Japanese Spider-Man seems headed for Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse sequel
Producer Phil Lord tells a fan that the Japanese version of the web-slinger has already been designed.
We know that 2018's glorious Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is getting a sequel in 2022, and it seems the Japanese version of the wall crawler will join its cast of Spider-people. Producer Phil Lord hinted that the character will appear in the movie in a Twitter response to a fan who requested a shot at designing him.
"He's designed!" Lord wrote.
He’s designed!
— Phil Lord (@philiplord) November 5, 2019
Japanese Spidey Takuya Yamashiro, who appeared in Toei's 1978 TV show, boasts the usual powers and wears a costume similar to that of Peter Parker. Unlike Peter, he's a motorcycle racer and pilots a giant robot called Leopardon to battle embiggened versions of the show's monsters -- an idea that'd later be recycled in Toei's Super Sentai, which became Power Rangers in the West.
His archnemesis is called Professor Monster, who sounds like Doctor Octopus turned up to 11 and without any moral ambiguity.
Takuya and his robot pal showed up in Marvel Comics' 2014 and 2018 stories Spider-Verse and Spider-Geddon.
Lord's tweet shouldn't be considered confirmation that the character will appear in the movie, since designs aren't always used. Sony Pictures didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
First published at 4:14 a.m. PT.
Updated at 4:36 a.m. PT: Adds more detail.
