Will Spider-Verse Duo Lord and Miller Take On a Live-Action Spider-Man? They Weigh In
After reinventing Spider-Man in animation, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller finally faced the big question: would they swing into a live-action Spidey? On the Happy Sad Confused podcast, the Spider-Verse duo opened up about where they stand—and what would have to line up to get them on board.
So, the brains behind the Spider-Verse movies—Phil Lord and Chris Miller—finally got asked that question nerds have been debating for years: would these guys ever take a swing at a live-action Spider-Man movie? Their answer? Well, it’s kind of a yes, kind of a don't-hold-your-breath situation.
The Question Everybody Wants to Ask
In a recent chat on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Lord and Miller basically admitted they've at least talked about joining the live-action Spidey world. When asked if they’d ever actually considered or been offered the chance, Miller just said 'Yes,' but immediately laughed with Lord like they'd been caught sneaking snacks before dinner. When host Josh Horowitz tried to press them on whether that meant the main Spider-Man movies or one of Sony’s endless spin-offs, Miller dodged the specifics.
So, not exactly a scoop, but not a flat out denial either. The truth: they’re Spider-Man nerds just like the rest of us.
Why the Hemming and Hawing?
Here’s where things get practical: Lord and Miller say they're way too busy with their current animation projects to think about live-action right now. As Miller bluntly put it, 'We've got a whole Spider-Verse to finish. We're halfway through this.' Lord chimed in, basically saying he can't even imagine having the mental space to tackle another big superhero thing at the moment.
A Quick Refresher: The Spider-Verse Success
If you somehow missed it, Lord and Miller are the main creative voices behind Sony’s massively popular animated Spider-Verse movies. Let’s break down their track record real quick:
- 2018: 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse' drops, giving us Miles Morales (voiced by Shameik Moore) as the new Spidey, and slamming a bunch of different versions of the webhead together for a multiverse adventure. Lord co-wrote the script and produced it with Miller, Avi Arad, Amy Pascal, and Christina Steinberg. Critics went wild for it, and it snagged the Oscar for Best Animated Feature.
- 2023: 'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse' arrives, gets another round of glowing reviews, and racks up over $690 million at the box office.
- Still to Come: 'Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse' is on the books for June 18, 2027. (So yeah, they really are 'halfway through this.' Not an exaggeration.)
But Wait, There’s More Spider-Stuff
Lord and Miller aren’t just sticking to animation, either. They’re executive producing 'Spider-Noir,' a live-action show for Prime Video, starring Nicolas Cage as Ben Reilly—a slightly washed-up, older noir-style Spider-Man working as a PI. Mark your calendars: that one’s set to drop May 25, 2026. (And honestly, Nicolas Cage as grizzled Spider-detective? That’s either going to be pure genius or a beautiful disaster. Can’t wait.)
So, bottom line: Lord and Miller are clearly interested in Spider-Man in all his forms, and yes, their names have come up in live-action talks. But for now, the animated Spider-Verse (and whatever Nicolas Cage is getting up to in a trench coat) are eating up all their creative energy. Live-action Spidey from these two? Possible, someday. But don’t start your countdown just yet.