Mark your calendars, Spider-Man fans: the wait for the next chapter in Sony’s animated Spider-Verse saga is finally taking shape. Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, the third installment of the groundbreaking trilogy, is officially slated to swing into theaters on June 4, 2027. And if that feels like a long way off, the filmmakers are already stoking the hype. At this year’s CinemaCon—the annual Las Vegas trade show where movie theater owners get a sneak peek at what’s coming—producer Phil Lord, alongside co-directors Bob Persichetti and Justin K. Thompson, unveiled the first look at the highly anticipated finale. Spoiler alert: it’s shaping up to be a wild ride.

“We know how important this franchise is to so many people around us. We just could not run it back,” Lord told the crowd, explaining the lengthy gap since 2023’s Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. “So, we decided we needed to take the time to make sure we got it just right.” His promise? A “massive finale” that’ll cap off the trilogy in style. If the exclusive footage shown at CinemaCon is any indication, they’re not messing around.

Spider-Man: Beyond the #SpiderVerse is coming exclusively to theatres June 4, 2027. 🕸️ pic.twitter.com/X4Y96n6dau

— Spider-Man: Beyond The Spider-Verse (@SpiderVerse) April 1, 2025

A multiverse milestone

For the uninitiated, the Spider-Verse trilogy kicked off with 2018’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, a game-changer that introduced us to Miles Morales—a Brooklyn teen who becomes Spider-Man after a radioactive spider bite—and the mind-bending concept of the multiverse. The film didn’t just dazzle with its comic book-inspired visuals; it snagged an Oscar for Best Animated Feature and raked in $394 million worldwide. Its successor, Across the Spider-Verse, upped the ante in 2023, pulling in a jaw-dropping $690 million and leaving fans on a cliffhanger that’s had them buzzing ever since.

The trilogy’s masterminds, Phil Lord and Chris Miller—known for hits like The LEGO Movie—are back to co-write Beyond the Spider-Verse, with Persichetti and Thompson steering the ship as co-directors. Together, they’ve turned Miles’ journey into a cultural juggernaut, blending heart, humor, and a visual style that’s redefined what animated movies can be.

So, what’s next for Miles? The CinemaCon footage offered some tantalizing clues. Picture this: Miles Morales, fugitive-style, on the run from every other Spider-Person in the multiverse. Lord teased that even Gwen Stacy—voiced by Hailee Steinfeld—and Miles’ other pals might not be enough to help him save his family, the emotional core of the series. In the clip, Miles defiantly declares he’s doing things “his way,” pushing back against everyone telling him how his story’s supposed to end. Gwen and other familiar web-slingers popped up too, though the teaser hasn’t hit the internet yet—sorry, folks, you’ll have to take our word for it.

Animation that pops off the screen

If there’s one thing the Spider-Verse movies have nailed, it’s the look. From the get-go, these films have been a feast for the eyes, mixing 2D comic-book vibes with cutting-edge 3D animation. Into the Spider-Verse set the bar with its bold, stylized aesthetic—think speech bubbles, halftone dots, and a frenetic energy that felt like flipping through a comic. Across the Spider-Verse took it further, giving each universe its own distinct flair, from watercolor dreamscapes to punk-rock chaos.

The CinemaCon footage promises more of that magic. Lord hyped up the crowd, saying, “We are prepping this movie especially for your large format screens. It looks insane.” Translation: this isn’t just a movie—it’s a cinematic event meant to be soaked up on the biggest screen possible. With the trilogy’s track record, expect Beyond the Spider-Verse to push the boundaries of animation even further, delivering visuals that’ll have your jaw on the floor.

Miles Morales: the hero we needed

Let’s talk about Miles for a sec. When Into the Spider-Verse dropped, it wasn’t just the animation that won people over—it was the kid in the mask. As an Afro-Latino Spider-Man, Miles brought a fresh face to a franchise that’s been around since the ‘60s. Created by Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli in 2011, he’s a hero who reflects a world that’s more diverse than ever. Voiced with charisma and vulnerability by Shameik Moore, Miles has become a symbol of the idea that “anyone can wear the mask”—a message that hit home for millions.

