When it comes to superhero media, we mostly see the more glamorous side of what it means to be a hero. We see the likes of Captain America, Iron Man, etc. as they live increasingly exciting lives as they get to save the world over and over again.
And while there are times we see them struggle with mental health—as seen in Iron Man 3 and Bucky Barnes’ storyline in the Captain America films—those feel few and far between compares to grand scale battles with the-fate-of-the-universe-stakes.
However, it seems the new favorite superhero of the moment, Miles Morales, can be seen slowing down in a new short film where he grapples with his responsibilities with being a teenager and Spider-Man. During the Annecy International Film Festival and Market, the short film The Spider Within: A Spider-Verse Story was screened for a small audience. Its story follows Miles (voiced by Shameik Moore) as he starts to feel the pressure of being Spider-Man and living his normal life as a teen.
The official synopsis of the movie reads: “Miles Morales experiences a panic attack that forces him to confront the manifestations of his anxiety and learn that reaching out for help can be just as brave an act as protecting his city from evil.”
The film seems to be leaning into the darker side of mental health as Miles’ fears manifest themselves in scary, trippy hallucinations. When The Wrap spoke to the movie’s director, Jarelle Dampier, about why he chose to put Miles in a horror scenario, he explained, “My favorite genre is horror. I think it’s the perfect envelope to give great messages out, especially to younger audiences, and I think it’s something that we’ve kind of shied away from for a long time. But I think if you take a character that kids really love and you put that character in a thrilling situation, I think they get a lot out of it.”
Dampier also revealed that he has dealt with sleep paralysis and anxiety, the same things Miles experiences in the short, so he was able to take bits from his real life to better showcase the realities of these situations. Dampier explained that, when conceiving of the film’s story, he didn’t want to “inject a problem into a character without him really dealing with that,” but he found that, when he told people that his short was about Miles being anxious and having a panic attack, most people “[believed that] something [like] that would happen to Miles.”
Dampier went on to say,
He just seems like that kind of kid. But we’ve never been able to have that slice-of-life moment because the movies are so big and excellent and breathtaking. I think horror is just one of those great down-on-the-street-level genres that you can use to just get intimate and find out what really makes this character tick, what makes them scared, and what are they going to do to get through it. I love that.
Dampier also couldn’t confirm whether the events in the short pre-date or coincide with the events of Across the Spider-Verse, but did confirm there’s a ton of Easter eggs inside for fans to enjoy.
This Spider-Verse short was made possible through Sony Pictures Imageworks’ LENS (Leading and Empowering New Storytellers) program, which aims to “provide high-potential candidates from underrepresented groups an opportunity to gain valuable leadership experience.” Dampier described the program as a “priceless” program that “put [him] on a track where [he could] remain a professional, but get an education boost.”
Unfortunately, The Spider Within: A Spider-Verse Story has no confirmed release date at this time, but Dampier has stated that “there’s some things being talked about.” He ultimately doesn’t know if or when his short will be seen by general audiences.
Until then, fans can hold themselves over by watching Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, which is in theaters now.
(featured image: Sony Pictures)
Published: Jun 26, 2023 11:08 am