10 ‘Spider-Man’ Movies, Ranked

Much like the first flick starring Andrew Garfield, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 delivers a fun-enough time, but the horrifying demise of Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone) plagues the movie’s good times, leaving viewers heartbroken when Peter isn’t able to save his love. Meanwhile, the villains, Electro (Jamie Foxx) and The Rhino (Paul Giamatti), leave a minimal impression, with Electro getting a better showcase in No Way Home almost 10 years later.

Arguably the worst of Tobey Maguire‘s three-film run as Peter Parker, Spider-Man 3 sees him facing two foes: the more sympathetic Sandman (Thomas Haden Church) and more malevolent Venom (Topher Grace). The introduction of Bryce Dallas Howard‘s Gwen Stacy feels rushed, and Peter’s apparent mood shifts when he’s touched by the Venom symbiote read as a bit silly, more so than dramatic. The face-off between Peter and his pal Harry (James Franco) is one of the film’s strongest and most heartbreaking elements.

Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) returns and reunites with various Spideys for a new animated adventure, but the story that begins to blur lines between dimensions leaves fans in the lurch, serving as Part 1 to the yet-to-be-released sequel Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, which is debuting in 2027. Waiting four years for the follow-up to Across the Spider-Verse unfortunately makes this a less satisfying entry into the franchise. Still, there were some solid introductions with characters like Miguel O’Hara (Oscar Isaac), Hobie Brown (Daniel Kaluuya), and more.

Tom Holland’s first film helmed as Spider-Man brings plenty of warm and fuzzy feelings as he embraces the true spirit of a young Peter Parker, but as fun as Homecoming is, the involvement of Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) took a little bit of the spotlight away from Spider-Man in his own movie. While the Washington Memorial and Staten Island Ferry make for fun backdrops of major action sequences, Michael Keaton as the main antagonist, The Vulture, felt a little underwhelming compared to other more memorable foes.

Another origin story flick, Andrew Garfield’s first outing as Peter Parker introduced audiences to a new onscreen version of the hero, who was just a little smoother and less nerdy than his predecessor. Sally Field and Martin Sheen as Peter’s Aunt May and Uncle Ben make for inspired and emotional casting, with Emma Stone shining as Gwen Stacy. Despite the charm of its performers and the classic elements at play, The Amazing Spider-Man‘s impact wasn’t the strongest, and Rhys Ifans as Dr. Connors, a.k.a. The Lizard, wasn’t among the best villain turns.

Fresh off the heels of Avengers: Endgame, this second installment of the MCU’s first trilogy with Tom Holland follows Peter’s vacation to Europe in the wake of losing his mentor, Tony Stark, a.k.a. Iron Man. Along with attempting to woo his crush MJ (Zendaya), while also answering to a needy Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), Peter must contend with Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal), a poser of a superpowered man, who is just a disgruntled former employee of Stark’s. It’s a fun flick with plenty of laughs and heart.

It’s tough to contend with a classic, and it doesn’t get more classic than Sam Raimi‘s first film, launching Tobey Maguire as the face of live-action Peter Parker / Spider-Man. The campiness of Raimi’s style lends itself well to the comic book format, delivering plenty of frames that look exactly like comic book cells. Adding to the allure of it all is the compelling performance by Willem Dafoe as the Green Goblin, a.k.a. Norman Osborn, father to his best friend, Harry. Meanwhile, Kirsten Dunst makes for a memorable Mary Jane in this standout origin story entry.

The first big-screen foray into a multiverse story for Spider-Man, Into the Spider-Verse introduced general audiences to Miles Morales, who quickly won us over as a New York City kid who found himself torn between doing the right thing and protecting his family, including his uncle Aaron (Mahershala Ali), who turns out to work as the Prowler on behalf of big bad, Kingpin (Liev Schreiber). Teaming up with fellow spideys, like Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld) and Peter B. Parker (Jake Johnson), Miles manages to send everyone back to their proper universes and learns some big life lessons along the way, solidifying this film’s spot at number three.

What’s better than one Spider-Man? How about all three live-action Peter Parkers! Whether it was the timing of Spider-Man: No Way Home‘s arrival (amid the COVID-19 pandemic) or the pure power of nostalgia, there’s no denying that this flick was the biggest event to hit the franchise. When Holland’s Peter accidentally opens a rift in the spacetime continuum with Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), various villains from other universes begin invading their own, as do two other Peters. The metaphorical high of seeing Holland alongside Garfield and Maguire is hard to compare to other superhero films, making it a top-ranked title among this list.

When it comes to comic book movies, it’s difficult to compete with Sam Raimi‘s second entry in his trilogy starring Tobey Maguire. As Peter Parker attempts to adjust to his role as a hero, he’s also contending with the trials and tribulations most young people face, including school, jobs, and romance. While the Green Goblin remains an underlying element, it’s the introduction of Alfred Molina as Dr. Otto Octavius that really brings the film to another level — from his quest for “precious Tritium” to donning practical robot tentacles — and he makes a worthy opponent for the underdog hero. And Spider-Man’s battle with Doc Ock on top of a moving subway remains iconic more than twenty years later.