‘Spider-Punk’ Movie Script Is Almost Done Says Daniel Kaluuya

Daniel Kaluuya is almost finished writing the first draft of his Spider-Man spin-off film.

Following his role as Spider-Punk (Hobie Brown) in the 2023 film Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, 36-year-old Daniel Kaluuya agreed to star in and write a movie focusing on his character. He recently shared that he and his co-writer, Ajon Singh, are almost finished with the initial outline for the film.

Kaluuya told Deadline: “We’re in our process.”

When questioned about whether the Spider-Punk film would focus solely on that character or also feature others from the Spider-Verse, the actor known for ‘Get Out’ simply replied, “To be determined.”

Kaluuya explained that the overwhelmingly positive fan response to his Spider-Punk character in Across the Spider-Verse played a big role in getting the idea for a spinoff moving forward.

He added: “It’s exciting to be writing something in this space.”

The actor from Nope also spoke highly of Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the creators of Spider-Verse, calling them “great storytellers.” He added that they’ve been supportive of his work on Spider-Punk.

Daniel Kaluuya shared that he was deeply inspired by both Across the Spider-Verse and its earlier film, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, praising their accomplishments.

He really connected with the Spider-Verse movies, finding them incredibly inspiring. He believes the people who made those films – the directors and animators – are among the best storytellers working today, and he wants to surround himself with them to learn and improve his own skills.

The Black Panther actor shared that director George Lord had once given him feedback on a script, writing, “Movies aren’t focused on individuals, but on the connections between them.”

Kaluuya explained that the films capture a genuine joy for cinema, storytelling, and animation. He believes creating that kind of joy is challenging, and it’s something he strives for in his own work. Ultimately, he feels the audience connects with the passion the filmmakers have for what they do.

Daniel Kaluuya will not only be appearing in the Spider-Punk movie, but he’s also returning as Hobie Brown in the next Spider-Verse film, Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse.

After Across the Spider-Verse came out in June 2023, Sony Pictures originally planned to release the next movie in March 2024. However, they’ve since delayed the release until 2025.

Man, it was a rollercoaster with Beyond the Spider-Verse. It kept getting pushed back, but finally, we have a firm date: June 18, 2027. It feels like forever away, but at least we know when to expect it now!

When the release was delayed, reports said Sony was carefully and meticulously working to ensure the film was perfect.

Following the story of Across the Spider-Verse, Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse continues the adventures of Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) and his fellow Spider-People as they try to prevent the Spot (Jason Schwartzman) from causing chaos across the multiverse.

Written by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, and directed by Bob Persichetti and Justin K. Powers, the film features Hailee Steinfeld as Gwen Stacy, Brian Tyree Henry as Jeff Morales, Jake Johnson as Peter B. Parker, and Oscar Isaac as Spider-Man 2099.

The Best Movies of 2025

20. Caught Stealing

Darren Aronofsky’s Caught Stealing was a delightful surprise among the year’s films. Released late in August – a typical dumping ground for bad movies – it’s a really entertaining and gritty thriller with a fantastic, old-school New York City atmosphere. The story feels reminiscent of After Hours, and it just keeps throwing unexpected turns at you. What struck me as most nostalgic wasn’t just seeing Shea Stadium or the old Kim’s Video, but the very fact that Caught Stealing existed – a smart, adult drama made by a major studio.

19. Eephus

The title Eephus is perfect for this gentle, seemingly simple film. Much like the eephus pitch itself, it subtly draws you in, and just when you think you’ve figured it out, it takes an unexpected turn. (It’s worth noting that other names for that pitch – like blooper ball or parachute – would also fit the movie well.)

Eephus centers on two small-town baseball teams playing their last game at a beloved field before it’s demolished. Over the course of nine innings, co-writer and director Carson Lund delves into the connections between teammates and opponents, using this ultimately unimportant game to examine why baseball’s traditions and routines resonate with so many people.

