Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is one of the most critically and commercially successful films of 2023. Released on June 2, 2023, it is the sequel to the 2018 film, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. It is currently the fifth highest-grossing movie of the year with box office earnings of over $6.8 million.
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment released the digital version of the film on August 8, 2023. While fans who missed watching it in theatres were hyped for this, theatergoers noticed something odd about the movie. They realized that the digital version of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse was considerably different from its theatrical version. One fan even pointed out that they removed some character lines for no apparent reasons.
The digital release of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse faces criticism on Twitter
Since August 8, 2023, fans have been able to watch Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse by renting it from a number of digital platforms.
The film is available on platforms like Apple TV, Amazon Prime, Google Play, Microsoft, YouTube, and Vudu for $19.99. If you are looking for a physical version of the movie, such as in 4K, Blu-ray, and DVD formats, you will have to wait till September 5, 2023. This physical release will be special as it will contain 90 minutes of extra content, which will include deleted scenes, filmmaker commentary, bonus features, and more.
While numerous fans were excited to watch the film digitally, they were not expecting the changes in it. Even though they were minor, reactions on Twitter proved that they were unrequired. Check out how fans reacted to the changes in the film:
It didn't take long for fans to figure out that the digital release of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse was much different than the original theatrical release. Die-hard fans of Marvel and the franchise seemed disappointed by the changes and were confused about why Sony thought this alteration was a good idea.
Some fans said that the new version was completely different than the original one, while one said that they were going to revisit theatres to experience the "real film" once again. One particular fan said that they were initially intrigued by the online discussions of the two versions but now they were just feeling annoyed.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse synopsis
The official synopsis of the Marvel film, according to its trailer, reads,
"Miles Morales returns for the next chapter of the Oscar®-winning Spider-Verse saga, Spider-Man™: Across the Spider-Verse. After reuniting with Gwen Stacy, Brooklyn’s full-time, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is catapulted across the Multiverse, where he encounters a team of Spider-People charged with protecting its very existence."
It continues,
"But when the heroes clash on how to handle a new threat, Miles finds himself pitted against the other Spiders and must redefine what it means to be a hero so he can save the people he loves most."
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse was directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson and theatrically released on June 2, 2023.