It's wild to think about the fact that the Marvel Cinematic Universe existed for almost a whole decade before Spider-Man joined it. The webslinger was leading his own franchise(s) for Sony Pictures at the time, so it just wasn't possible. That is until the studio was a bit worried by the underperformance of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and decided to make the call to Marvel Studios.
History was made in 2016's Captain America: Civil War when Tom Holland debuted as a brand new Spider-Man, bringing the wall-crawler to the MCU for the first time ever. He didn't have too much screen-time in the guest appearance, but he did shine extremely brightly, making a huge impression with audiences and setting the stage for Peter Parker's major role in the franchise going forward.
Jon Watts was tasked with bringing him to the big screen for his own standalone adventure, and Spider-Man: Homecoming proved to be a huge success, launching a new trilogy of Spidey movies in the years that came after that (with Holland also appearing in two Avengers movies). Each one got bigger, as both 2019's Spider-Man: Far From Home and 2021's Spider-Man: No Way Home received praise from fans and critics. And now, there is a new trilogy on the way!
But which of the three Tom Holland Spider-Man movies stands out as the best of them all? Let's find out!
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Honorable mentions: Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame
Before we dive into the three standalone Spider-Man movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, we have to acknowledge the three other movies that he appeared in throughout the franchise (thus far). His screen-time in two of those movies may have been limited, but his role was pivotal to both of them. And the other one featured him as one of the multiple leads, so we can't just overlook that one either.
Tom Holland made his debut in the MCU in Captain America: Civil War, snatching Captain America's shield from his hand and aiding Team Iron Man in the now-iconic battle scene. It was a quick debut, but one that showcased how lovable and endearing the young Peter Parker was, setting the stage for his solo movie to perfection. The fact that he managed to stand out among so many MCU veterans in his first appearance said all you needed to know about him.
That served him well when he rejoined his fellow heroes in Avengers: Infinity War, attempting to help Iron Man, Doctor Strange, and the Guardians of the Galaxy stop Thanos from retrieving the Time Stone. It was his biggest role in an ensemble movie yet and he proved himself once again, being involved in many of the film's most memorable moments (including that heartbreaking scene with Tony Stark after the Blip begins).
And who could forget that awe-inspiring moment when he swings into view in Avengers: Endgame, joining The Avengers to stop Thanos once and for all? Or what about the tearful moments with Tony? Or the reunion with Ned?
Spider-Man may have been an unexpectedly late arrival to the MCU's Infinity Saga, but he has quickly become one of the most pivotal parts of it. With that in mind, let's take a look at how well he has done on his own by looking at his solo movies.
3. Spider-Man: Homecoming
Released in 2017, Spider-Man: Homecoming brought Tom Holland's webslinger to the silver screen in a starring role for the very first time. We had met Peter Parker ever so briefly in Captain America: Civil War and now was the moment to get to learn more about who the MCU's version of the character truly was.
Homecoming accomplished that and so much more, earning itself positive reviews and setting the stage for Spidey's incredible journey through the franchise. But there were some valid criticisms from fans that prevented the movie from living up to its full potential; among them being Peter's need to be an Avenger resulting in elements of the wider MCU overtaking the plot, and the film's reliance on technology suggesting that Spider-Man was going to become Iron Man Jr. That was the intention so that it could facilitate Peter's choice to be a Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man in the final act, but it also robbed the film of that traditional Spider-Man feel.
The love story with Liz was underdeveloped, but it succeeded in building up to one of the best MCU twists (when it was revealed that her father was The Vulture). Speaking of the Vulture, Michael Keaton delivered a great performance as the character, who is well-storylined and well above the one-dimensional villains a lot of the earlier MCU movies had produced.
What Spider-Man: Homecoming does really well is showcase Peter's life as a struggling high school student. In many ways, it feels like a John Hughes movie, and from that perspective it succeeds on all fronts, capturing the charm of those movies to perfection. Though not a perfect Spider-Man movie, it is a successful, endearing, and extremely enjoyable film that wears its charm well.
2. Spider-Man: Far From Home
Spider-Man: Far From Home was released shortly after Avengers: Endgame made waves across the world, wrapping up the MCU's overarching Infinity Stones storyline. For that reason, you might be forgiven if you didn't know that Spidey's sophomore adventure is actually the final movie in the Infinity Saga; not Endgame.
But there is a reason for that, as Far From Home is all about legacy. With Tony Stark gone, Peter feels the weight of the responsibility of living up to his mentor's legacy. He inadvertently looks for a new mentor in the wrong places and has to overcome a threat by looking in the right place; within himself. And that provides us with the moment in which Peter Parker becomes the Spider-Man we all know and love.
We don't talk enough about how good Spider-Man: Far From Home is. Peter's character arc is among the most compelling in the MCU and Tom Holland delivers one of his finest performances, carrying a very ambitious movie over the finish line. It's powerful stuff; and equally powerful is his chemistry with Zendaya, as the Peter and MJ relationship finally begins to take center stage.
Jake Gyllenhaal provides us with a strong, complex villain in Mysterio who serves as a fitting foe for Spider-Man given everything he is feeling in that moment. That final showdown in London is also incredibly impressive and very entertaining.
Spider-Man: Far From Home is one of the franchise's most earnest movies. Like its predecessor, it's charming, full of joy, and moving at the same time. It's also very funny, with some of the wittiest lines of dialogue and most enjoyable sequences the franchise has given us in recent years. And given how all of us viewers were still feeling the emotional impact of Avengers: Endgame, this light-hearted, silly, and hopeful movie was the perfect epilogue for one of cinema's greatest stories.
1. Spider-Man: No Way Home
We all saw the rumors leading up to Spider-Man: No Way Home. We all read the reports and saw those leaked photos. For some, it might have ruined the movie, for others it only increased the hype. But that too ran the risk of ruining the movie, because could any movie live up to those unbelievably high expectations?
The answer: Yes. Spider-Man: No Way Home has become the defining movie in Marvel's Multiverse Saga - and for good reason, for it made the impossible happen. I will never forget the roars of applause from fans whenever the other Spider-Man pulled off his mask to reveal Andrew Garfield's Peter Parker. The same goes for when Ned opened the portal and Tobey Maguire's Peter Parker walked through. They were moments in time that were only made possible by the Multiverse Saga.
But as epic as it was seeing all three Spideys on-screen together, the film also told a personal story for Peter, as he attempted to make up for the mistakes of his past by standing in the present and fighting the consequences that came from them. The stakes in the trilogy had never been greater, and it was epic to see him square off against classic Spider-Man movie villains such as Willem Dafoe's Green Goblin and Alfred Molina's Doctor Octopus.
From the awe-inspiring sight of Holland, Maguire, and Garfield sharing the screen to the emotional power of that final act when Peter and Doctor Strange agree to that game-changing spell, Spider-Man: No Way Home is a rollercoaster ride that holds up very well on rewatch. The nostalgia is a big part of its success, but it's far from it's only one, with the movie holding its own three years on as one of the MCU's very best.