Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the creative minds behind The Lego Movie and 21 Jump Street, bring their unique talents to a fresh vision of a different Spider-Man Universe, with a groundbreaking visual style that's the first of its kind. "Spider-Man(TM): Into the Spider-Verse" introduces Brooklyn teen Miles Morales (Shameik Moore), and the limitless possibilities of the Spider-Verse, where more than one can wear the mask.
Despite a substantial budget of $90.0M, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse became a commercial success, earning $393.6M worldwide—a 337% return.
1 Oscar. 85 wins & 60 nominations
Peter Debruge
"Debruge argues that Spider-Verse's innovative animation style represents a breakthrough, blending comic book aesthetics with cutting-edge 3D animation to create the most visually distinctive superhero film in years. He praises how the film gives Miles Morales a complete origin story while managing a large ensemble cast. The emotional core—particularly Miles' relationship with his family—grounds the multiverse spectacle in genuine feeling."Read Full Review
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) exemplifies deliberately positioned plot construction, characteristic of Bob Persichetti's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 57 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 5.8, the film takes an unconventional approach to traditional narrative frameworks.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Miles Morales
Peter B. Parker
Gwen Stacy
Peter Parker
Kingpin
Miles' Father
Miles' Mother
Uncle Aaron
Spider-Man Noir
Peni Parker
Spider-Ham
Doctor Octopus
Aunt May
Character Screen Time
Screen time mapped to story structure
Main Cast & Characters
Miles Morales
Played by Shameik Moore
111% screen time (117 min)
Brooklyn teenager bitten by a radioactive spider. Struggles between expectations and finding his own path. Must take a leap of faith to become Spider-Man.
Peter B. Parker
Played by Jake Johnson
54% screen time (57 min)
Older, broken-down Spider-Man from another dimension. Divorced, let himself go, reluctant mentor who rediscovers purpose through teaching Miles.
Gwen Stacy
Played by Hailee Steinfeld
40% screen time (42 min)
Spider-Woman from another dimension. Lost her best friend Peter Parker. Cool, competent, and guarded. Forms a connection with Miles.
Peter Parker
Played by Chris Pine
12% screen time (13 min)
The original Spider-Man of Miles' dimension. Blonde, successful, beloved hero. Killed by Kingpin, inspiring Miles to take up the mantle.
Kingpin
Played by Liev Schreiber
28% screen time (29 min)
Wilson Fisk, massive crime lord building a super-collider to bring back his dead family. His grief makes him dangerous and desperate.
Miles' Father
Played by Brian Tyree Henry
24% screen time (25 min)
Jefferson Davis, NYPD officer who doesn't understand his son's new distance. Loves Miles deeply but struggles to connect.
Miles' Mother
Played by Luna Lauren Velez
9% screen time (9 min)
Rio Morales, nurse and loving mother. Warm, supportive, sees Miles clearly and encourages him to be himself.
Uncle Aaron
Played by Mahershala Ali
19% screen time (20 min)
Aaron Davis, Miles' cool uncle who encourages his art. Secretly the Prowler, forced to hunt his own nephew. Dies protecting Miles.
Spider-Man Noir
Played by Nicolas Cage
25% screen time (26 min)
Dark, brooding Spider-Man from a 1930s black-and-white dimension. Speaks in hard-boiled detective style. Never seen colors before.
Peni Parker
Played by Kimiko Glenn
25% screen time (26 min)
Young girl from a futuristic anime dimension. Pilots SP//dr, a mech suit powered by a psychic spider. Cheerful and tech-savvy.
Spider-Ham
Played by John Mulaney
25% screen time (26 min)
Peter Porker, a cartoon pig bitten by a radioactive spider. From a Looney Tunes-style dimension. Comic relief who's also deeply sincere.
Doctor Octopus
Played by Kathryn Hahn
23% screen time (24 min)
Olivia Octavius, Kingpin's chief scientist. Quirky, enthusiastic about science, but ruthless. Gender-swapped take on classic villain.
Aunt May
Played by Lily Tomlin
21% screen time (22 min)
May Parker, Peter's aunt who runs a secret Spider-headquarters under her house. Tough, capable, still grieving but helps the Spider-People.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Peter Parker's confident voice-over introduces his ten-year career as Spider-Man. "There's only one Spider-Man," he declares—establishing the false premise the film will overturn. His life appears perfect: saved the city, fell in love, got the Christmas album.. The analysis reveals that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 28 minutes when After Peter Parker gives Miles the USB drive and makes him promise to destroy the collider, Kingpin brutally kills Spider-Man. Miles watches helplessly. Kingpin orders, "Get rid of the body." The death of his city's hero places the burden of responsibility on Miles.. At 24% through the film, this Disruption is delayed, allowing extended setup of the story world. This beat shifts the emotional state to -2, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 36 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 30% of the runtime. This shows the protagonist's commitment to At Peter's grave, Miles makes an active choice. Despite breaking the USB, despite having no training, despite his fear—he commits to Peter's promise. "I will stop him," he pledges. His spider-sense tingles. Miles chooses to step into the world of responsibility., moving from reaction to action. The emotional journey here reflects 1.
