How do superheroes navigate their own mental health journeys? Sony Pictures Animation and Sony Pictures Imageworks are utilizing one of their biggest cinematic franchises to address the topic. “The Spider Within: A Spider-Verse Story” sees Miles Morales deal with the issues surrounding his anxiety after a panic attack. It’s a story that finds the young hero reaching out to others, a crucial step to healing.
This important project represents a collaboration with the Kevin Love Fund. The organization, created by basketball player Kevin Love, works to break the stigma surrounding mental health and provides support to those in need of help. One of the short’s biggest goals is encouraging dialogue among those who watch. KLF additionally created a new lesson, allowing students to engage by drawing their own storyboard panels. According to the fund, their creative arts mental curriculum has reached over 55,000 students since 2022.
The short film’s official synopsis:
“In the genre-bending thriller “The Spider Within: A Spider-Verse Story,” Miles Morales struggles to balance his responsibilities as a teenager, friend, and student while acting as Brooklyn’s friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. After a particularly challenging day living with these pressures, Miles experiences a panic attack that forces him to confront the manifestations of his anxiety and learn that reaching out for help can be just as brave an act as protecting his city from evil.”
“The Spider Within: A Spider-Verse Story” is directed by Jarelle Dampier and written by Khaila Amazan. ‘Spider-Verse’ stars Shamiek Moore and Brian Tyler Henry reprise their voice roles for the short, which may be a nice stopgap between “Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse” and the still-undated sequel, “Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse.” The short film debuted on Sony Pictures Animation’s YouTube channel on May 27, and you can watch the entire short below.