Unveiling the Uncharted Potential: Marvel's Spider-Man Franchise Shaping a Thrilling Future
Spider-Man's iconic status in entertainment history may require a name update due to the emergence of the Spider-Verse, reflecting the need for a more inclusive title
Highlights
The triumph of Spider-Man in the gaming sector has outshined that of other superhero franchises. Nonetheless, as the Spider-Verse series embraces a wider range of characters, it might be vital to consider a revised title for the franchise to ensure inclusivity.
The Spider-Verse series has rejuvenated the franchise by introducing relatable characters such as Miles Morales. Notably, female characters like Gwen and Jessica Drew are now poised to take center stage in video game adaptations.
With the continued expansion of the Spider-Verse, featuring more diverse iterations of Spider-Man, it becomes important to shift focus away from solely Miles and Peter. As other characters, including those of different genders, play increasingly significant roles, it becomes necessary to reexamine the franchise's name to ensure inclusivity.
The Spider-Man franchise has dominated the world of action superhero gaming since its inception on the Game Boy in the early 90s. While other iconic characters like Superman, Iron Man, and the Incredible Hulk have also made their way into the gaming world, Spider-Man's commercial success surpasses all competitors from both the DC and Marvel franchises. However, as the Spider-Verse series has embraced diversity by featuring multiple characters and genders, Marvel may need to consider modifying the franchise title in order to promote inclusivity.
Traditionally, the Spider-Man series has focused on the adventures of Peter Parker and Mary Jane in New York City, as the web-slinging hero fights crime and saves the city from various threats. While this formula has worked well for the franchise in movies and video games, repeating the same storyline without any changes risks losing the interest of the audience. The Spider-Verse series addressed this issue by introducing significant changes to the cinematic storyline, and video game adaptations should follow suit. Therefore, it may be necessary to alter the "Spider-Man" title to keep the franchise fresh and captivating.
The Iconic Spider-Man Tag Might Need Replacing With a More Inclusive Name
Spider-Man's Spider-Verse films have breathed new life into the franchise, offering relatable characters like Miles Morales and breaking away from the traditional Peter Parker-Mary Jane romance. The release of Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse in 2018 was a refreshing change, as fans were growing tired of the same story being told repeatedly. Miles Morales quickly became a fan-favorite, starring as the lead character in Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales video game.
Following the success of Miles' cinematic debut, the franchise shifted its focus from a solo hero to a dynamic duo, placing emphasis on the development of the multiple Spider-Men. However, the remarkable success of Into The Spider-Verse can also be attributed to characters from alternate dimensions, such as Spider-Gwen. In the recently released Across the Spider-Verse, Gwen's role has expanded, leading fans to speculate that she may soon take on a main character role in a video game.
Alongside Gwen, other female characters like Jessica Drew and Spider-Byte have also made significant contributions in the Spider-Man multiverse, as showcased in Across the Spider-Verse. Additionally, various versions of Spider-Man, such as Peter ParkedCar and Peter Porker, have appeared, expanding the multiverse. To reflect this expansion and include other Spider-people, the focus should shift from Miles and Peter to these diverse characters. However, the increasing number of roles poses a nomenclature dilemma for future Spider-Man games, as it goes beyond the traditional understanding of the character.
Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales laid the foundation for the upcoming Marvel's Spider-Man 2's storyline, which aims to further Miles and Peter Parker's journey. The portrayal of Miles in the video game came after the success of his dynamic portrayal in cinema. As more Spider-Women take center stage in movies, it is reasonable to expect that characters of other genders will eventually become playable in the gaming world. In such a scenario, the Marvel's Spider-Man franchise will require a new name to encompass all represented genders, with options like Spiders, Spider-Verse, or Spider-People being considered.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 launches on October 20 for PlayStation 5.
