Spider-Man has always been a hero for the people.
Sure, he helped Iron Man save the world alongside the Avengers, but at his core, Peter Parker has always thought of himself as "your friendly neighborhood" Spider-Man.
The hero has folksier roots than most Avengers. He got his powers in a flukey way -- most radioactive spider bites don't turn out that well -- but his hero's journey was inspired by the legendary words of his Uncle Ben: "With great power comes great responsibility."
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That's why Parker, a teenager with no special resources aside from superior intelligence, fashioned himself a costume and began clumsily trying to do what's right.
Of course, a well-intentioned teenager with superpowers can make a lot of mistakes and Spider-Man has bounced between being the people's superhero and being considered a dangerous villain.
The "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" movie explored a variety of versions of the character from across what Walt Disney's (DIS) Marvel calls the "multiverse." It was the rare animated film that appealed to adults as well as kids, as the various Peter Parkers/Spider-Men all followed different paths to heroism.
The hit film spawned the upcoming sequel "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse." And that logically has led to Restaurant Brands International's (QSR) Burger King reaching into its own multiverse -- a world where an endless array of Whoppers exists -- for the Spider-Verse Whopper.
Image source: The Packaging Company/TheStreet
Burger King Has Its First Heroic Whopper
With great taste comes great responsibility?
Burger King has not been shy about leveraging its billion-dollar burger platform by rolling out new versions of the Whopper. In this case, the company has gone for a novelty look but has mostly stuck with its classic formula.
"The Spider-Verse Whopper features a red bun topped with black sesame seeds, drawing inspiration from the amazing web-slinger himself, along with melted Swiss cheese and all the traditional Whopper toppings -- including tomatoes, lettuce, creamy mayonnaise, ketchup, crunchy pickles, and sliced white onions" Chew Boom reported.
That's basically a dyed bun plus a change from American to Swiss cheese. Since nobody wants any spider-related toppings, that's probably a good choice by the company to offer a nod to the beloved superhero without trying too hard.
In addition to the new Whopper, Burger King will also add a Spider-Verse Sundae to menus. This super treat "features vanilla soft serve ice cream topped with black and red chocolate popping candies," according to Chew Boom.
The Spider-Verse Whopper and Spider-Verse Sundae will be available at participating locations nationwide from May 15 through June 21, 2023.
It's a Full Spider-Man Burger King Takeover
While Burger King was smart to avoid adding ham to its Spider-Verse Whopper in tribute to Parker's porcine "Spider-Ham" variant, it's going to pretty extreme measures to celebrate the new "Spider-Verse" film at select locations.
That's actually a sort of old-school move as fast-food chains used to commonly do movie tie-ins, but the practice has faded in recent years.
The chain will also host Spider-Verse takeovers at select locations worldwide. This includes interactive designs that place guests and fans inside the action-packed “Spider-Verse” -- including an in-dining room and drive-thru takeover.
There will also be spaces in these restaurants designed for social media photos and videos. The Spider-Verse restaurants can be found in New York City (Astoria, Queens), France, United Arab Emirates, Brazil, and other cities.
