There’s a new animated short in the Into the Spider-Verse universe that is aimed to address mental health. The short is titled “The Spider Within: A Spider-Verse Story” and was created in partnership with the Kevin Love Fund as part of the organization’s mental health-centered lesson plan.
In the short, as reported by Variety, Miles Morales “struggles to balance his responsibilities as a teenager, friend, student and Spider-Man. In navigating those pressures, Miles experiences a panic attack that forces him to confront the manifestations of his anxiety and learn that reaching out for help can be just as brave an act as protecting his city from evil.”
“Miles represents so many of us doing the best we can in our day-to-day lives,” Jarelle Dampier, director of “The Spider Within,” said in a statement. “We don’t often realize all that we’ve been through until our own body forces us to become aware of its experience. My intention is that ‘The Spider Within’ can motivate deeper conversations amongst friends & family about their own mental health journeys—and I hope it feels like a love letter to those who adore Miles Morales.”
KLF founder, professional basketball player and mental health advocate Kevin Love said in the same statement, “My hope for the short film would be for everyone, especially young people, to understand that your feelings are valid and that you are not alone in this.”
He added, “You see it with Spider-Man in the short film, where Miles has a trusted confidante. He is able to take a walk with his dad and express what he’s going through. We can all learn from that – how important it is to reach out to someone, express your true emotions, speak your truth and not hold everything inside.”
“The Spider Within: A Spider-Verse Story” was written by Khaila Amazan and will become available on Sony Pictures Animation’s YouTube channel starting at 6:00 a.m. PT on March 27.
