'Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse' Star Shameik Moore and Director Peter Ramsey Speak On Bringing Miles And Brooklyn To The Screen

The era of the one-size fits all superhero is a thing of the past. In Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, Afro-Latino web-slinger, Miles Morales is finally getting his moment on the big screen, and his debut couldn’t be more cinematically satisfying. Voiced by The Get Down’s Shameik Moore and helmed by Rise of the Guardians director Peter Ramsey, who has the distinct title of being the first Black person to direct a big budget animated feature, Into The Spider-Verse is something special. Along with his co-directors, Bob Persichetti and Rodney Rothman, Ramsey's take on Miles' story is bold and Brooklyn to its core. The film opens the floodgates for an entirely new visual style when it comes to animated storytelling. 

In the film, Miles, while hanging out with his uncle, Aaron (voiced by Mahershala Ali) in New York City’s subway tunnels gets bitten by a radioactive spider transforming him into Spider-Man. As he grapples with his new powers, and a strained relationship with his father, Jefferson (voiced by Brian Tyree Henry) Miles soon discovers that he might not be the only high-flying superhero in the universe. 

Just ahead of the film's premiere Shadow and Act spoke with Shameik Moore and director Peter Ramsey about the two-year journey to bring Miles’ story to the big screen, and why we can expect to see more of the A1-loving teen in the near future. 

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Photo Credit: Gregg DeGuire/Getty Images 

Review: 'Spider-Man: Homecoming' is refreshing AF

Peter Parker isn’t really a superhero — at least not yet. In the latest installment of Marvel’s Spider-Man franchise, British actor Tom Holland slides on the red suit, but this time Parker is a baby-faced 15-year-old who is just trying to stay focused in high school while keeping his new alter-ego a secret from his anxious Aunt May (Marisa Tomei). There is no spider bite here. Parker is already radioactive, and quite frankly an origin story isn't actually necessary. Instead, Spider-Man: Homecoming, follows Parker in the aftermath of the events of Captain America: Civil War. Despite his notable role in the battle between Cap’ and Iron Man, nothing much has changed for the high school misfit. However, his desperation to prove himself leads him on the quest of a lifetime. With Tony Stark aka Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) as his reluctant mentor, Parker finds himself stifled and confined to Queens, taking care of the petty crimes that occur in his neighborhood. Unfortunately, he doesn’t exactly possess that smooth Avenger flair that Black Widow, Black Panther and Thor evoke when taking down criminals. However, Parker’s innocence and naivety are what makes Spider-Man: Homecoming so charming. Holland’s Peter Parker is utterly relatable and accessible. Unlike the Tobey Maguire or Andrew Garfield helmed franchises, Holland’s Parker is something we haven't quite seen before. He has fears and uncertainties, and his desire to take on more than he can handle just might be his Achilles heel.

Though most of his days are spent attempting to solve petty crimes, Parker finally happens upon a real ATM heist that involves some super intense high tech weaponry. (Pay attention to this part of the film if you want to get the connection between Homecoming and the first Avengers film.) This is where a sensationally casted Michael Keaton steps in as the sinister and bat sh*t crazy Adrian Toomes aka Vulture. Batman fans will certainly get a kick out of this casting. With Vulture on the loose, and Iron Man not heading Parker’s warnings, Parker decides he must take matters into his own hands.

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Review: Powerful Character Arcs & Sensational New Avengers Prove That ‘Captain America: Civil War’ Is Marvel at Its Best

I’m a lightweight superhero fan, which means I’ve got no allegiance to the Marvel Cinematic Universe over DC Comics. Like any film lover, I simply enjoy a great story-line packed with even better action. However, screening “Captain America: Civil War” changed everything for me. By the time the film actually started —ten minutes behind schedule — the theater was so rife with anticipation that people were nearly fidgeting out of their seats. It was as if everyone but me knew just what we were about to experience.

