The trailer forSpider-Man: Across the Spider-Verserevealed plenty of exciting details about the sequel to the 2018 Academy Award-winningSpider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. One of the most interesting was one that fans had speculated about since the first teaser dropped, and that was thatSpider-Man 2099 would be the antagonistof the film. The antagonist is not the same as a villain, butSpider-Man: Across the Spider-Verseseems to be pitting Miles Morales against Spider-Man 2099.
Spider-Man 2099 is a fan favorite among many, and his tease at the end ofSpider-Man: Into the Spider-Versegot many excited about the future of the franchise, but this is likely a turn not many expected. Who exactly is Spider-Man 2099, and why is he such a big deal for bothSpider-Man: Across the Spider-Verseand Sony Pictures as a whole? Take a look and see the new high-profile web-slinger coming to the big screen.
Comic Book Origins of Spider-Man 2099
Spider-Man 2099 was created by Peter David and Rich Leonardi in 1992 as part of Marvel’s 2099 publishing initiative. The line of comics showed a variety of reimagined Marvel characters in the distant future, with the breakout character being Spider-Man 2099.
His real name is Miguel O’Hara. He is an Irish-Mexican geneticist who, after attempting to recreate the abilities of the original Spider-Man, accidentally gives himself the power. The stories of Spider-Man 2099 typically focused on him fighting the corrupt Alchmex Organization, the same organization O’Hara worked for before becoming Spider-Man. Miguel is often assisted by a holographic aide Lyla, an artificial intelligence created by Miguel’s ex-girlfriend Xina Kwan.
Related:Why Spider-Man Fans Are Hyped for Oscar Isaac’s Spider-Man 2099
Even after Marvel canceled the 2099 comics in 1997, Spider-Man 2099 still managed to endure despite not being published for almost a decade. The character made cameo appearances in other comics before being a part of theSpider-Versecomic storyline in 2014. Around this time, Marvel published a storyline that saw Spider-Man 2099 transported into the present-day Marvel Universe. Spider-Man 2099 was also featured as a playable character in 2010’sSpider-Man: Shattered Dimensionsand 2011’sSpider-Man: Edge of Timevideo games. Around this time, Sony Pictures began to look into ways to spin off theirSpider-Manfilm franchise.
Sony Wanted to Make a Live-Action Spider-Man 2099
Due to Sony Pictures releasing the Seth Rogen and James Franco-led comedyThe Interview, the studio was hacked by a cyber crime unit from North Korea. Numerous top-secret emails from the studio were released to the public. Many of these were ones regarding Sony’s plans forThe Amazing Spider-Manfranchise, but before and afterThe Amazing Spider-Man 2underperformed at the box office. One of the supposed planned films was a live-action Spider-Man 2099, which the studio was looking at a 2017 release date.
These plans were scrapped in favor of Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios teaming up to bring Spider-Man into the MCU.Spider-Man: Homecomingwould eventually take that 2017 release date. However, as Sony begandeveloping their own shared universeof interconnected films based on Spider-Man characters like Venom, Morbius, Madame Web, and Kraven the Hunter, rumors began to circulate around a possible live-action Spider-Man 2099 film.
So far, nothing has come of it. Instead, the studio focuses on making Spider-Man 2099 a major character inSpider-Man: Across the Spider-Verseand likelySpider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse.
Spider-Man 2099 Role In Across The Spider-Verse
Spider-Man 2099 was first seen teased in the end-credit sequence ofSpider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,voiced by Oscar Isaac. Greta Lee voiced his A.I. assistant Lyla. It shows Miguel O’Hara and Lyla creating a device that allows them to traverse the multiverse, which appears to be whereAcross the Spider-Versepicks up. Miguel has been busy recruiting severaldifferent Spider-Men from across the multiverse, including Peter B. Parker and Spider-Gwen fromInto the Spider-Verse, Jessica Drew’s Spider-Woman, and even Spider-Men fromThe Spectacular Spider-ManandSpider-Man: Unlimited.
Related:Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse: Which Spider-Men We Will See?
Miguel and Miles appear to come from a difference of opinions regarding saving someone close to Miles. The identity of the person is unknown, but in the PS4Spider-Mangame, Miles’s father died. In the comics, it was his mother who died, so either one’s life could be in danger. Spider-Man 2099 tells Miles that it is one life against the entire multiverse, which Miles rejects and Spider-Man 2099 sends an entire army of Spider-Man variants after Miles. The conflict appears to be Spider-Man 2099 weighing the entire multiverse while Miles is focused on the individual. Yet what has made Miguel O’Hara become a Spider-Man, unlike anything audiences have come to expect from the character?
The Cost of Being Spider-Man
The first trailer forSpider-Man: Across the Spider-Verseshows Miguel O’Hara looking at a video of him and what appears to be a daughter. The implication might be that, like how Peter Parker lost Uncle Ben, this is the person Miguel lost and put him down the path to becoming Spider-Man. Miguel O’Hara typically does not have a child in the comics, but the movie might have added one, making it his daughter with his love interest Xina Kwan. Spider-Man 2099 might have adopted a mindset that the multiverse needs Spider-Man, and that requires loss.
The other could be that Miguel O’Hara is staying away from his daughter as a way to protect her. Miles Morales’s actions might pose a threat to the wider multiverse, and Miguel O’Hara will not risk him putting his daughter at risk. He already does not want Miles Morales to join his multiverse team and also references the MCU Spider-Man that tampered with the multiverse. This could imply a more personal conflict, where both Miguel and Miles are taking different approaches to saving the ones they love. With how popular Spider-Man 2099 is, Sony could be positioning himas an anti-heroto take center stage in either an animated or live-action spin-off project.
