Gwendolyn Maxine "Gwen" Stacy, also known by her alias Spider-Woman, and colloquially as Spider-Gwen, is a character appearing in the Spider-Verse film franchise, based on the Marvel Comics Multiverse character of the same name by Jason Latour and Robbi Rodriguez, in-turn inspired by the original Gwen Stacy comic book character by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. In her origin story, Gwen gets her superhuman spider-powers and abilities after being bitten by a radioactive spider. These powers include superhuman strength, agility, reflexes, stamina, durability, coordination, and balance; clinging to surfaces and ceilings like a spider; and detecting danger with her precognition ability called "spider-sense", using wrist-mounted "web-shooter" devices to shoot artificial spider-webs of her own design, which she uses both for fighting and for web-swinging across New York City. Gwen initially used her powers recklessly, but after accidentally killing her best friend Peter after he was transformed into the Lizard, she began to use her powers more carefully, closing herself off from others in an attempt to avoid the same mistake. She thereafter learns to reconnect with others on meeting Miles Morales, Peni Parker, and alternate versions of Peter, later joining the Spider-Society.
Voiced by Hailee Steinfeld, the character first appears in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018). Steinfeld reprised her role in the sequel Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023), and is expected to reprise her role in the upcoming films Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse (2027) and Spider-Woman ().
The character has been received positively by audiences and critics alike, who consider her as helping transform the Gwen Stacy character into having a more prominent role in Spider-Man lore. Her expanded role in Across was particularly commended, with much discussion about her arc in the film being a queer coded allegory for the transgender experience. Those who asserted this interpretation praised Gwen as a positive media portrayal of a trans allegory, even if the character is not depicted as trans.
Appearances Into the Spider-Verse Gwen is introduced as a teenager in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, explaining that she has been Spider-Woman for two years. She also mentions that she failed to save her universe's Peter Parker, who was her best friend, blaming herself for his death. Due to feeling responsible for Peter's death, Gwen decided to cut herself off from others, in order to not hurt anyone further.
She explains that during battle with Doctor Octopus, she was pulled in another dimension. Her "spider-sense" led her to Brooklyn Visions Academy, where she would meet Miles, who is unaware of her identity as Spider-Woman. In an awkward exchange with him, she introduces herself under the alias "Gwanda". When first speaking to her, Miles is depicted as extremely anxious. Their meeting is awkward and Miles, not having a handle on his powers yet, gets his hand stuck in Gwen's hair, resulting in her distinctive undercut later in the film. At one point, Gwen webs up Miles and Peter B. Parker, taking the briefcase they had stolen from Alchemax.
Gwen, along with the other Spider-people (Peter, Spider-Ham, Spider-Man Noir, and Peni Parker), are seen returning to their respective dimensions. Right before the credits of Into the Spider-Verse, a flash featuring the color scheme of Gwen's dimension is seen, with her voice also heard calling to Miles.
Across the Spider-Verse
Set over a year after the events of Into the Spider-Verse, the sequel gives Gwen more screen time and adds more depth to her backstory. In Across the Spider-Verse, her connection with Miles begins to be explored, with producer Amy Pascal calling the film a "love story" about the two. While mutual romantic feelings between the two characters are explored, Gwen keeps Miles at a distance throughout the film, fearing that Gwen Stacy falling for Spider-Man can never end well.
The film's opening is centered on Gwen, with its narrative crosscut with visuals of her drumming intensely for her band, the Mary Janes. The narrative element of the opening focuses on her backstory and struggling relationship with her father, police captain George Stacy. It is revealed that Earth-65's Peter Parker turns into the Lizard after experimenting on himself. As the Lizard, Peter crashes a high school dance to attack his bullies. Gwen battles the Lizard as Spider-Woman, unaware that she's fighting Peter. During the battle, Peter is fatally wounded by debris and reverts to his human form before dying. Gwen is guilt-ridden upon realizing she inadvertently killed her best friend. Captain Stacy sees Spider-Woman at the scene and, thinking she is responsible for Peter's death, dedicates himself to arresting her.
Wrongly accused of murdering Peter, Gwen becomes a fugitive while continuing to fight villains as Spider-Woman; she is seen fighting an interdimensional Italian Renaissance-themed version of the Vulture. During the fight, she meets Miguel O'Hara (known as Spider-Man 2099) and another Spider-Woman, Jess Drew. The latter is based on the Jessica Drew from Spider-Woman comics lore; in Across the Spider-Verse, she serves as Gwen's mentor and urges to include her in the Spider-Society, despite Miguel's initial push back. At the end of their battle with the Vulture, Gwen is again confronted by her father and in this moment, reveals her identity to him. He remains committed to arresting Spider-Woman, completely destroying his relationship with her. Reluctantly, Miguel allows Gwen to join the Spider-Society and she departs alongside him and Jess.
Gwen later travels to Earth-1610, to reconnect with Miles, visiting him in his room and stumbling upon his sketchbook which includes various sketches of her. She also serves as a sort-of guide for Miles, discussing the wider Spider-Verse with him. Later, Gwen meets Miles' parents who get a sense of Miles' feelings for her.
