayed on just so they could make sure their work survived until the end – because if it gets changed, it’s no longer yours.
“I know people who were on the project for over a year who left, and now they have little to show for it because everything was changed. They went through the hell of the production and then got none of their work coming out the other side.”
They went on to say, “They’ve announced that Beyond the Spider-Verse will be released in March of next year. I’ve seen people say, ‘Oh, they probably worked on it at the same time.’ There’s no way that movie’s coming out then.
“There’s been progress on the pre-production side of things. But as far as the production side goes, the only progress that’s been made on the third one is any exploration or tests that were done before the movie was split into two parts.”
With this in mind, it’s hardly surprising that Beyond the Spider-Verse is taking longer than expected. You might not even call it a delay given the 2024 release date was never going to happen.
Giving the team more time is necessary, and will allow Beyond the Spider-Verse to be just as breathtaking as its predecessors. So, while a three-year wait may feel like an eternity, if there’s one thing Spider-Man stories have taught us, it’s that patience pays off.
After all, with great animation comes great responsibility (sorry).
In the meantime, read everything we know about Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the best Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man Easter eggs, and every upcoming MCU movie and show.
