Andy Samberg To Voice Scarlet Spider in ‘Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse’ (Exclusive)

The noicest and toitest cop in the NYPD is now a fan-favourite Spider-Man variant. Multiple sources have told One Take News that Andy Samberg will voice Ben Reilly/Scarlet Spider in Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse. The actor behind the fan-favourite character has been shrouded in secrecy for a long time now but word is only starting to spread recently. Sources tell OTN that Samberg’s role as Scarlet Spider is a supporting role in the film, however not as prominent as characters like Karan Soni’s Spider-Man India or Issa Rae’ Spider-Woman. Sources described him as a secondary supporting character with the possibility of a larger role in Beyond The Spider-Verse, although it’s currently unknown if Samberg will reprise the role in next year’s trilogy.

Sony Pictures had no comment.

Samberg, who’s best known for portraying Jake Peralta on the hit series Brooklyn Nine-Nine and his acclaimed tenure on the cast of Saturday Night Live, has slowly been doing more and more voice acting throughout his career. He most recently co-starred with fellow Spider-Verse actor John Mulaney in Chip n’ Dale: Rescue Rangers. Samberg’s involvement in the film was an enormous secret and sources say word only started to spread about who he was playing after Samberg posted on the Lonely Island Instagram page. Samberg joins fellow Lonely Island member Jorma Taccone, who will voice Adrian Toomes/Vulture in Across The Spider-Verse.

The role of Scarlet Spider has been the subject of enormous speculation amongst fans and not only did our own EIC tease Samberg’s involvement in the film earlier this week, but one of the film’s co-directors, Joaquim Dos Santos, teased Samberg’s involvement, which was unknown at the time. Speaking to Total Film via /Film, Dos Santos said “I can’t wait for people to hear who voices him. […] It still hasn’t been released (Editor’s note: Did not age well), but I love our Scarlet Spider actor. […] Not even the actors know! Everyone is sworn to secrecy, and they record alone, so most of them are discovering with the public who is in the film they’ve been making. Their reactions have been pretty hilarious.”

Scarlet Spider’s history in the comics is long, convoluted and controversial. Originally introduced in December 1994, Scarlet Spider was a clone of Peter Parker created by the Jackal, who blamed Parker/Spider-Man for the death of Gwen Stacy, a student he had an unhealthy obsession with. The clone gains self awareness and gives himself the name Ben Reilly after Ben Parker and May Parker’s maiden name, Reilly. He goes into exile and has an identity crisis about who he is and if he’s the real Peter Parker or not. After returning to New York, he was briefly a foe of the original Spider-Man but has since become an ally and taken up the name of Scarlet Spider. The character has become enormously popular within the comic world and he is among the most famous Spider-Man variants, along with Spider-Gwen and Miles Morales.

Read the synopsis for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse:

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 neighbourhood Spider-Man is catapulted across the Multiverse, where he encounters a team of Spider-People charged with protecting its very existence. 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.
Sony Pictures