The film also introduces Spider-Punk (Hobart "Hobie" Brown), based on the comics character of the same name, who she becomes "best buddies" with. Miles perceives Gwen as being "starry-eyed" for Hobie and is jealous of their close friendship; she joined his band, wears shoes he gifted her, and often leaves "a lot of stuff at his house". The relationship between Gwen and Hobie is somewhat ambiguous, potentially placing Hobie into a love triangle with Miles. Hobie is shown to be a member of the Spider-Society in part to support Gwen and later Miles.
The Spider-Society asserts theories involving "canon events" and anomalies to the canon, which Jess and Miguel share with Gwen, who had reluctantly accepted as facts when she joined. Miguel and the Spider-Society assert that Miles is the original anomaly and that his father, who will become a police captain as well, must die as a "canon event" that all Spider-heroes experience. Miles is hurt that Gwen did not reveal this information to him prior. Set on saving his father, Miles escapes from Miguel and the Spider-Society. Seeing Gwen as a liability, Miguel dismisses Gwen from the Spider-Society, with him and Jess aware that Gwen may be apprehended upon her return to her home universe.
Upon returning to her home dimension, she reconnects with her father, who tells her he has resigned from his position as captain and will no longer pursue her arrest. Due to his resignation not causing the collapse of her universe, Gwen appears to realize that Miles may have been correct that the canon can be broken. Upon returning to Miles' dimension, Gwen's spider–sense alerts her that Miles is trapped in another universe, hinting at their strong bond.Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse|Commentary Track After speaking with Miles' parents and promising them that she will bring their son home, Gwen assembles a new team consisting of Spider-Punk, Spider-Man India, Spider-Byte, Peter B. Parker, Peni Parker, Spider-Ham, and Spider-Man Noir to go help Miles.
Beyond the Spider-Verse In June 2023, Lord and Miller stated that Gwen would meet variants of herself in Beyond the Spider-Verse, calling one particular variant "plot-integral" to the film. In January 2024, Lord stated that the film would further explore the emotional connections of Miles' relationships with the other characters in the film, including Gwen, Peter B. Parker, and his parents. During Sony's CinemaCon panel in late March 2025, a preview of Beyond featured Gwen riding a motorcycle with Miles. Additionally, Sony released 5 images in early April 2025, one of them featuring Gwen talking to Miles in Hobie's dimension. In early April 2026, Sony showed footage at CinemaCon of Gwen crossing an interdimensional bridge.https://comicbook.com/movies/news/new-look-at-spider-man-beyond-the-spider-verse-finally-revealed/
Spider-Woman In November 2018, Sony began developing a spin-off film under the name Spider-Woman, focused on three generations of female, Spider-related characters. Gwen was expected to be one of these characters, though no final decision had been made. The project's female focus was attributed to the #MeToo movement and the successful DC Comics film Wonder Woman (2017), which already inspired other female superhero films. The next month, Pascal confirmed that Gwen would be featured in the film alongside Cindy Moon / Silk and Jessica Drew, and said that Across the Spider-Verse would serve as a "launching pad" for the film since it also includes Gwen. Pascal and producer Avi Arad reaffirmed that the film was in development in May 2023, when Arad said it would be made sooner than expected, to star Steinfeld as Gwen in the lead role.
In February 2026, Kristine Belson and Damien de Froberville reconfirmed that Spider-Woman was being developed alongside another spin-off starring Spider-Punk. It was reportedly referred to as Spider-Gwen and predicted to be released after Beyond the Spider-Verse.
Development Background
Gwen is based on the character of the same name who debuted in 2014, in the second issue of the Edge of Spider-Verse comic title. Each issue of the title had a different creative team, with Gwen's issue being helmed by Jason Latour and Robbi Rodriguez. Part of the larger "Spider-Verse" storyline, the issue portrayed an alternate universe version of Gwen Stacy, who was killed in Marvel Comics' main universe continuity, known as Earth-616. The alternate universe in which Gwen becomes Spider-Woman is designated as Earth-65. Readers of the character's comics commonly refer to her as Spider-Gwen, though the character is officially known as Ghost-Spider.
Instead of an origin story, Latour and Rodriguez opted to explore the character's history in a two-page "Previously" spread. In it, Gwen was established as a teen drummer who was bitten by a radioactive spider, before taking on the Spider-Woman persona to indulge in an adrenaline buzz. Peter Parker, meanwhile, is Gwen's best friend in this continuity. She defends Peter from bullies, but he creates a serum that transforms him into the Lizard, wishing to be "special" like her. Not realizing Peter is the Lizard, she accidentally kills him in battle.
As the "Spider-Verse" storyline proved popular, demand for a title centered on Earth-65's Gwen Stacy was high, leading to the Spider-Gwen ongoing comic book series beginning in February 2015, and concluding in July 2018 (since followed by a succession of stand-alone limited-run miniseries).
Adaptation