18. It Was Just an Accident

Fans of films featuring deeply flawed men who kidnap those they blame for terrible wrongs have seen a recent dip in quality, following two disappointing releases. It’s starting to feel like a pattern! In Jafar Panahi’s It Was Just an Accident, a former Iranian prisoner, Vahid Mobasseri, encounters a man, Ebrahim Azizi, he believes tortured him during his unjust imprisonment. He never actually saw his torturer, but recognizes the voice and the sound of a prosthetic leg. Uncertain how to proceed, he enlists other torture victims to help identify the man and decide what to do. The film is both heartbreaking and surprisingly funny, and carries particular weight because director Panahi himself has been imprisoned multiple times – he recently received another one-year sentence for making this very film.

17. Bugonia

Yorgos Lanthimos is known for his darkly funny and unsettling films, and his latest, Bugonia, continues that tradition. It’s a twisted update of a 2003 South Korean movie, reflecting our current obsession with conspiracy theories. Jesse Plemons plays a reclusive and increasingly frightening man who kidnaps Emma Stone, a powerful pharmaceutical CEO, forcing her to admit to a supposed alien plot to destroy the world. She’s understandably baffled and angry. The situation is both hilarious and genuinely terrifying, perfectly capturing the anxiety of modern life.

16. The Perfect Neighbor

This chilling Netflix documentary uses police bodycam footage to tell the story of a tragic act of violence in Florida. It shows how ongoing conflicts between a woman and her neighbors tragically escalated into a killing. The Perfect Neighbor not only captures the disturbing events leading up to the crime and its devastating consequences, but also raises important questions about whether our legal system truly protects the innocent. Though it’s a true crime documentary, it’s also incredibly frightening and suspenseful – arguably the scariest film of 2025.

15. Reflection in a Dead Diamond

With its vibrant, over-the-top style reminiscent of classic spy films, ‘Reflection in a Dead Diamond’ is a visually stunning experience. The directors, Bruno Forzani and Hélène Cattet, pack the film with memorable imagery, constantly moving the camera to create a dynamic feel. The story follows an aging secret agent (Fabio Testi) as his mental state deteriorates, and features a villain with the power to trap people within illusions. The film is so enamored with the aesthetics of retro exploitation cinema that it captivates the audience, drawing them into its hypnotic world and leaving them unwilling to return to reality.

14. Mickey 17

Bong Joon-ho loves to challenge actors known for playing heroes. He casts them in bizarre, futuristic stories and then deliberately dismantles their typical on-screen persona. After portraying Captain America as a villain, he’s now turned to Robert Pattinson, known as Batman, in his new film, Mickey 17.

Like Batman, Pattinson’s character, Mickey, lives multiple lives. He’s part of a program where people take on dangerous, vital missions for space colonization, knowing they’ll likely die. The technology allows them to be “reprinted” into a new body each time, and Mickey is currently on his 17th version. However, a mistake creates an 18th copy, leading to complications.

While Mickey 17 might not be as consistently strong as Bong’s acclaimed Parasite, that unevenness could be intentional. With nearly identical characters and subtle personality differences, a fluctuating tone and mood actually fit the story.

13. Friendship

“Friendship” was a truly unique and engaging theatrical experience in 2025, unlike any comedy I’ve seen. The audience was constantly reacting with sighs, gasps, and even shouts of disbelief, and it was all completely justified. The play centers around Tim Robinson’s increasingly awkward and painful experiences after a promising friendship with a charismatic neighbor (Paul Rudd) falls apart during a terrible get-together. Robinson perfectly portrays a clueless character, while Rudd is even funnier as the effortlessly cool friend. The script, written by director Andrew DeYoung, relentlessly explores male insecurities in a way that might actually make some viewers cringe so hard they need medical attention.

12. Black Bag

I wasn’t expecting Black Bag to be such a steamy, twisty mystery – think Agatha Christie with a lot more heat! But it totally grabbed me. The film stars Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett as a married couple who both happen to be spies. Their happiness is threatened when Fassbender is asked to investigate his wife, suspecting she might be working against them. With a fantastic supporting cast including Regé-Jean Page, Marisa Abela, Naomie Harris, and Pierce Brosnan, the movie’s biggest draw is how unpredictable it is. You genuinely don’t know what’s going to happen next, which is refreshing and really enjoyable.