So often as viewers, we are relegated to the sidelines when watching superhero films. We sit in our seats, eagerly taking in the spectacle that is laid out before us. However, Joe and Anthony Russo’s latest entry into the Marvel Universe proved that the audience can be active participants in the action. Since “Iron Man” dropped in 2008, all Marvel roads have been leading up to “Captain America: Civil War”; and somehow, the film lives up to every bit of the hype. The Russo brothers invite their audience into the story alongside the Avengers, while eloquently dealing with all of the characters and storylines that are intertwined throughout the film.

The divide between Steve Rogers, aka Captain America (Chris Evans), and Tony Stark, aka Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), starts slowly, with an initial disagreement. Cap’s comrade Bucky (Sebastian Stan) is in grave danger, but The First Avenger’s interest in helping his friend goes directly against Stark’s newly established status quo. As the film continues, the divide between the duo begins to crackle and spread. This split slowly infects every other member of the Avengers team, forcing them to choose sides. By now, the audience knows these characters, their motivations and their ideals. However, the Russo brothers’ story brilliantly requires their viewers to exercise patience. Nothing is rushed in this film, which makes the climatic sequences all the more exquisite. Where “Civil War” succeeds, while DC Comics recent “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” failed, is it’s willingness to allow its characters time to develop. The film digs well below the surface and into the history of the Marvel Universe. Just as we are invested as fans, these characters are steadfast in their beliefs and their particular experiences.

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Image: Marvel

Review: 'Ant-Man' Pleasantly Surprised This Marvel Non-Enthusiast

Marvel’s "Ant-Man" is a superhero film for the underdog. The film follows ex-con man Scott Lang, who finds himself down on his luck after being released from San Quentin prison. Comedian Paul Rudd plays Scott flawlessly, who after being fired from Baskin-Robbins gets himself roped into one last big score in an effort to get back into his young daughter’s life. Instead of finding money or jewels, Scott and his rag tag group of friends; Luis (Michael Peña), Dave (TI) and Kurt (David Dastmalchian) come across a peculiar looking leather suit. Things quickly spiral out of control when the gang inadvertently finds themselves involved in a power struggle and corporate espionage between major conglomerates, PYM Industries and Cross Technologies.Admittedly I’m not a huge Marvel enthusiast, so when I first heard about Ant-Man, I thought it sounded like a retelling of "A Bug's Life" for adults. Nonetheless, the film really surprised me. First and foremost, Rudd and Peña are comedic gold. Peña's genius is consistently overlooked and underrated, so it was a ton of fun to watch him in his element.  Throughout the film, Rudd and Peña ebbed and flowed with the same witty, dark, humor that director Peyton Reed has captured perfectly in some of his prior films. Coming from the same team that produced last year's "Guardians of the Galaxy," "Ant-Man" had a familiar feeling to it because there was no Asgard, nor any other mythical place to serve as a distraction.

"Ant-Man’s" special effects are jaw dropping. I'm certainly not a gal who loves insects, but even in the film’s most absurd moments, the ants feel real and look extremely life-like. The most visually arresting component of the film is the way it captures Scott's point of view when he’s shrunken in size. There is one bathroom scene in particular that was simply, visually delicious.

Michael Douglas is fine as Dr. Hank Pym (the man who Scott steals from) but the real talent on camera is Corey Stoll as Dr. Darren Cross. Stoll is able to really embody the crazed, maniacal, instability of his villainous character. As I watched him, I found myself wishing that DC Comics had chosen him to play Lex Luther in "Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice."

The one thing that disappointed me a great deal about "Ant-Man" was the thin romance between Scott and Dr. Pym's daughter, Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly). Their relationship felt forced and jumbled.  I was annoyed that Marvel reduced Lily’s character to simply Scott’s love interest. It was wholly unnecessary, trite and frankly quite dull. Speaking of women, why does Judy Greer (who plays Scott’s ex-wife) play the same role in every film? I just saw her in "Jurassic World" and frankly her character was a bit one-dimensional for my taste.

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Image: Marvel/Ant-Man