A live-action Miles Morales Spider-Man is almost sure to happen in the near future, and there are three easy ways for Sony and/or the MCU to do it. Created in 2011 as part of the Marvel Ultimate universe, Miles Morales adopted the mantle of Spider-Man following Peter Parker’s death. He went on to become a key character in the remaining years of Earth-1610, was brought into Marvel’s main comics continuity, and has now been the star of solo comic book titles, animated movies, and video games.
While Miles had already made his mark in the Marvel universe with the comics, the Academy Award-winning animated feature Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse has been a major contributor to his popularity – especially among the general audience. That boom was followed by Insomniac’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales game and the upcoming animated Into the Spider-Verse sequels Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and Spider-Man: Beyond The Spider-Verse.
With so many successful adaptations involving Miles Morales, a live-action version of the character appearing in a movie is pretty much a given. While Miles originally became Spider-Man after Peter Parker's death, the comics and other adaptations have shown that Peter does not necessarily have to be gone in order for another Spider-Man to have his own story. Between Tom Holland’s MCU Spider-Man films, Sony’s Venom universe, or even a live-action version of Into The Spider-Verse, options abound as to where and how audiences could see Miles Morales in the future.
How Miles Morales Can Appear In Tom Holland’s MCU Spider-Man Movies
Tom Holland’s MCU Spider-Man 4 is in the works, and the character will most likely get a second trilogy in the MCU. In that scenario, Miles Morales could appear in this new phase of Holland’s Peter Parker’s life. The MCU Spider-Man is now much more experienced than he has ever been, especially after losing everyone he loved between Avengers: Endgame and Spider-Man: No Way Home. Peter is heading to college in a world that does not remember him, and thus he will have to find new friends and partners. Sony and Marvel could take advantage of that setup to introduce Miles as a younger student who befriends Peter and also becomes Spider-Man, with Holland’s character acting as a mentor for the new hero.
That would give the MCU the opportunity to have two Spider-Man characters in the franchise: Miles Morales and Tom Holland's Spider-Man. Miles could better interact with the new generation of heroes being set up, such as Ms. Marvel and Kate Bishop. The dynamic between Peter and Miles as active Spider-Men might not have been present in the comic book origins of Miles, but it has become a recurrent part of the character’s story in other adaptations. The animated series Marvel’s Spider-Man and the Spider-Man: Miles Morales game, for example, all show Peter and Miles existing in the same universe and acting as Spider-Man at the same time.
That said, Tom Holland’s Peter Parker might still be too young to be a mentor, meaning that MCU’s Spider-Man 4 could still be too soon for Miles to become Spider-Man. However, Miles could be brought into the next Spider-Man movie and then only become Spider-Man in the following sequel. By introducing Miles in the next Spider-Man trilogy, the MCU could have another Spider-Man fully trained and experienced by the time Tom Holland ends his run as Peter Parker.
How Miles Morales Can Appear In Sony’s Spider-Man Universe
While Peter Parker’s story continues in the MCU, Sony is developing a cinematic universe centered around Spider-Man villains and supporting characters. After the first two Venom films, both of which did solid box office numbers, and the critically panned Morbius, Sony’s Spider-Man Universe (SSU) will continue with Kraven The Hunter, Madame Web, and El Muerto. Although it is still not clear as to where those movies are heading, Morbius director Daniel Espinosa revealed that there is a Spider-Man in the Venom universe. Whether it is Andrew Garfield’s Peter Parker or a brand new character is a mystery, but Miles Morales could very well be the Spider-Man for this universe — the sole hero of this continuity, either because Peter Parker is dead or because he never existed in the first place.
By having Miles Morales in the Venom universe, Sony would have a Spider-Man of its own – one that the studio would not necessarily have to share with the MCU. Not only would that solve the Venom universe’s lack of Spider-Man problem, but it would also make it possible for a Miles Morales live-action movie to happen concurrently with Tom Holland’s Spider-Man MCU films. However, that would not make the interaction between Miles and Peter impossible, as both Venom in No Way Home and Vulture in Morbius proved that crossovers between the MCU and the SSU happen – especially now that Madame Web will be part of the franchise. In fact, having Miles be part of the Venom universe and not the MCU would mirror Miles Morales’s comic book introduction, as he was not originally from Earth-616.
Miles Morales Can Appear As A Live-Action Version Of Into The Spider-Verse’s Miles
Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse's success and impact on pop culture are such that a live-action version of that Miles Morales showing up is not too unlikely. Into The Spider-Verse made Miles Morales’s origin story known to the general public, and by the time the sequels come out, audiences will have spent a significant amount of time with that version of the character. Sony could capitalize on that and have its live-action Miles be the same one as that of the animated film, which would naturally work with Into The Spider-Verse’s concept of the multiverse.
Unlike No Way Home’s multiverse, Into The Spider-Verse opened up the possibilities for the most unusual, out-of-the-box crossovers, including Spider-Ham and Spider-Man Noir. In that scenario, after finishing his Into The Spider-Verse trilogy, Miles could walk through a portal and be brought into the MCU, Sony’s Venom universe, or a new universe entirely. Sony could also simply have a live-action Miles Morales Spider-Man movie that picks up from Beyond The Spider-Verse without necessarily having to use the multiverse shenanigans.
