With only three months to Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, SDCC’s Hall H played host as Insomniac Games assembled an amazing Spidey team to discuss the newest game in the series! Insomniac’s creative director Bryan Intihar was joined by the game’s director Ryan Smith, narrative director Jon Paquette, and senior art director Jacinda Chew. The voices of our heroes (and villains!) were in attendance too with Yuri Lowenthal (Peter Parker), Nadji Jeter (Miles Morales), Laura Bailey (Mary Jane Watson), and Tony Todd (Venom). Marvel Games’ voice actor and creative director Bill Rosemann also joined in. The panel was hosted by Geeks of Color’s Dorian Parks.

Where We Left Off

Marvel’s Spider-Man, released in 2018, held quite a few weeks of chaos for Peter Parker. Jailbreaks, violence on the streets, betrayals, and a virus unleashed on NYC that eventually killed his Aunt May. But while Peter soon finds himself mentoring new friend Miles Morales after the teen was also bit by a spider and gained powers similar to his, his best friend Harry Osborn has been undergoing secret treatments while in stasis to cure him of a genetic disease. Treatments that eagle-eyed fans noticed right away hinted at the appearance of a classic Spider-Man villain in a possible future installment. By the end of the game, Peter and MJ knew that Harry was undergoing treatments and not away in Europe like he’d told them, but they didn’t know where he was.

The story didn’t quite pick up right at the end of that game, though, with Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales releasing in 2020. This game followed the titular Miles about a year after the original game as he set out as Spider-Man on his own for the first time while Peter and MJ Watson are in Symkaria, reporting on the civil war there. Uncovering a dangerous plot by Roxxon and trying to stop the Tinkerer’s dangerous crew, Miles also discovers his own power-set is a bit different from Peter’s. Ultimately, Miles is able to stop Roxxon’s dangerous new power source, but his friend Phin, unveiled as the Tinkerer, dies in the aftermath.

Though Spider-Man: Miles Morales’ main story did not touch on the Osborn family, an end credits scene once again hinted at the next game. An impatient Norman Osborn insists over Dr. Curtis Connors’ protests that his son be taken out of the stasis chamber. A chamber in which Harry has been floating in for some time now, partly covered in a black goo-like substance.

Free Comic Book Day also held a look for fans eager to know more about where the story is headed next. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (2023) #1 showed what our heroes have been up to since the last game.

Peter has moved in to his Aunt May’s old home, left to him in her will but with a second mortgage to pay after she took money out to fund F.E.A.S.T. during the Devil’s Breath crisis. MJ Watson has written a book about the recent events and civil war in Symkaria, but it unfortunately hasn’t sold well. Peter, still struggling to find a job that fits in around his Spider-Man duties, asks MJ to move in with him but she hesitates- citing her need to be in Manhattan for her job at the Daily Bugle. For his part, Miles Morales is trying to figure out his options for college. All three are working together as a team, though- doing their part to keep their city safe.

Of course, J. Jonah Jameson re-joining the Daily Bugle is just going to be the start of their troubles. So what more did we learn during the Spider-Man 2 SDCC panel?

Spider-Man 2 at SDCC 2023

Starting off with what certainly every fan in the room was waiting for, Insomniac revealed the cinematic story trailer for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. Fans at home had to wait until the panel was over to watch it themselves, but tweets quickly started pouring in reporting on what to expect. Harry and Norman Osborn, the return of Martin Li, and Venom in action.

Members of Insomniac’s team and the cast of the game then took to the stage in Hall H. Yuri Lowenthal, the voice of Peter Parker even got up on the stage’s table and did some of the iconic “Bully Maguire” dance moves from Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 3. The actor then took some time to acknowledge the current WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes and encouraged the audience to learn more about what has led to the current situation between the unions and the AMPTP.

“I know you guys have been hearing about the strike. We are here this weekend, but we stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters and everybody… We are able to be here because we’re under a different contract for games. But that might not last forever.”

Bryan Intihar, Insomniac’s creative director, gave the audience some hints as to where the characters are at in this game during the Spider Man 2 SDCC panel.

“What’s great about this game is we are picking up 9-10 months after the game. Miles and Peter are a well-oiled machine, but trying to figure out their lives.”

With the game taking 9-10 months after the events of Spider-Man: Miles Morales, this sets Spider-Man 2 approximately two years after the first installment in the series. The Miles game takes place a bit over a year after the first game after Peter has show Miles the Spider-Man ropes. Other panelists confirmed the events of the prequel comic book that came out earlier this year, detailing that JJJ is back running the Daily Bugle and that Peter has taken on a job as a teacher to help pay for the loan that May took out against her house before she died to help F.E.A.S.T. keep running.