The movies haven’t shied away from his roots either. From the Spanglish banter with his parents to the hip-hop beats pulsing through the soundtrack, Miles’ Brooklyn vibe is as much a character as he is. And with the multiverse in play, we’ve met Spider-People of all stripes—Gwen Stacy, the brooding Spider-Man Noir (Nicolas Cage), even the cartoon pig Peter Porker (John Mulaney). It’s a celebration of difference, wrapped in a superhero package.

The multiverse craze: Spider-Verse started it

Here’s a hot take: the Spider-Verse movies might just be the reason every superhero flick these days is obsessed with the multiverse. Back in 2018, Into the Spider-Verse made parallel universes cool, showing how wild and emotional they could be on screen. Fast forward, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe is all in—Avengers: Endgame toyed with time travel, Spider-Man: No Way Home brought back Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield, and Deadpool & Wolverine (out in 2024) are leaning hard into multiverse shenanigans.

Sony’s live-action Spider-Man films have taken notes too. No Way Home—starring Tom Holland—grossed $1.9 billion by tossing three Spideys into one movie. Coincidence? Maybe not. The Spider-Verse trilogy proved you could juggle multiple heroes and dimensions without losing the thread, and Hollywood’s been chasing that high ever since.

What’s cooking for 2027?

So, what can we expect when Beyond the Spider-Verse finally lands? The end of Across the Spider-Verse left Miles in a bind—trapped in a grim alternate universe while a twisted version of himself, the Prowler, menaces his home turf. The CinemaCon teaser hints at a story where Miles is public enemy number one among the Spider-folk, forcing him to carve his own path. Will he save his family? Can he trust Gwen and the gang? And what’s the deal with all these Spiders hunting him down?

Plot details are still hush-hush, but the stakes feel sky-high. The voice cast—Moore as Miles, Steinfeld as Gwen, and likely returning stars like Jake Johnson (Peter B. Parker) and Oscar Isaac (Spider-Man 2099)—will bring the heart. And with Lord and Miller penning the script, expect a mix of laughs, tears, and jaw-dropping twists.

The 2027 release date means a four-year wait, which might sound brutal. But animation this good takes time—think hundreds of artists painstakingly crafting every frame. A 2023 Variety interview with the Across the Spider-Verse team revealed that the sequel took five years to make, with over 1,000 people involved. If Beyond the Spider-Verse is aiming for that level of polish, the wait’s probably worth it.

By 2027, the animated movie landscape could look pretty different. Pixar’s got Toy Story 5 rumored for 2026, and DreamWorks is churning out hits like Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. But Beyond the Spider-Verse has a secret weapon: it’s not just a kids’ movie. With its mature themes—grief, identity, destiny—and that next-level animation, it’s got crossover appeal that could make it the must-see event of the summer.

Box office-wise, the trilogy’s already a heavyweight. With over $1 billion combined from the first two films, Beyond the Spider-Verse could push that tally even higher, especially if it delivers the “massive finale” Lord’s promising. And with Sony prepping it for IMAX and other big-screen formats, it’s clear they’re betting on a theatrical blowout.

Look, the Spider-Verse movies aren’t just about Spider-Man—they’re about what animation can do when it swings for the fences. They’ve set a bar that’s inspired a new wave of bold, stylish films—think Netflix’s Arcane or Paramount’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (produced by, yep, Lord and Miller). And Miles Morales? He’s not just a character; he’s a movement, showing a whole generation that heroes can look like them.

When Beyond the Spider-Verse hits on June 4, 2027, it won’t just wrap up a trilogy—it’ll cement a legacy. For now, we’ve got the CinemaCon tease to chew on: Miles on the run, animation that “looks insane,” and a promise of something epic.