Back when Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse ended, we all thought that the trilogy’s capper – Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse – was arriving in March 2024. That was crazy ambitious, but hopeful… even though Across pushed the boundaries of animation, and we expect Beyond to continue that revolutionary track. Naturally, Beyond the Spider-Verse was delayed. For how long? We don’t know. And we are willing to wait, so long as creative voices Phil Lord and Chris Miller push to make this one of the best Spider-Man movies ever made. It may end up being that way. Just, don’t ask Jake Johnson about it yet, because he hasn’t recorded a single line of dialogue.
Which isn’t a problem at all. At least, according to Jake Johnson. The New Girl star was a recent guest on the ReelBlend podcast, promoting his directorial debut Self-Reliance, available to anyone with a Hulu subscription. At the end of our conversation, which will post in full on January 12, we brought up Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, and asked Johnson if he has recorded any dialogue for it yet. And he told us:
Nothing. Well, I will say, I can't say anything about (the release date), but I will say with recording of actors, things can go fast. So, my not recording truly means nothing. If you find out the animators hadn't started animating, then that's a different thing. But there's Really no breaking news from a voiceover actor. Even if we try to break it. If they wanted to… like I did a movie for Wildwood Studios. I might be saying that wrong. If I am, I feel embarrassed. But I recorded my entire role in one day.
There you have it. No need to panic. We fully don’t expect Jake Johnson to be able to record all of his Peter Parker dialogue in one day. Though, the character’s role was diminished in Across the Spider-Verse, as Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) and Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld) took more of a central role.
Given the ending of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, though, it looks like Peter B. Parker will be heavily involved in the action that’s setting up in the third installment.
Self-Reliance is a terrific new movie by Jake Johnson, and one that should earn him more shots at directing features. It reminds me a bit of Palm Springs with Andy Samberg (who also plays a part in the movie), but also David Fincher’s The Game. That might not make sense, but it will once you see this. Put it on your radar. And then look out for more upcoming 2024 movies, as they make their way out.