Jacinda Chew, the senior art director, also spoke about the game’s greatly expanded map. Fans already got a hint of the larger playing area in the sequel when Sony dropped about 10 minutes of gameplay and cutscenes earlier this year. Brooklyn and Queens will be playable areas of New York, including May’s- now Peter’s- home in Queens.

The panel was full of little tidbits about what we can expect from the characters in this game. Jon Pacquette, the narrative director, spoke about Miles confronting Martin Li- the man who killed his father. Yuri Lowenthal spoke about the repercussions and consequences that Peter will face when he relies on the black suit/symbiote too much. When it comes to Miles, his actor Nadji Jeter said “We delivered some great things for y’all” when speaking about Li and Miles’ face off.

New Looks at Characters

The Spider-Man 2 SDCC panel continued with looks at concept art and in-game looks for characters, as well as more discussion about where MJ is at in this game and what to expect from Venom.

Fans got a first look at MJ Watson’s new look for the sequel. Laura Bailey, the actress for MJ, spoke about how MJ and Peter’s relationship is more “comfortable” and that she’s really become part of the Spider-Man team with Peter and Miles. Some fans on Twitter pointed out that Bailey was trying her best not to spoil things for the game- perhaps something big is due to happen in Peter and MJ’s relationship…?

Jon Paquette shared a few more details that may cause concern, though.

“It’s a simple human story. We all have a darkness inside of us. So we started with that, and when you have somebody like Peter Parker… he has this power, and he starts pushing people away.”

The theme of how Peter’s relationships will suffer because of his bond with the Symbiote has been remarked on quite a few times in the lead up to the game’s release. Whatever Insomniac has planned, I know I’m not ready for it (but still excited)!

Insomniac also shared quite a few looks at the infamous Venom. There’s still no official word on who will wind up as his host, though. It was revealed earlier this year when the game’s release date was announced that Eddie Brock would not be Venom in this universe. The character does exist in Insomnaic’s world- his name is among those on a card you can find in one of the backpacks in the first game- but he will not be playing his usual role of host. There’s many theories going around, but with Harry Osborn and Venom sharing a line in the trailer, the writing may be on the wall.

Tony Todd, the voice actor for Spider-Man 2’s Venom had this to say of voicing the character:

“I get a call from Insomniac to test drive Venom. It’s been the most exciting voice acting journey I’ve had to date… Venom was fun to do. I wanted to make sure there was a joyous quality in his destruction. I wanted a sense of joy and tenacity and deliciousness!”

Todd even teased the audience at the Spider-Man 2 SDCC panel with a brief performance of one of Venom’s iconic lines: “We are Venom!”

Spider-Man 2 Edition PS5

There was one final surprise for fans at the panel. A first look at a Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Limited Edition Console Bundle! The bundle will include Spider-Man 2 inspired designs on a limited edition PS5 console and DualSense wireless controller as well as a voucher for a digital copy of the standard edition of the game.

Fans who already own a PS5 aren’t left out. Sony will also be selling console covers in the same design and the DualSense controller separately. Pre-orders for both the bundle and separate items start on July 28th and will release on September 1st.

The Trailer

Once the Spider-Man 2 SDCC panel concluded, fans at home finally got a look at the trailer for themselves. There’s a LOT going on so be on the lookout for a trailer breakdown from us later this week, but have a look for yourself below:

How excited are you for October 20th?

Stars of Spider-Man 2 Able to Attend SDCC Due To Different Contract

Though many actors and stars are unable to attend San Diego Comic Con this year due to the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes, actors involved with Spider-Man 2 were able to attend as video games and interactive media fall under a different contract than the TV and Theatrical contracts that the AMPTP produce TV and movies under.

As they do every year, SDCC organizers worked with creatives across all facets of the entertainment industry to bring fans tons of exciting panels and events. The WGA and SAG-AFTRA Strike means that the actors and writers who create these projects cannot celebrate with fans at San Diego Comic-Con. The strike means that they won’t be able to promote any scripted television and theatrical work from struck companies.

The livelihoods of working-class SAG-AFTRA and WGA members are in jeopardy because the AMPTP refuses to offer a fair deal to creatives who work in television, theatrical, and streaming work. The AMPTP needs to meet their demands soon so that actors and writers can be paid fairly and continue to produce the shows and movies we love. It is heartbreaking to know that the people making the stories we love are unable to support themselves financially due to corporate greed.  And now they cannot even celebrate their work with their fans at the biggest fan event of the year.