Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse age rating: Is the movie appropriate for kids?

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse blew audiences away with its fantastic art style and creative take on the superhero genre, which raised the stakes for its 2023 sequel, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. The film, which follows Gwen Stacy and Miles Morales as they try to grapple with family struggles and a lack of belonging, has been eagerly awaited for five years, with many fans seeing the Spider-Verse films as preferable to recent MCU installments.

However, many parents have questioned if the film will be appropriate for the whole family. Though Into the Spider-Verse was rated PG, it included two significant death scenes that might be a little much for younger audiences.

Critical and popular reviews have been incredibly positive so far for Across the Spider-Verse, but just because the film is high quality doesn’t mean that it is suitable for all audiences. Those who want to consider the film’s content before letting their children see it can look below for a mostly spoiler-free explanation of the adult themes present in the movie.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse age rating

The MPAA gave Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse a PG rating, which marks it as suitable for most ages, though parental guidance is advised. For this movie in particular, parents are advised to be aware of “frenetic sequences of animated action violence, some language and thematic elements.”

As might be expected for a superhero movie, there are multiple fight scenes throughout Across the Spider-Verse, with the violence clear for audiences to see. While there isn’t much gore involved, the fights all have serious consequences, including bodily harm to the main characters.

As a general guideline, children 10 and up should be mature enough to handle the film, though parents may want to have conversations with their children before or after the viewing to help them understand the adult subjects.

Is the movie suitable for kids?

While a rating is a helpful piece of guidance, it’s always best for parents to know more about the content of a film before they make their decisions regarding its appropriateness for their children. While every parent will have their own concerns, the general consensus seems to be that Across the Spider-Verse is appropriate for pre-teens or mature adolescents, though they will likely not gain as much from the story as their older counterparts.

Beginning with the film’s most positive elements, Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse is primarily a narrative about love and acceptance, with the main characters struggling to find the support they need most. In addition to the storyline itself, this moral can be seen through the racial diversity among the film’s protagonists and the trans-positive messages within the art.

However, the film is primarily focused on coping with death, both in the past and the future. While this could provide a good outlet to have a discussion with children about this part of life, it may also be a difficult topic for younger viewers whose parents aren’t personally interested in the film.

What elements should parents consider before taking their children to see it?

The following are the primary elements that parents should be aware will be in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse:

• On-screen violence and character death
• Guns and other weaponry
• Family conflict and betrayal
• Characters held captive
• Themes involving the necessity of death
• Questions of free will and acceptable casualties
• Minor language use. No major swearing.
• Flashing and overstimulating visuals

While Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse may have all the signs of being a family-friendly film, parents would be wise to consider whether it will be a good choice for their younger children. Despite all the fun and games, Across the Spider-Verse is ultimately a story about free will versus predestination, with plenty of suggested violence worked in.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is now playing in theaters.