Image: Sony
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse swings into theaters today, and fans may notice that Miles Morales and his mother often seamlessly switch talking in Spanish and English. When either of them speaks in Spanish, there also aren’t any subtitles.
According to writer Phil Lord, this was a very intentional decision, meant to show how much the duel languages are part of Miles’ life. Even without subtitles, non-Spanish speakers can easily understand the meaning of all the phrases.
Lord grew up in a bilingual home and explained the decision. “I certainly understand what it’s like to feel like you’re half one thing and half something else. It was important for us to hear Spanish and not necessarily have it subtitled. It’s just part of the fabric of Miles’ community and family life.”
Family and community, and discovering what they mean, are themes that certainly echo throughout the movie. Small details like this give Miles an incredibly strong character and identity, and they’re what make this Spidey movie a great one.
