Issa Rae joins Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse sequel, and oh what a tangled web she could weave

Fans who fell for Sony’s innovative, Oscar-winning animated trip through the Spider-Verse know there’s a veritable multiverse of room to accommodate lots of Spideys of every shape and size. As it turns out, there may be room in the upcoming sequel for at least one Spider-Woman, too.

SYFY WIRE has confirmed that Issa Rae, known for her comedic turn as the co-creator and star of HBO’s Insecure, has signed on for an unnamed voice role in the followup Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse adventure that’ll return the animated version of Marvel’s friendly neighborhood hero back to the big screen.

Though unconfirmed, The Hollywood Reporter cites unnamed sources stating that Rae has been cast to voice Spider-Woman, alongside returning stars Shameik Moore (Spider-Man) and Hailee Steinfeld (Spider-Gwen). That report indicates Rae will portray the original Jessica Drew version of Spider-Woman for the sequel.

In the comics, Jessica Drew debuted as the first incarnation of the character in the late 1970s in Marvel Spotlight #32, though Spider-Woman would go on to emerge in different named permutations (including Julia Carpenter, Mattie Franklin, supervillain Charlotte Witter, and even Skrull impostor Veranke) in subsequent Marvel comics outings to reference and expand on the character's lore.

Rae’s addition marks the first big new pickup for the sequel’s cast, though details on the movie’s plot are still tightly guarded. The sequel doesn’t yet have an official name, though the reported possibility of adding in a second female Spider-hero could suggest the budding relationship between Moore’s Miles Morales version of Spidey and Steinfeld’s Gwen Stacy, which the 2018 movie teased, may be more complicated with so many super-athletic arachnids vying for screen time.

Prolific writing duo Phil Lord and Chris Miller will be credited writers on the sequel, alongside David Callaham (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings). Lord and Miller also will return as producers with Amy Pascal, Avi Arad, and Christina Steinberg; Alonzo Ruvalcaba is also credited as a co-producer.

The first Spider-Verse movie scored a win for Best Animated Picture at the 91st Academy Awards. The sequel will be directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson, with original Spider-Verse co-director Peter Ramsey returning as an executive producer with Aditya Sood.

Once delayed from an April 2022 release date owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, the sequel to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is now slated to swing into theaters Oct. 7, 2022.