Editor’s note: Today’s article comes from Rawleigh Smith, Sales Lead, Google Maps Platform and Emily Gao, Product Marketing Manager, Google Maps. They share how Sony Pictures developed the experience behind the Spidey Tracker for the upcoming film Spider-ManTM: Brand New Day.
On July 31, our friendly neighborhood web-slinger swings back into theaters with Sony Pictures’ highly anticipated Spider-ManTM: Brand New Day. To celebrate this monumental release, Sony Pictures has collaborated with Samsung and Google Maps to bring the magic of the movie directly to fans around the world. SpideyTracker.com is inspired by an in-world app created by Ned Leeds (Jacob Batalon) in the film. In the movie, Ned uses his Samsung mobile phone to track Spider-Man’s whereabouts, and now, Sony Pictures has turned that idea into a real, online experience.
The Spidey Tracker website includes Spider-Man sightings, campaign events, easter eggs, fan user generated content, and exclusive content from the movie. Using Spidey Tracker, fans can embark on a visual experience across the globe using a customized map, developed using Google Maps Platform, to view Spider-Man related events.
The Spidey Tracker experience developed with Google Maps Platform
Spidey Tracker, a custom-built experience spanning 35 countries, is an immersive map that transports fans straight into Peter Parker's world. Building a high-traffic promotional site required scalability, speed, and the seamless integration of rich information about places. To bring this vision to life, developers relied heavily on the robust capabilities of Google Maps Platform APIs. The foundation of the site is built on the Maps JavaScript API, which provides the highly customized, interactive base map of the world. Cloud-based Maps Styling gives the map its signature look, while Advanced Markers bring each sighting to life with custom pin designs. At select sighting locations, fans can step directly into the scene through Street View, and built-in geolocation lets users orient themselves on the map in real time. Beyond the map itself, the experience includes a live X feed surfacing the latest posts from @SpideyTracker, and a custom events panel keeping audiences up to date on Spider-Man activations around the world. The experience, powered by Samsung, is further enriched with an Exclusives section offering fans downloadable wallpapers, stickers, and emoji packs — for their Galaxy devices with branded content they can take beyond the screen.
Spidey Tracker gives fans a way to explore the map to experience events, sightings, and more.
A scavenger hunt in Street View on Google Maps
To celebrate the upcoming film, we’ve also hidden five iconic surprises in Street View across New York City, where custom Spider-Man moments were staged and captured as the Street View car happened upon Spider-Man in action. From perched rooftop lookouts and web-slinging ("thwipping") in action, to the aftermath of a street-level encounter, each scene is seamlessly embedded into Google Maps. And the best part? Fans can discover them for themselves. By using the immersive power of Street View in Google Maps to virtually explore NYC, fans can uncover hidden Spidey surprises across the city.
Keep a close eye on the official Google Maps social channels for clues. It’s a fun opportunity to experience your favorite city in a whole new way.
Ready to swing into action?
Counting down to the July 31 movie release, developers and fans alike can step into the action. By integrating with Google Maps and Google Maps Platform, Sony Pictures has created truly immersive experiences that showcase the incredible power of storytelling with maps. Happy hunting!
