Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Versehas been delayed bySony, and Spider-Man fans have been lamenting over being reminded. Sony’s Spider-Verse franchise has been instrumental in maintaining Sony’s relationship with the iconic wall-crawler, with the first two installments of the trilogy earning widespread critical acclaim for its stunning animation style and mind-bending approach to a multiversal narrative. It is no surprise, then, that Spider-Man fans have been clamoring forBeyond the Spider-Verse- but there is no concrete release date set at the time of writing after an indefinite delay was announced.
This fervor has erupted on X in response to a post by@HollywoodHandlethat reminded audiences it has been 14 months since Sony delayedSpider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Versefrom its original July 10, 2025, release date.
In a post accompanied by theSpider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Versetitle card and an image of Miles Morales and his Prowler variant, The Hollywood Handle bluntly clarified, “The film still has no release date set.”
This has caused fans like@ironspidergwento respond dramatically, demanding why the page would remind audiences of the 14-month-and-counting delay.
This sentiment is mirrored by@DRNRDX, who expressed their desire forBeyond the Spider-Verse’s release with the line “I need it” accompanied by an emoji expressing despair.
Meanwhile,@aadii_earth616has been quick to remind despairing audiences that the gap between the first two movies was five years long (though it would’ve been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Versewas only released in 2023, meaning there is still a long way to go for the threequel to match that gap.
Other fans like@chokilad_ythave reminded viewers that quality takes time, evoking a commonly held preference to wait for a production if it means the final product will be the best it can be.
@Cinema_Bumshas challenged this sentiment, however, stating that while taking your time is largely for the best, it doesn’t make the wait any easier to stomach.
@Cryptic4KQualhas responded to the post by immortalizing the zeitgeist in meme format, taking the “Sad Pablo Escobar” meme and replacing Escobar with an illustration of Miguel O’Hara looking listless.
@Micha__3322, meanwhile, has likened the long wait forSpider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verseto a scene fromSpongeBob SquarePantsin which SpongeBob waits patiently until he grows old and dies, exaggerating the long wait that fans have been subjected to.
Why Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse Was Delayed
Pure Animation Takes A Longer Time Than Live-Action
Suffice it to say, the appetite for the third Spider-Verse movie is at a fever pitch, but some of the responses explaining the wait are accurate.Sony’s Spider-Verse franchise has earned several accolades, including an Academy Award win and nomination for Best Animated Feature at the Oscars for the first and second movies, respectively. Even for animations, such high-profile recognition for superhero movies is indicative of their quality - and, as one X user pointed out, quality takes time.
Critics and fans alike laud the animation in particular, of which there are several styles in the space of one movie. Each multiversal variant inSpider-Man: Into the Spider-Verseboasts a unique art style based on the universe they hail from, each of which takes time to create. This was increased tenfold forSpider-Man: Across the Spider-Versewhen the Spider-Societydebuted countless new variants from myriad universes. Producer Chris Miller has also recently assured audiences that “There is no generative AI in Beyond the Spider-Verse,” lending further credence to the notion thatthe filmmakers are taking their time.
Furthermore, the summer of 2023 played host to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes that have understandably resulted in delays for many Hollywood productions. The announcement thatSpider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Versewould be delayed indefinitely came around the time these were underway, with the same fate befalling other Sony productions likeKraven the Hunter. Nevertheless, Sony’s live-action offering received a more concrete release date, suggesting that Sony and theSpider-Man:Beyond the Spider-Versefilmmakers wish to take all the time that is required to ensure that the trilogy ends with a flourish.
