Spider-Man is one of the most beloved superheroes in fiction, with only Superman and Batman rivaling him for the top spot. It's no surprise, therefore, that he's appeared in many movies over the years.
It's fair to say that, along with Blade (1998) and X-Men (2000), Spider-Man (2002) provided the platform that helped to make the modern spate of superhero movies so incredibly successful.
In this piece, we'll take you through all the movies in which Spider-Man has appeared and those featuring the supporting characters that wouldn't exist without him. We'll list the films by release date and the chronological order in which you should watch them.
By Release Date
⦁ Spider-Man (2002)
⦁ Spider-Man 2 (2004)
⦁ Spider-Man 3 (2007)
⦁ The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)
⦁ The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)
⦁ Captain America: Civil War (2016)
⦁ Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
⦁ Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
⦁ Venom (2018)
⦁ Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
⦁ Avengers: Endgame (2019)
⦁ Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
⦁ Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021)
⦁ Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
⦁ Morbius (2022)
⦁ Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023)
In Chronological Order
1.(2002, directed by Sam Raimi)
Spider-Man stars Tobey Maguire, Willem Dafoe, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Cliff Robertson, J.K. Simmons, and Rosemary Harris. It's an origin story for the character, depicting the moment Peter Parker gets bitten by a radioactive spider and becomes a superhero. In this one, he fought against Dafoe's Green Goblin in 2002.
It's an excellent movie that reignited Spider-Man's mainstream popularity and paved the way for the superhero movie boom. It's fun, heartfelt, and action-packed. Maguire fit the role as beautifully as Christopher Reeve did when he first played Superman.
2. Spider-Man 2 (2004, directed by Sam Raimi)
In Spider-Man 2, Alfred Molina joins the returning cast from Spider-Man. This movie sees the Webbed Wonder as an established vigilante, coming to terms with the death of his Uncle Ben in the previous film and going up against Molina's Doctor Octopus in 2004.
Widely viewed as one of the best and most comic book-accurate superhero movies ever made, Spider-Man 2 also boasts one of the best villains in film history in Doc Oc. It has more emotional focus than the first movie but is still rich with action.
3. Spider-Man 3 (2007, directed by Sam Raimi)
Spider-Man is the final movie in Raimi's iconic trilogy and sees Thomas Haden Church, Topher Grace, Bryce Dallas Howard, and James Cromwell joining the ensemble cast. In this one, Spidey plans to propose to Mary Jane but also has to fend off three villains in the form of Grace's Venom, Church's Sandman, and James Franco's New Goblin a year after the previous movie in 2005.
It's the weakest movie of the three, but it's undoubtedly better than some people make out. Its main problems are that it has too many villains and subplots, but the action sequences are still great, and it still has plenty of trademark Spider-Man humor.
4. The Amazing Spider-Man (2012, directed by Marc Webb)
The Amazing Spider-Man is a reboot of the Spidey franchise starring Andrew Garfield alongside Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Denis Leary, Campbell Scott, Irrfan Khan, Martin Sheen, and Sally Field. It's another origin story for the eponymous hero, portraying how he got his powers and his subsequent first battle against a supervillain in the form of Ifans' Lizard in 2013.
It's excellent when looking at it compared to the standards set by other relaunched franchises (especially ones that came so soon after the previous franchise). It might not be as good as Raimi's first two movies, but it's a slick, stylish, entertaining, and emotional movie with a great cast.
5. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014, directed by Marc Webb)
The second and final movie in this series, The Amazing Spider-Man 2, saw the original cast return, joined by the likes of Jamie Foxx, Dane DeHaan, Paul Giamatti, and Colm Feore. In this one, Peter Parker investigates his parents' deaths while fighting Foxx's Electro and DeHaan's Green Goblin while protecting his girlfriend, Gwen Stacy, from Spider-Man's world.
The cast performs excellently in this, and the special effects, sound, and action are fantastic, but The Amazing Spider-Man 2 needs a more powerful story and has far too many characters. It's entertaining enough but genuinely hard to keep up with.
6. Captain America: Civil War (2016, directed by the Russo Brothers)
Captain America: Civil War marked the first appearance of Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It stars an ensemble led by Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr., alongside Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Don Cheadle, and Tom Holland as Spidey. Set in 2016, it sees the Avengers splitting into two factions and fighting over whether they should be subject to international oversight.
This one boasts a genuinely adult plot and some thought-provoking themes. It's much less cartoonish than most superhero offerings and benefits from that. The cast is all excellent, and the action set pieces are stunning. Spidey's appearance on Team Iron Man was a real highlight.
7. Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017, directed by Jon Watts)
Spider-Man: Homecoming is the second Spider-Man reboot and the first eponymous movie featuring Tom Holland's version of the character in the MCU. It stars Holland, Michael Keaton, Jon Favreau, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, and Marisa Tomei. Robert Downey Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow also appear, reprising their roles as Tony Stark and Pepper Potts, respectively. The plot sees Peter Parker trying to balance his school life with being Spider-Man, as Keaton's villainous Vulture emerged in 2016.
Holland and Keaton are particularly brilliant in this movie. Despite being the second reboot in five years, Spider-Man: Homecoming differentiates itself from previous franchises and feels fresh. This one bypasses the origin story and focuses more on Parker's high school life, which makes it interesting.
8. Venom (2018, directed by Ruben Fleischer)
Venom is the first movie in Sony's Spider-Man Universe, and it stars Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Riz Ahmed, Scott Haze, and Reid Scott. Set in 2018, it follows struggling journalist Eddie Brock, who gains superpowers after becoming the host of an extraterrestrial symbiote, Venom, whose species plans to invade Earth.
There's no Spider-Man in this one, but Venom is a Spidey villain, and the movie does end up being connected to the hero eventually (we'll get to that later). It could be a better film – it desperately needed the Webbed Wonder – as it's pretty unfocused and messy, but it's watchable thanks to Hardy's performance and some good action scenes.
9. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018, directed by Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman)
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is a computer-animated movie featuring the Miles Morales version of Spider-Man. Its impressive voice cast includes Shameik Moore, Jake Johnson, Hailee Steinfeld, Mahershala Ali, Brian Tyree Henry, Lily Tomlin, Nicolas Cage, and Liev Schreiber. Set in 2018, it sees Morales becoming the new Spider-Man and teaming with other Spider-People from across the multiverse to save his universe from Kingpin.
This movie is an astonishing achievement in animation, as it looks incredible. It has an almost dreamlike quality, and the brilliant story matches it. It's also expertly performed by its cast, with Moore in particular shining. It's only a matter of time before we see some characters from this movie mixing with those in the MCU due to the multiverse factor.
10. Avengers: Infinity War (2018, directed by the Russo Brothers)
Avengers: Infinity War is a blockbuster ensemble movie featuring the likes of Robert Downey Jr., Josh Brolin, Benedict Cumberbatch, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Elizabeth Olsen, Chris Pratt, and Tom Holland as Spider-Man. It's set in 2018 and chronicles the Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy attempting to stop Brolin's Thanos from collecting the six Infinity Stones and wiping out half of all life in the universe.
This ambitious movie is epic. It expertly juggles its large cast and provides thrills, suspense, and a genuine threat (rare in superhero movies), ending on a gutwrenching cliffhanger that hits viewers hard. The action and special effects are utterly superb.
11. Avengers: Endgame (2019, directed by the Russo Brothers)
The sequel to Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, primarily takes place five years after its predecessor in 2023. Most of the core cast returns, with the addition of the likes of Brie Larson, Paul Rudd, and Jeremy Renner. It sees the surviving members of the Avengers and their allies attempting to undo the actions of Thanos from the previous movie.
It's debatable as to whether it's better than Infinity War, but Endgame is epic regardless. It's entertaining from start to finish and incredibly impactful emotionally. The time heist aspect offered something never seen in a superhero movie, and the cast is terrific.
12. Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019, directed by Jon Watts)
Spider-Man: Far From Home is the second Spidey movie in the MCU, starring Tom Holland and the cast of Homecoming, alongside Samuel L. Jackson, Cobie Smulders, and Jake Gyllenhaal. It's set in 2024 and sees Spidey recruited by Jackson's Nick Fury and Gyllenhaal's Mysterio to fight elemental creatures, only to discover there's something else going on.
Far From Home is a teen romance, a road trip comedy, and a superhero movie expertly rolled into one, with a twist to rival some of cinema's finest. It's a stylish film with a refreshing setting, great action and visuals, and solid performances from the entire cast.
13. Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021, directed by Andy Serkis)
The sequel to Venom, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, is the second movie in Sony's Spider-Man Universe. It stars Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Naomie Harris, Reid Scott, Stephen Graham, and Woody Harrelson. At the very least, its mid-credits scene is set in 2024, as Eddie Brock and his symbiote get transported to the MCU, where they see J. Jonah Jameson revealing Spider-Man's identity, which occurred in Far From Home. In this one, Venom must fight Harrelson's Carnage.
It's a silly movie that heavily plays on the odd couple dynamic between Brock and the symbiote, which is rather sweet. Hardy gives it his all with a very physical performance, and Harrelson is an excellent addition. The film benefits a lot from its short running time.
14. Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021, directed by Jon Watts)
Spider-Man: No Way Home is the sequel to Far From Home and the most epic Spidey solo offering. Set in 2024, it stars Holland and the regular MCU Spider-Man cast, alongside Benedict Cumberbatch, Benedict Wong, Willem Dafoe, Jamie Foxx, Alfred Molina, Thomas Haden Church, Rhys Ifans, Tobey Maguire, and Andrew Garfield – some of whom reprise their roles from previous Spider-Man franchises. In the movie, Peter Parker asks Doctor Strange to make the world forget he's Spider-Man, which results in the multiverse breaking open.
Seeing the three live-action Spider-Men on screen together – and seeing the previous franchise's villains again – was epic. It made this movie worthwhile. That said, there's a lot more to it than that. It's bold, ambitious, action-packed, colorful, funny, and emotionally hard-hitting.
15. Morbius (2022, directed by Daniel Espinosa)
Morbius is the third movie in Sony's Spider-Man Universe. It stars Jared Leto, Matt Smith, Adria Arjona, Jared Harris, Al Madrigal, and Tyrese Gibson. It doesn't feature Spider-Man, but it does link to the MCU's Spider-Man, and Morbius is a Spidey villain in the comics. The plot sees Michael Morbius and his surrogate brother Milo becoming living vampires after curing themselves of a rare blood disease. It takes place at the same time as No Way Home in 2024, as the spell in the movie sees Michael Keaton's Adrian Toomes end up in this universe.
It's widely considered one of the worst superhero movies ever made, with some describing it as laughably bad. It has a lazy and poor script, looks ugly, fails when it tries to be funny, and feels soulless. However, what it gets right is the horror aspect, and some of the acting performances are decent.
16. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023, directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson)
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is an upcoming computer-animated movie and the sequel to Into the Spider-Verse. It features many of the same voices as its predecessor, with stars like Daniel Kaluuya and Oscar Isaac joining them. It will see Miles Morales venturing into the multiverse with a new team of Spider-People called the Spider-Force.
It's unknown what period it will occur in. Still, with rumors circulating that its characters may cross paths with those in the MCU, thanks to both franchises exploring the concept of the multiverse, there's a strong chance it will take place at the same point we're at in the MCU.
READ MORE FROM WEALTH OF GEEKS:
10 Movies That Were Huge Once but Have Been Forgotten by Most People
Some masterpieces get lost with the tides of time. But every true piece of art is timeless. It remains relevant decades later — movies like Titanic and The Sound of Music are huge testaments of this.
Though these timeless films may remain as significant as the years they were made, newer films are rolling out daily. New and more brilliant movies take the world by storm, each release inching away at older films people grew up watching. Here are 10 movie masterpieces that people have forgotten about.
10 Movies That Were Huge Once but Have Been Forgotten by Most People
12 Movies People Didn’t Expect to Like but Were Actually Really Good
Movies have the power to surprise us in unexpected ways. Sometimes, we go into a film with low expectations, only to thoroughly enjoy it.
In this article, we've compiled a list of 12 movies people didn't expect to like but were pleasantly surprised by. These movies range in genre, style, and era, but they all share one thing in common: they exceeded expectations.
12 Movies People Didn’t Expect to Like but Were Actually Really Good
15 Movies With Plot Twists You'll Want to Watch Immediately
Are you a fan of films that twist you, turn you, and blow you away with their insane plot twists? We got you covered. An online discussion asks, “I wanna watch a movie with a massive plot twist. Something that makes you go holy cow by the end.”
They continued, “I remember watching a movie with my ex. I don't know the title, but it was the biggest ‘holy [Sugar-Honey-Ice-Tea] what the fridge was that?' of my life. I needed a moment to process what even happened.” Here are the top film nominations for insane plot twists.
15 Movies With Plot Twists You'll Want to Watch Immediately
10 Movies That Were Masterpieces Right After You Watched It but Now They're Just Alright
Sometimes, movies are only great for one watch.
Here are 10 movies that used to be epic but are now just meh.
10 Movies That Were Masterpieces Right After You Watched It but Now They're Just Alright
10 Movies With the Worst/Dumbest Premises That Were Not Trying To Be Silly
If you watch movies, you've inevitably stumbled across a premise so bad it distracts from the film.
With a lousy script, not even talented actors can save the story. Here are 10 films the internet says tried to cement a serious story but fell flat due to a bad premise.
10 Movies With the Worst/Dumbest Premises That Were Not Trying To Be Silly
This article was produced and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.
