Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse surprises fans with obscure main villain announcement

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse has officially revealed its main villain – though some fans have been left scratching their heads.

The film, a sequel to the hit 2018 film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, is an animated adaptation of the popular Marvel Comics character.

While the first film saw Miles Morales’s Spider-Man (Shameik Moore) face off against some of the character’s better-known villains, most notably Kingpin and Doctor Octopus, it seems that the sequel has opted for a more obscure tack.

The film’s main bad guy, voiced by Jason Schwartzman, will be The Spot.

Sony formally announced the villain’s involvement at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival on Monday (13 June).

The company then shared an image of the character online, describing him as “Miles Morales’s most formidable foe yet”.

“Meet The Spot, Miles Morales’s most formidable foe yet,” wrote Sony, “as debuted at #AnnecyFestival. He is voiced by Jason Schwartzman. See him in action in Spider-Man: Across the #SpiderVerse, in theaters June 2, 2023.”

Schwartzman is best known for his roles in Wes Anderson’s films, as well as TV series such as Fargo and Bored to Death.

However, some fans expressed surprise at the choice, describing him as an “obscure” pick to take on the webslinger.

The character is notable for his use of portals, which could play a key role in the visually kinetic multiverse of Across the Spider-Verse.