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.

[11] 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.

[16] Here, she hints at her own romantic feelings for Miles but ultimately avoids confessing due to her fear of ending up like the other Gwens who fell in love with Spider-Man.

[15] 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.

[27][30] 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).

[32] At CinemaCon in April 2015, Sony Pictures chair Tom Rothman announced the animated film's release date as being set for July 20, 2018.

[33] Before Gwen's appearance in the Spider-Verse films, the character was adapted in the animated television series Ultimate Spider-Man, making her screen debut in 2016.

Though not being given a full script during the sequel's production, Steinfeld shared she recorded voice lines for it over a period of four years beginning shortly after Into's release.

[44] Being able to record with Whigham, Moore, and Issa Rae (voice of Jess Drew), Steinfeld commented "There's nothing like that real-time banter and human interaction, and bless our sound department, but a little overlap never hurt anybody too bad.

[44] Lord and Miller also noted the process Steinfeld employed during production, stating she would offer detailed lists of edits and improvements she could make to line recordings.

[27] Production designer on Into and director on Across Justin K. Thompson was "adamant that Gwen had to reflect the Robbi Rodriguez art style from the comic", stating that he wanted her to be "the most capable of all the Spider-People", adding that "there's a power and sophistication and poise in her".

"[47] In Into the Spider-Verse, she is depicted with a slim build, blue eyes, a piercing near her eyebrow, and short blonde hair, "chopped to the side after Miles accidentally got his hand stuck on it because he could not control his powers".

[48] Having a distinct color palette from established Spider-Man schemes,[49] the black, white, purple, and neon blue costume she wears originates from her comics design, created by Latour, Rodriguez, and colorist Rico Renzi.

[50] Kim also stated that a sculpt was done based on sketches by Andrea Blasich, with visual development artist Omar Smith creating the final design.

Her pointe shoes differ from the Chucks she sports in comic appearances, with Latour expressing that the change helps display grace and control in her movements when compared to the film's other heroes.

[51] In Across the Spider-Verse, she is depicted with added pink hair highlights, confirmed by Across the Spider-Verse production designer Patrick O'Keefe in January 2024 to have been adapted from Gwen Poole (as illustrated by Gurihiru for The Unbelievable Gwenpool: Beyond the Fourth Wall) by artist Peter Chan, with the design of Gwen's bedroom taking influence from the color palette of Poole's hospital gown.

[10] Her arc in the sequel is seen by its filmmakers as mirroring that of Miles', with director Joaquim Dos Santos stating, "[Gwen] already was a character that played everything really, really close to her chest.

The shots of her leading a team of Spider-People "are accompanied by a classically heroic score, which, while enthusiastic, is nowhere near as loud or aggressive as the opening drum playing".

Mysogland added that the scene's calmer editing and direction when compared to the opening help to convey that Gwen has at least partially overcome emotional challenges to end the film with a "clear, positive path forward".

Hansford added that the scene was seen by many as a metaphor for coming out; she wrote that in her world, Gwen's Spider-Woman persona is judged, misunderstood, and despised, causing her to hide her true identity from society.

[61] CNN's Leah Asmelash cited comics writer Zoe Tunnell as stating the hinting of Gwen as trans in the film was "as subtle as a brick".

Tunnell added that the filmmakers showcased Gwen's story arc "in a way that was clearly intended to resonate and support with many of our lives, both thematically and symbolically" through the usage of the trans pride flag's color palette.

[58] Isaiah Colbert of Kotaku wrote that "some Spider-Verse viewers feel that her character arc, which includes a painful coming-out of sorts to her father, functions as a trans allegory.

[59] Gavia Baker-Whitelaw, writing for The Daily Dot, called "the subtext behind Gwen's arc [...] glaringly obvious", opining that "it's both unfair and wrongheaded to dismiss a trans-coded interpretation just because it's based on things like color palette and metaphor.

[2] Taylor added that Gwen's characterization in the film "resists" a marginalization of superheroines, writing that "although her role is largely a supporting one in a male character's narrative she refuses to play the part of love interest, deflecting Morales' romantic advances".

[45] Fesmire added that "Gwen was already a strong character in Into the Spider-Verse," calling her "effortlessly cool and competent, serving as a foil for the less confident Miles," while providing praise for Steinfeld's performance.

[15] Daniel Chin of The Ringer provided praise for a scene featuring Gwen and Miles in Across the Spider-Verse, writing that them "spending time atop the Williamsburgh Savings Bank Tower, gazing on an inverted New York City skyline as they hang upside down together, make some of the most lasting impressions [in the film]".

The unqualified empathy between the two leading characters in spite of their disparate origins – they're literally from different dimensions – embodies one of the key themes of the Spider-Verse concept".

Baker-Whitelaw wrote that "as more viewers began to discuss this interpretation on social media, it provoked a variety of reactions—both with predictable transphobic backlash and in a more complicated debate about whether queer/trans subtext is a cop-out compared to 'real' representation".

[58] Additionally, several theaters in Muslim-majority countries in the Middle East abruptly pulled their scheduled screenings of the film, set for release in the region on June 22, 2023.