Across the Spider-Verse’s digital release settles the debate over which version is canon
You may have seen two versions of the Spider-Verse sequel. Only one is the real deal.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is now available on digital storefronts. Previously, there had been plenty of talk of different versions of the Spidey sequel being released in cinemas, ones that included small – but noticeable – animation and dialogue changes. Now, we finally know which scenes are officially regarded as canon.
You may remember that fans Spider-Man 2099’s assistant Lyla points at Miguel and, in another take on the same scene, takes a selfie with a bunny filter. Bunny truthers will be pleased to know that it’s the latter that makes it into the official digital release.
On top of that, Andy Samberg’s Scarlet Spider grabs Miles in one scene and quips about his "well-defined musculature." In a previous version in cinemas (and not in the official release), he says he has Miles in a sleeper hold. So that appears to be lost to history. There are more minor changes, too, including Gwen’s pained reaction to thinking Miles has been crushed in Mumbattan.
I WAS GONNA BRING THIS UPThere's a bunch of altered scenes and line changes in ATSV. One I caught was Ben Reilly having two different jokes when he grabs miles lol https://t.co/AUb7vTMCNG pic.twitter.com/HFRqmni07GJune 22, 2023
THE LYLA SELFIE VERSION OF SPIDER-MAN ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE IS THE FINAL CUT OF THE MOVIE AND WILL BE RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC DIGITALLY AND PHYSICALLY pic.twitter.com/TNWJvDf7vDAugust 7, 2023
It's largely thought that these changes were brought in to the ‘new’ version of Across the Spider-Verse that hit cinemas, which came bundled with a clearer audio mix. Associate editor Andrew Leviton later seemingly confirmed the changes on Twitter, saying, "I was wondering when people might start noticing…"
The digital release means it’s also time for Easter egg hunters to step up to the plate to polish off the last few remaining ones that haven’t been discovered – or highlight details that you may have missed first time around.
Case in point: we (probably) all saw the Spider-Man from Insomniac’s PlayStation games in The Lobby of the Spider Society. What you may not have seen are the two villains being held prisoner in that same scene: Videoman from 1980s series Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends, and the pixelated Green Goblin sprite from 1982’s Spider-Man on the Atari 2600 – the first Spider-Man game ever made.
Insomniac Spider-Man with the green goblin (right) from the first ever spider-man gameFrom Across the Spider-Verse pic.twitter.com/3BKWXD2o9hAugust 7, 2023
That’s not all. Some of the Easter eggs are incredibly personal and whole, including visual effects supervisor Michael Lasker sneaking in a poster for his daughter’s album behind Gwen during the opening scene.
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The race is on to find the rest of them. To help, here’s our guide to Across the Spider-Verse Easter eggs. We also have all the Across the Spider-Verse cameos and a breakdown of the Across the Spider-Verse ending.
I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at 12DOVE, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.