Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse took the franchise to a whole new level with notable Marvel Comics characters such as Spider-Punk / Hobart “Hobie” Brown making their movie debut. Nonetheless, this is not the first screen appearance of the character. Comic book enthusiasts were introduced to Spider-Punk in January 2015 with the release of Dan Slott’s The Amazing Spider-Man #10. The character made its first screen appearance in a cameo in the Ultimate Spider-Man animated television series episode “Return to the Spider-Verse: Part 4.”
In Ultimate Spider-Man, Spider-Punk (voiced by Drake Bell) is one of the many alternate-reality Spider-Men under the captivity of the villainous Wolf Spider and that mean5 less screen time. Spider-Punk gets more screen time in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse with a different and more interesting version of the character. Even more, the actor who voiced the role was given free rein to choose what the character should sound like, as well as apply his experience in improv to create a perfect punk. A star-studded ensemble cast and attention to detail crank up the power of storytelling and Across the Spider-Verse made the most of it.
Who Plays Spider-Punk in Across the Spider-Verse?
While Spider-Punk has had quite a journey in the Marvel Universe, his appearance in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is important to the on-screen future of the character. For what it’s worth, Spider-Punk is getting more media attention and for his film debut, the character needed an experienced actor with all the trappings of a superhero actor. Needless to say, the right actor was assigned the role, what with the rave reviews of his performance following the film’s June 2023 outing in cinemas.
Daniel Kaluuya is the voice behind Spider-Punk in Across the Spider-Verse. The multiple award-winning British actor who got his breakthrough in Jordan Peele‘s horror film Get Out is making his Spider-Verse debut with this role and has another offering in the works. He is set to reprise the role in Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse. Beyond giving his voice to Spider-Punk, the Camden-born star owned the role by sounding like his real self without watering it down. Daniel Kaluuya is no stranger to the superhero world as he made his Marvel debut in Black Panther (2018) as W’Kabi. He also has experience as a voice actor with roles in the 2020 film A Christmas Carol and Watership Down, a miniseries where he voiced Bluebell in 2018.
Who Is Hobie Brown in the Marvel Comics?
In a nutshell, Hobart “Hobie” Brown, also known as Spider-Punk, is the Spider-Man of Earth-138 but his story began as a homeless youth. Like the myriad of Spider-Men in the Spider-Verse, Brown declared himself a Spider-Man after a spider bit him and gave him superpowers. His powers are the same as other spider-people who shoot webs from their wrists. Additionally, Brown raised the bars a bit with his signature guitar which he doesn’t just play but uses as a weapon.
Created by Dan Slott and Olivier Coipel, Spider-Punk made his first appearance in “The Amazing Spider-Man #10” in January 2015. Hobart Brown debuted on-screen in an episode of Ultimate Spider-Man – “Return to the Spider-Verse: Part 4” with Drake Bell’s voice. In a more inclusive role, Daniel Kaluuya voiced Hobart Brown in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023).
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