A line of dialogue by Andy Samberg’s Ben Reilly/Scarlet Spider was removed and replaced in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.
Samberg’s brief appearance in Spider-Verse 2 as the Scarlet Spider left a lasting impact on fans. So much so that Sony Pictures celebrated the character on social media, comparing him to Ryan Gosling’s Ken from Barbie.
Ben Reilly is not the first character to have lines of dialogue altered for the home release of the film. Hailee Steinfeld’s Gwen Stacy had an emotional line removed and a powerful Miles Morales speech was cut short.
Ben Reilly’s Funny Spider-Verse 2 Line Altered
Eagle-eyed fans have noticed an altered piece of dialogue from Andy Samberg’s Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse character.
During the Spider Society chase scene in Spider-Verse 2, Andy Samberg’s Ben Reilly gets Miles Morales in a momentary headlock. In the original version of the film, the Scarlet Spider said, “This is called the sleeper hold, I’m using my bicep to constrict you…”
In the digital version of the film, this line has been removed by Sony Pictures Animation and changed to, “I’ve got you trapped in my well-defined musculature, so don’t even…”
This alternative line was also heard in different versions of the film that played in theaters in the weeks after its initial premiere
Both lines essentially relay the same message from Reilly, even to the point of the aggressor getting cut off for comedic effect.
Now the question becomes, how many lines did Samberg read or adlib for this quick moment?
Another Day, Another Spider-Verse 2 Change
Fans discovering different Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse alterations has become a bit of a trend. There was even a small adjustment made to Oscar Isaac’s opening as Miguel O’Hara.
In one version, Greta Lee’s LYLA simply gestured toward Spider-Man 2099 while in the alternate scene, she captures a selfie of both of them with bunny ears.
While many of these modifications are minor, the decision to eliminate dialogue, such as in the case of Ben Reilly’s joke being changed is unexpected. Of course, when characters are all wearing masks and it’s an animated film, this is pretty easy to try and do without anyone noticing.
Hopefully, whenever Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse releases in theaters it will be the one and only version of the film.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is now available to purchase online.
