WATCH: New ‘Spider-Verse’ short with mental health-focused lesson plan
Image: Screencap/Spider-Verse
Spiderman fans, this is not a drill!
In a move that’s surely not an April Fool’s joke, Sony Animation just dropped a brand new Spider-Verse short on YouTube, and it’s now available for free.
Partnering with the Kevin Love Fund, Sony Pictures Animation and Imageworks have digitally released the animated short as part of a mental health-focused lesson plan titled “The Hero Within.”
“We are proud to officially debut #TheSpiderWithin: A Spider-Verse Story, in partnership with the #KevinLoveFund and the education initiative, #TheHeroWithin,” the team wrote in the description box. “Because everyone is going through something, even superheroes like Miles.”
According to the summary written on YouTube, the short, set in the world of “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” follows Miles Morales/Spider-Man as he grapples with the challenges of being a teenager, friend, student and superhero.
Miles confronts a panic attack, forcing him to face the manifestations of his anxiety and learn the importance of reaching out for help.
The lesson plan accompanying the short aims to engage students in exploring mental health awareness through an interactive curriculum, which includes a creative storyboard activity.
As told by Variety, Jarelle Dampier, director of “The Spider Within,” expressed his hopes for the project, stating, “Miles represents so many of us doing the best we can in our day-to-day lives. We don’t often realize all that we’ve been through until our own body forces us to become aware of its experience.”
He further shared that he hopes to motivate deeper conversations among friends and family about mental health journeys through “The Spider Within.”
“And I hope it feels like a love letter to those who adore Miles Morales,” he further added.
This initiative not only brings joy to Spiderman fans but also sheds light on the importance of mental health awareness in today’s society.
The free lesson plan that accompanies “The Spider Within” film can be accessed here.
