Why Beyond the Spider-Verse has no release date yet
Beyond the Spider-Verse is the third and final installment in the Spider-Verse trilogy.
The film is expected to be a continuation of the story from Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. However, the release date of the movie is shrouded in mystery. That's because the movie has been delayed indefinitely due to a combination of reasons.
As reported by Variety, Sony Pictures removed the release date of the movie. Initially, the movie was supposed to be released today i.e. March 29, 2024. As per the writers of the movie, the focus is on crafting a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy.
The aim is to take the audience to new places and evoke a range of emotions, such as laughter, tears, and excitement. Therefore, according to a statement issued by the writers of the movie to Digital Spy, it will be released "when it's ready."
Why is Beyond the Spider-Verse delayed?
The delay in Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse can be attributed to a combination of factors.
Primarily, the SAG-AFTRA strike in Hollywood played its part in bringing the production of the movie to a standstill. Notably, the strike reportedly impeded the voice actors from recording their lines for the movie.
Eventually, a new agreement was reached in November, which allowed production to resume. Nevertheless, the film's release date remains unset, adhering to the producers' philosophy of releasing it "when it’s ready," prioritizing quality over speed.
Additionally, allegations of toxic working conditions have been reported within the production team. Although the allegations remain unconfirmed, they could have also contributed to the delay. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic has also been a factor in prolonging the movie's development.
"We'll take the time it takes to make it great," Beyond the Spider-Verse producers on the movie's status quo
In an interview with Digital Spy, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the movie's writers shared their thoughts on its status quo.
They said that they cannot give a specific release date at the moment. Moreover, they doubled down on the fact that the release will happen when the film is completely ready.
Lord emphasized that they are already deeply involved in the making of the sequel and are committed to taking the necessary time to ensure its quality. Furthermore, he expressed their ambition for the film. According to Lord, the filmmakers aim to offer a satisfying conclusion to the story.
This conclusion is expected to take audiences to new and unexplored places and to evoke a range of emotions, including laughter, tears, excitement and thought provocation.
"Those conversations are thankfully above our paygrade, but I can tell you we're already hard at work on it, and we'll take the time it takes to make it great," Lord said when asked for a release date update.
He added:
"What we're trying to accomplish with the film is have it be the most satisfying conclusion to the story than it can be, and take it to places that you haven’t been before. And make you laugh and cry, and cheer and think," he explained.
Furthermore, Brian Tyree Henry, the voice actor for Jeff Morales in Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, shared his insights about the upcoming animated film in an interview with Deadline.
He emphasized that the sequel is in production and hinted at its grand scale and described it as even more epic than its predecessor. Henry said:
“It's (Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse) in the works, it's coming. That one ... it's even more epic than the last ...Get your hankies ready, it's going to go there.”
Notably, Henry's comments suggest that the new film will elevate the storytelling and emotional impact of the movie.