11. Superman

Many devoted comic book fans consider it sacrilege to compare any DC movie to Richard Donner’s Superman. However, James Gunn’s Superman delivers a superior Lex Luthor – brilliantly played by Nicholas Hoult as someone incredibly self-centered and easily offended – and a fantastic supporting cast. Standouts include Edi Gathegi as the aptly named Mr. Terrific and Krypto, Superman’s mischievous and scene-stealing superdog.

The film also features a wonderfully endearing and vulnerable Superman, portrayed with charm by David Corenswet, making him someone you genuinely want to cheer for. It’s an enjoyable, thrilling, and romantic movie that even manages to include some thoughtful social commentary. This film sets a high bar for future DC movies, which is exciting because it’s intended to be the first installment in a whole new series of superhero films.

10. Train Dreams

Each year, there should be an award for the best Netflix film that truly deserves to be seen in a theater, not on a streaming platform. And the first winner is Train Dreams. (Yes, I watched it on Netflix!)

This is a patient, beautiful, and deeply sad film that follows the decades-long life of Robert Grainier, a solitary logger, played with quiet power by Joel Edgerton. Director Clint Bentley uses Grainier’s story to show how the Pacific Northwest itself changed over time, as he travels, works, and builds a family with a woman named Gladys (Felicity Jones). Train Dreams isn’t something you can casually watch while scrolling through your phone. You need to dim the lights, put distractions away, and really immerse yourself to fully appreciate it.

9. Predator: Badlands

The latest Predator film feels like the franchise’s answer to Terminator 2 – though it doesn’t quite reach that same level of grandeur. This time, the Predator isn’t a mysterious, seemingly unbeatable enemy, but a surprisingly relatable hero. We follow a young, outcast Predator banished to a dangerous planet where he must prove himself by defeating a powerful creature (which shares some similarities with the T-1000).

Along the way, he teams up with several funny companions, including Elle Fanning as a relentlessly optimistic android. Despite this lighter tone, the movie still delivers the intense action and frightening thrills you expect from a Predator film. This is director Dan Trachtenberg’s strongest Predator movie yet, boasting impressive visuals, exciting action sequences, cool gadgets, and a thoughtful story about family and honor.

8. Weapons

If Zach Cregger asks you to come down to his basement, seriously, just leave! He clearly loves creating unsettling, dungeon-like environments, and his new movie, Weapons, is no exception. Beneath the quiet facade of a Pennsylvania town lies a truly creepy space, which becomes central to a baffling mystery: the disappearance of 17 children from the same classroom. The film follows several characters – including the teacher (Julia Garner), a father of one of the missing kids (Josh Brolin), and a troubled police officer (Alden Ehrenreich) – as they try to unravel what happened. Weapons jumps between different perspectives and manages to be both deeply disturbing and surprisingly funny – think Pulp Fiction, but with a scary, comedic twist.

7. Avatar: Fire and Ash

I consider Avatar: Fire and Ash the best of the three Avatar films. Several things contribute to this. The 3D and high-frame rate technology continues to get better, making the films visually stunning. But more importantly, Fire and Ash finally delivers on long-developing character stories that have been unfolding for almost twenty years – you can really feel the weight of time on the faces of characters like Jake Sully, Miles Quaritch, and Neytiri. Or maybe, as a father, I’m just easily moved by stories about dads trying to protect their kids in a difficult world. Whatever it is, I’m excited for Avatar 4 and ready to see what happens next.

6. The Naked Gun

Honestly, I was really needing a good laugh, and the new Naked Gun delivered! The 2025 film is a solid 85 minutes of pure, silly fun. It’s packed with visual gags, ridiculous puns, and the kind of goofy humor that just makes you smile. Plus, it cleverly pokes fun at pop culture. It’s honestly one of the best updates to a classic franchise I’ve seen in years. Liam Neeson steps into the role of Frank Drebin Jr., following in his father Leslie Nielsen’s hilarious footsteps. And let me tell you, he’s just as wonderfully clumsy! He plays a tough detective trying to solve a case involving a villainous businessman (Danny Huston is fantastic), all while having the most hilarious thoughts running through his head. There’s this one bit about Pamela Anderson’s character where he thinks she has a… well, let’s just say it’s a memorable line! It really proves that spoof comedies can still be funny, and honestly, that going to the movies can still be a blast.

