Marvel Animation is set to launch three new series on Disney+ in 2025. ‘Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’ will premiere on Wednesday, January 29, followed by ‘Eyes of Wakanda’ on Wednesday, August 6, and ‘Marvel Zombies’ on Friday, October 3.
From head writer Jeff Trammell, ‘Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’ follows Peter Parker (voiced by Hudson Thames) on his journey to becoming a hero. In a tone that celebrates the character’s comic book roots, it’s a story audiences have never seen before.
A lifelong comic book fan who grew up watching ‘Spider-Man’ (1994–98), Trammell is eager to tell a new tale set outside the MCU.
“We have the privilege of following the movies and shows, so we pay homage to them as well as the comics,” he recently said. “We build on things we’ve seen before but present them in new ways. We use those expectations to our advantage and turn things away from where you might expect. I’m excited for people to see new twists on classic characters, and I’m also excited to introduce characters that aren’t normally featured in Spider-Man stories.”
One of the notable developments in the series will center around Norman Osborn (voiced by Oscar nominee Colman Domingo), a ruthless self-made industrialist who plays a pivotal role in Peter’s evolution.
Initial reactions to the first trailer for ‘Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’ have been mixed, with many fans criticizing the show’s seemingly low-budget animation style.
Some modern ‘Spider-Man’ adaptations have faced similar critiques, and the series is no exception. The most apparent issue is the animation, which many feel lacks originality and fails to stand out.
The show also incorporates a tone filled with jokes and elements seemingly designed to appeal to children. However, efforts to cater to a younger audience have been criticized as misguided. The use of slang, live streaming, and a hip-hop remix of the classic ‘Spider-Man’ TV theme makes the series feel conceptually unoriginal.
Critics have also pointed out issues with the youthful depiction of ‘Spider-Man,’ a rebooted approach that some argue leads to uninspired storytelling. Elements such as overuse of slang, cute awkwardness, and attempts to gain success and popularity through broadcasting are considered repetitive and unengaging.
Rounding out the voice cast of ‘Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’ are Eugene Byrd, Grace Song, Zeno Robinson, Hugh Dancy, and Charlie Cox (reprising his role as ‘Daredevil’).