At 61 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 52% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Significantly, this crucial beat FALSE VICTORY: At Aunt May's house, she reveals Peter's secret Spider-Den. Spider-Gwen, Spider-Noir, Peni Parker, and Spider-Ham emerge. The team assembles with resources and a plan. But Doc Ock revealed any Spider-person who stays too long will disintegrate. False victory carries a death sentence., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional state shifts to 3, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 72 minutes (62% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Uncle Aaron dies in Miles' arms. "I wanted you to look up to me. I let you down, man." His final words: "You're the best of all of us, Miles. Just keep going." Miles flees before Jefferson discovers the body. He's lost his uncle, his mentor, and his self-belief., shows the protagonist at their lowest point with -3. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 83 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 71% of the runtime. SYNTHESIS: Miles combines everything—Aaron's "You're on your way," Jefferson's "I see this spark in you," Peter's "A leap of faith." He breaks free, claims Peter's suit, spray-paints it his own. He jumps—and the shot INVERTS. Miles isn't falling; he's RISING. He is Spider-Man., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey. The emotional culmination reaches 1.
Emotional Journey
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression from 1 to 3. The narrative's emotional pivot at the midpoint—3—divides the journey into distinct phases, with the first half building toward this moment of transformation and the second half exploring its consequences. With 5 core emotional states, the narrative maintains focused emotional clarity, allowing sustained thematic development.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs systematic plot point analysis that identifies crucial turning points. By mapping Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse against these established plot points, we can identify how Bob Persichetti utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse within the animation genre.
Comparative Analysis
Additional animation films include The Bad Guys, The Quintessential Quintuplets Movie and Fate/stay night: Heaven's Feel I. Presage Flower.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Peter Parker's confident voice-over introduces his ten-year career as Spider-Man. "There's only one Spider-Man," he declares—establishing the false premise the film will overturn. His life appears perfect: saved the city, fell in love, got the Christmas album.
Theme
Jefferson Davis drives Miles to school. When Miles says he doesn't have a choice, Jefferson responds: "We all make choices in life." This encapsulates the film's thesis—becoming Spider-Man is a choice Miles must make for himself.
Worldbuilding
Miles' world is established: reluctant student at elite Visions Academy, graffiti artist, close with Uncle Aaron, awkward with his cop father. He's bitten by a radioactive spider in an abandoned subway. He meets Gwen Stacy and witnesses Peter Parker confronting Kingpin at the super collider.
Disruption
After Peter Parker gives Miles the USB drive and makes him promise to destroy the collider, Kingpin brutally kills Spider-Man. Miles watches helplessly. Kingpin orders, "Get rid of the body." The death of his city's hero places the burden of responsibility on Miles.
Resistance
Miles processes Peter's death. At the public funeral, he learns Spider-Man was "just a kid." His mother tells him: "Our family doesn't run from things." Miles visits Peter's grave with the now-broken USB drive, apologizing for his failure.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
At Peter's grave, Miles makes an active choice. Despite breaking the USB, despite having no training, despite his fear—he commits to Peter's promise. "I will stop him," he pledges. His spider-sense tingles. Miles chooses to step into the world of responsibility.
Mirror World
Miles encounters Peter B. Parker—a dimension-hopping, washed-up version of Spider-Man pulled through by the collider. "You can teach me like Peter said he would." This mentor relationship will carry the theme: Peter B. must learn to care again; Miles must learn to believe.
Premise
The promise of the premise: Miles learns to Spider-Man (badly). Peter B. teaches through "intense life-threatening pressure" at Alchemax. Miles struggles to swing but discovers unique powers—invisibility and bio-electric "venom blasts." They steal data while evading Doc Ock.
Midpoint
FALSE VICTORY: At Aunt May's house, she reveals Peter's secret Spider-Den. Spider-Gwen, Spider-Noir, Peni Parker, and Spider-Ham emerge. The team assembles with resources and a plan. But Doc Ock revealed any Spider-person who stays too long will disintegrate. False victory carries a death sentence.
Opposition
The team trains Miles, but he can't control his powers. "He's not ready. It's obvious." They decide Peter B. will stay to push the button. Kingpin sends the Prowler to find them. Miles discovers his Uncle Aaron IS the Prowler. Kingpin shoots Aaron for hesitating.
Collapse
Uncle Aaron dies in Miles' arms. "I wanted you to look up to me. I let you down, man." His final words: "You're the best of all of us, Miles. Just keep going." Miles flees before Jefferson discovers the body. He's lost his uncle, his mentor, and his self-belief.
Crisis
Miles is webbed to a chair, paralyzed by grief. Peter B. tells him: "It's a leap of faith. That's all it is, Miles." Jefferson speaks through his dorm door: "I see this spark in you. Whatever you choose to do with it, you'll be great. I love you." The words sink in.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
SYNTHESIS: Miles combines everything—Aaron's "You're on your way," Jefferson's "I see this spark in you," Peter's "A leap of faith." He breaks free, claims Peter's suit, spray-paints it his own. He jumps—and the shot INVERTS. Miles isn't falling; he's RISING. He is Spider-Man.
Synthesis
Miles arrives at the collider—"Took you long enough." The Spider-team battles Kingpin's forces. One by one, Miles sends each Spider-person home. He defeats Kingpin with a massive venom blast and destroys the collider. Jefferson, watching, realizes Spider-Man is "just a kid from Brooklyn."
Transformation
Miles' voice-over mirrors the opening, transformed: "My name is Miles Morales. For like two days, I've been the one and only Spider-Man." We see the "after" snapshots. "Anyone can wear the mask. You could wear the mask." He swings through Brooklyn. "I'm Spider-Man. And I'm not the only one."