5. Predators

As a documentary fan, I’ve noticed a trend lately: these docs pop up constantly, usually taking a popular thing from the past – a celebrity, a show, a trend – and trying to figure out why it was popular and what it really meant. Just in the last few months, I’ve seen them about Pee-wee Herman, Jerry Springer, and even MoviePass! They’re usually pretty good, but the new documentary Predators really stands out. It’s not just another retrospective; director David Osit has a deeply personal connection to the subject matter – the Dateline NBC segment “To Catch a Predator.”

That show felt like it was doing good, preventing harm to children, but Osit really digs into what happened when that serious work became entertainment. He doesn’t take a broad, sweeping look; instead, he focuses on the individuals involved – the people who acted as decoys, an expert who studied how the show worked, and even the YouTubers who’ve tried to recreate it online. What’s really striking is Osit’s approach. Unlike Chris Hansen’s confrontational style, Osit’s voice is quiet, thoughtful, and almost sad. You can tell how seriously he takes the topic, and how conflicted he is about the show, admitting he watched it a lot when it originally aired. It made me think of Roger Ebert’s idea that movies can build empathy, and honestly, with so little of that around these days, we really need films like Predators.

4. Marty Supreme

If you found the Safdie brothers’ Uncut Gems a bit too relaxed, Marty Supreme is the movie for you. This film tells the story of Marty Mauser (Timothée Chalamet), a supremely confident and talented table tennis player who’s also a bit of a hustler. Marty is convinced he’s destined for greatness, but his boastful personality constantly lands him in trouble. The movie feels like a never-ending chase – Marty’s always running to fix his mistakes, and if he stops, he’ll be caught. It’s a darkly funny, incredibly well-acted film – featuring a surprisingly diverse cast including Gwyneth Paltrow and Kevin O’Leary (Mr. Wonderful from Shark Tank) – and it’s packed with suspense. Marty Supreme is so good, you’ll find yourself hoping it becomes a huge box office hit.

3. No Other Choice

Park Chan-wook’s No Other Choice is a genuinely entertaining film – both hilarious and gripping. It feels like something Alfred Hitchcock would have loved, perhaps even more than Star Trek: Section 31. But it’s more than just fun; the movie is filled with clever visual jokes and repeated themes, particularly imagery of plants and trees, all connected to the story of a dedicated paper mill worker (played intensely by Lee Byung-hun) who loses his job and struggles to find new work. While the story is based on a Donald Westlake novel, the choice of the paper industry feels particularly relevant today. In an era of increasing automation, a paper worker perfectly embodies the struggle to survive as older technologies become outdated.

2. Sinners

Is Sinners the year’s best vampire film? Or is it a more profound exploration of America, music, cultural borrowing, and the stories we create around artistic genius? The answer is both – Ryan Coogler’s Sinners is also genuinely frightening, alluring, and surprisingly humorous. It’s an ambitious film, and it comes very close to being a masterpiece.

1. One Battle After Another

“One Battle After Another” stands out in today’s Hollywood, where movies based on existing properties dominate. It’s a remarkably ambitious and costly film – rumored to have cost over $150 million – with a clear vision from director Paul Thomas Anderson and thought-provoking political themes. The movie defies easy categorization, blending elements of a suspenseful thriller, a quirky adventure, and a socially conscious drama – the kind of films studios used to make regularly. At its heart, it’s a touching story about a father trying to shield his teenage daughter from his own errors and a world in turmoil. It’s funny, visually stunning, unusual, unsettling, and thrilling – essentially, a new masterpiece from Paul Thomas Anderson.

2025-12-09 19:01