In a hopeful turn, Sony has shifted the release date for Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, the third entry in its Oscar-winning animated franchise, moving the film up one week from June 25 to June 18, 2027. The new slot positions the sequel around both Father’s Day and Juneteenth, two holidays that could boost turnout.
It also comes after years of uncertainty around the film’s timeline. Originally announced for March 2024, Beyond the Spider-Verse was delayed indefinitely during last year’s Hollywood labor strikes before landing on its current 2027 berth.
Crunch Allegations on the Last Film
The date shuffle follows widespread reports of grueling working conditions on the previous installment, Across the Spider-Verse. Animators described 11-hour days, seven-day work weeks1, and last-minute revisions that forced over 100 artists to exit the project. Several expressed doubt, even before Across was released, that its sequel could realistically meet its original 2024 window.
Producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller have defended the demanding process, with Lord saying in one interview that if the story isn’t right, “you have to keep going until it is.” Still, the allegations cast a shadow over Sony Pictures Animation, raising questions about whether the studio would adjust production timelines to avoid another round of crunch.
A Cautious Rollout
Insiders have noted that while a one-week move is minor, it signals the studio’s active management of a high-stakes release. Beyond the Spider-Verse will now open a week after Universal’s live-action How to Train Your Dragon 2 and on the same day as Disney’s Gatto. Holiday positioning, premium screen availability, and international school calendars were all likely factors in the change.
The decision may also reflect lessons learned from Across, whose success came with behind-the-scenes costs. By stretching the production window, Sony gives animators more breathing room while still leveraging a competitive release date.
Closing the Trilogy
Beyond the Spider-Verse concludes the trilogy that began with 2018’s Into the Spider-Verse, which grossed $384 million globally and won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature. Its sequel, Across the Spider-Verse, more than doubled that box office tally, earning $690 million worldwide.
Directors Bob Persichetti and Justin K. Thompson have promised a definitive conclusion to Miles Morales’ multiversal saga. “We have crafted what we feel is a very satisfying ending,” they said last year. “We’re bringing everything we’ve got.”
Whether Sony has also adjusted how it brings that ending to the screen may be just as closely watched.