Animated Spider-Man Film Confirmed; Sony Teams Up With ‘Lego Movie' Directors

Spider-Man is swinging back into theaters in more ways than one. While Marvel fans await casting news for the upcoming Spider-Man live-action reboot, Sony Pictures announced to CinemaCon attendees in Las Vegas Wednesday evening that an animated version of the superhero story is in the works.

Tom Rothman, the chairman of the Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group, made the announcement at the tail end of Sony Picture’s 2015 slate presentation. The movie — which Rothman confirmed will be separate from Sony's upcoming live-action Spider-Man film — will be led by “The Lego Movie” directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller.

“It will be something quite unlike you’ve seen before,” Rothman told the audience of exhibitors, sharing the studio’s plans to make a “new, distinctive, animated Spider-Man movie.”

Rothman, who described the upcoming feature as “f---ing awesome,” said he is thrilled to be working alongside Lord and Miller, calling the two filmmakers a “genius duo.”

Sony previously teamed up with Lord and Miller for the blockbuster “Lego Movie," “Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs,” as well as the “21 Jump Street” and “22 Jump Street” films. In a press release following the CinemaCon presentation, Sony Pictures confirmed that Lord and Miller will also write and produce the film.

The Spider-Man animated feature will swing its way into theaters July 20, 2018. The forthcoming live-action Spider-Man film from Marvel’s Cinematic Universe, which was announced in February, will debut July 28, 2017.