Over the years, we’ve witnessed many iterations of Aunt May on the big screen. But who managed to be the best in such an iconic Spider-Man role?
Spider-Man can be a tragic hero most of the time. He sacrifices a lot when wearing the mask, and sometimes that involves losing the people closest to him. His relationship with Mary Jane has been tested and broken on many occasions. Additionally, Harry Osborn has turned from being his best friend to a formidable foe more than once. However, if there’s someone who Peter can always count on, it is Aunt May.
May Parker has been Peter’s only paternal figure ever since Uncle Ben passed away. Raising a teenager who seems distant for no apparent reason while having to pay the bills on her own is no easy feat. But that hasn’t stopped May from being Peter’s moral compass and guiding him toward the right path whenever he feels lost. Even when she has believed Spider-Man is a menace in the comics, her unconditional support for her nephew is undeniable.
Aunt May plays such an important role in the wall crawler’s life that every Spider-Man movie franchise has its own version of her character. No one else aside from the Green Goblin, Doctor Connors, and Peter Parker himself has been able to achieve that. Mary Jane was going to appear in Marc Webb’s Amazing Spider-Man franchise but the director ended up opting against it. Furthermore, Harry Osborn was nowhere to be found in both of the Spider-Verse movies released so far. Even Uncle Ben, who plays a key part in Spider-Man’s origin story, wasn’t present in the MCU’s take on Spider-Man. That just goes to show how iconic Aunt May is.
With four different takes on her character, it’s time we look back and determine what actress managed to own the role with ease and who fell short of expectations. So without further ado, let’s rank every interpretation of Aunt May on the big screen.