Oscars: Into the Spider-Verse catches Best Animated Feature award in its stylized web

Marvel nabbed another top award at the 91st Academy Awards by winning Best Animated Feature for Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. 

Producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller took the stage alongside directors Rodney Rothman, Bob Persichetti, and Peter Ramsey to accept the Oscar, having beat out Incredibles 2, Ralph Breaks the Internet, Isle of Dogs, and Mirai.

“There’s 800 filmmakers who pushed boundaries and took risks to make people feel powerful and seen,” said Miller.

“When we hear that somebody’s kid was watching the movie and turned to them and said, ‘He looks like me’ or ‘They speak Spanish like us,’ we feel like we already won," added Lord, who co-wrote the screenplay with Rothman.

Unlike Black Panther, the animated feature is a product of Sony, which owns the cinematic rights to Spidey and his related characters, like Venom.

Into the Spider-Verse puts the main emphasis on Miles Morales (voiced by Shameik Moore), the first Spider-Person of color, as he discovers a wider multiverse filled with individuals blessed with arachnid-based superpowers.

“We want you all to know we see you, you’re powerful—this world needs you. We’re all counting on you. Thank you," said Ramsey during the acceptance of the award.

The movie is packed with killer voice talent, like Brian Tyree Henry (Jefferson Davis), Luna Lauren Velez (Rio Morales) Jake Johnson (Peter Parker), Mahershala Ali (Prowler), Hailee Steinfeld (Gwen Stacy), Lily Tomlin (May Parker), Liev Schreiber (Kingpin), John Mulaney (Spider-Ham), Kimiko Glenn (Peni Parker), Nicolas Cage (Spider-Man Noir), and even Oscar Isaac (Spider-Man 2099).

Into the Spider-Verse winning the Best Animated Feature Oscar is the culmination of an impressive awards season track record. Up until this point, the movie, whose visual style mimics the look of a comic book, snagged the top honors from the Annies, the New York Film Critics Circle, and the Golden Globes.

Even before all the critical acclaim, Sony greenlit a direct sequel, as well as an all-female spinoff.

The other Marvel contender of the evening, Black Panther, has already won two awards, for Best Costume Design and Best Production Design. It may also go home with the prizes for Best Score, Best Original Song, and the top award, Best Picture.