The Inspirations Behind ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’

The directors of this sequel discuss their diverging influences, from Leonardo da Vinci to the movie “Say Anything.”

"Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" introduced Miles Morales, a Brooklyn teenage superhero, who receives unexpected visits from other dimensions.

In the sequel, "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse," Miles follows Gwen Stacy, a version of Spider-Woman, into new realms with other spider people.

The directors aimed to expand their aesthetic horizons and create entire worlds based on different comic book sagas.

They contacted artists like Rick Leonardi and Brian Stelfreeze to contribute to the development of the film.

Leonardo da Vinci's inventions and Royal de Luxe's large-scale marionettes inspired the design of the villain Vulture.

The sequence of Miles and Gwen gazing at an inverted New York skyline drew inspiration from the film "Say Anything."

Gwen's world reacts to her emotions, with references to Disney's "Cinderella" where the environment reflects the character's emotional state.

The production researched cutting-edge technology at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory for the futuristic Spider-Man 2099.

Action sequences in films like "Point Break" and "No Country for Old Men" inspired character development and chase scenes in the sequel.