Ask any Spider-Man fan, big or small, to repeat the most enduring message of the web-slinging Peter Parker, and youll likely get a faithful recitation of his Uncle Bens advice: “With great power comes great responsibility.” This concept goes hand-in-hand with something the heroic Peter says, with a heavy dose of irony, early in Sony Pictures Animations new Into the Spider-Verse: “Theres only one Spider-Man, and youre looking at him.”

Of course, as this new official photo—which pairs the films voice talent with their various on-screen avatars—demonstrates, hes wrong. Into the Spider-Verse is packed with a number of Spider-People who all share the heroic burden Uncle Ben was so concerned with. In that way, this latest on-screen iteration might be the most faithful adaptation of Stan Lees vision for the character, whom he co-created over half a century ago.

Into the Spider-Verse—which exists alongside Tom Hollands current live-action run as Peter Parker—introduces Shameik Moore as Miles Morales, a Brooklyn-dwelling, bi-racial version of your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. But thanks to a rip in the fabric of reality, hes not alone in facing down a packed roster of Spider villains, including Liev Schreibers Kingpin. Morales is also joined by Jake Johnsons battered Peter Parker, Hailee Steinfelds wry Spider-Gwen, John Mulaneys Looney Tunes-esque Spider-Ham, Nicolas Cages dour Spider-Man Noir, and Kimiko Glenns chipper Peni Parker, with her robotic sidekick “Sp//dr.”

At an early point on this heros journey, Morales listens in awe as Peter Parkers frequent on-screen love interest, Mary Jane Watson (Zoë Kravitz), offers a different take on Uncle Bens advice, one that underlines the shared responsibility of the multi-verse: “We are all Spider-Man, and we are all counting on you.” Later, the movie puts it even more succinctly: “Anyone can wear the mask.”

Audiences may be particularly receptive to this idea in an era where major movie studios are finding great success by finally pushing at the boundaries of what a superhero should look like, through films like Marvels Black Panther and Warner Bros. Wonder Woman. Marvel Comics writer Dan Slott—who has spent the last decade working on various Spider-Man titles, and first launched the concept of the Spider-Verse on the page in 2014—explained to Vanity Fair how Sonys new animated film delivers on the late Stan Lees favorite aspect of the character:

Stan always said that one of the things that was so alluring about Spider-Man for readers was the mask. Anyone could have gotten bitten by the spider, anyone could be under the mask. When you see that character running around you can associate with it. No matter who you are—race, color, creed, gender.

This notion has been bumping around the edges of the Spider-Man legacy for some time, on the pages of the comic book, in animated TV series, and even in a 2016 Campbells Soup commercial, which comes with a last-minute twist.

“Theres something universal about the second that mask goes down,” Slott explains. “Its great to see a Spider-Man movie—possibly one of the greatest movies ever—where you can be Spider-Man. Anyone can be Spider-Man.” Longtime Spider-Man producer Amy Pascal agrees: “Whats beautiful about these parallel universes is that you can tell stories of people with a different perspective.”

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse—which was already on track for a solid box-office showing—got a major boost as it beat out a pair of Disney contenders to claim the top animation prize from several critical awards bodies in the last week, including the New York Film Critics Circle, Los Angeles Film Critics Association, and the S.F. Film Critics Circle. The movie opens nationwide on December 14.

Get Vanity Fairs HWD NewsletterSign up for essential industry and award news from Hollywood.Joanna RobinsonJoanna Robinson is a Hollywood writer covering TV and film for VanityFair.com.