He does whatever a Spider can and he does it extremely well. The webslinger known as Spider-Man has been a staple of Marvel Comics since 1960, thrilling readers all over the world with his exceptional talents, outlandish adventures, and genuinely lovable personality. Peter Parker is a legend among legends and that enduring appeal has seen him transcend his genre to become one of the most prominent movie characters of all time, too.
There have been many Spider-Man movies through the years, with multiple actors to play the wall-crawler to go along with them. For years, he existed as a cinematic titan all on his own, with Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield portraying him in their respective movie series; now, Tom Holland has taken over the role for the past decade, bringing the character to the Marvel Cinematic Universe to cross him over with The Avengers.
With a new MCU trilogy kicking off with Spider-Man: Brand New Day and more animated outings from Sony's Spider-Verse on the horizon, now is the perfect time to get into Spidey's movies. But we get it: With so many to choose from, it can be overwhelming to know where to start! On that note, let's take a look back at the webslinger's cinematic history, looking at each of the sub-franchises he appears in and help you figure out how to watch them in chronological order.
The Sam Raimi Trilogy
Spider-Man made his silver screen debut in 2002's Spider-Man. Directed by Sam Raimi, the picture starred Tobey Maguire as the wall-crawler and was a massive success at the box office, helping usher in a new wave of modern superhero movies It also launched a trilogy of his own that saw the iconic Marvel Comics superhero do battle with some of his most infamous villains, including Green Goblin, Doctor Octopus, and Venom.
Although each of the three movies aren't equally as adored, two of them have gone down in history as two of the greatest superhero movies ever made. That's just one of the many indicators as to how pivotal this trilogy was.
With that in mind, here are the three Spider-Man movies directed by Sam Raimi, and the order to watch them in:
Spider-Man (2002)
Release date: May 3, 2002
Director: Sam Raimi
Cast: Tobey Maguire, Willem Dafoe, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Cliff Robertson, Rosemary Harris
Sam Raimi's Spider-Man made a major impact on the box office in 2002, introducing audiences to a new kind of modern superhero movie. Along with Fox's X-Men movie series, Spider-Man revived the superhero genre in the early 2000s after it began to drop off in the late '90s. It's also, by far, one of the best superhero movies ever made.
Tobey Maguire brings the webslinger to life as he battles his comic book archenemy Green Goblin. While facing that threat and battling with the grief over the loss of his Uncle Ben, Peter also struggles with his feelings for his neighbor Mary Jane Watson along with his desire to be a normal student. The film is the very essence of who Peter Parker is in the comics and it goes a long way in highlighting that with great power truly does come great responsibility.
Spider-Man 2 (2004)
Release date: June 30, 2004
Director: Sam Raimi
Cast: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Alfred Molina, Rosemary Harris, Donna Murphy
Widely considered one of the greatest sequels of all time, Spider-Man 2 is the crown jewel of the Raimi trilogy. Tobey Maguire returns as Spider-Man and he goes up against his biggest struggle yet: Friend-turned-enemy Doctor Octopus, who is corrupted by his metallic arms that send him on a crime spree the likes of which hadn't been seen before.
What makes this one so special is how it effectively brings Peter's well-documented struggles from the comic books to life. He suffers from his attempts to balance his life as Spider-Man with his personal relationships, always ending up on the wrong end of disappointment from those he loves the most. It's a compelling character journey that highlights the heart of Peter Parker while also driving home why Spider-Man is truly the greatest of heroes.
Spider-Man 3 (2007)
Release date: May 4, 2007
Director: Sam Raimi
Cast: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Thomas Haden Church, Topher Grace, Bryce Dallas Howard, James Cromwell, Rosemary Harris, J.K. Simmons
The third and final installment in the Sam Raimi trilogy, Spider-Man 3 had a lot to contend with - and we mean in that oh-so-many ways. The film sees Spidey battle three foes all at once, with The Sandman, Venom, and the New Goblin all proving to be consistent thorns in his side. The New Goblin is the most personal of those foes while Venom is the most dangerous, and it all makes for a much darker, much more serious storyline - which is really saying something considering that the movie is pretty infamous for the very unserious "Emo Peter" dancing sequence.
Spider-Man 3 took on too much, with the major criticism being that it felt like three different movies in one, and it's hard to argue with that. The three storylines don't gel all that well together and the mismatching tones can make for a pretty jarring, uneven experience. That said, it has been re-evaluated in recent years, with many believing that it's actually pretty underrated. And there is truth to that: It might not be the ending that the Raimi trilogy deserved, but it it's an entertaining adventure nonetheless.
The Marc Webb Spider-Man movies
Spider-Man 3 was initially set to be succeeded by a fourth installment in the Raimi movie series, but Sony Pictures eventually decided to reboot the franchise instead. As a result, Marc Webb was hired to direct a new standalone Spider-Man movie, with Andrew Garfield being cast in the titular role as The Amazing Spider-Man.
Although The Amazing Spider-Man movies aren't looked upon as fondly as the Raimi trilogy, Garfield's performance as Peter Parker was widely acclaimed, with many arguing that he might have nailed the character the most out of all the actors to have played the webslinger.
The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)
Release date: July 3, 2012
Director: Marc Webb
Cast: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Denis Leary, Campbell Scott, Irrfan Khan, Martin Sheen, Sally Field
The Spider-Man movie series was officially rebooted with Marc Webb's The Amazing Spider-Man in 2012, and this meant that another origin story was necessary. As a franchise-opener, it shared a lot of similarities with Raimi's film a decade earlier and that left fans a little indifferent to it, but the general story that followed that made it stand out for the right reasons.
Andrew Garfield's performance as Peter Parker is undoubtedly the best thing about this one, as is his chemistry with Emma Stone (who plays Gwen Stacy). The Peter-Gwen pairing is arguably the best Spidey romance on-screen and that imbues this one with plenty of emotional heart. And it's heart that is necessary as the webslinger goes up against The Lizard, who looks to make New York City his kingdom. All of this, and the beautiful score from the late, great James Horner, is nothing short of brilliance.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)
Release date: May 2, 2014
Director: Marc Webb
Cast: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx, Dane DeHaan, Campbell Scott, Embeth Davidtz, Colm Feore, Paul Giamatti, Sally Field
Marc Webb and the cast of The Amazing Spider-Man returned for a sequel two years later. As the 2012 film had successfully rebooted the franchise, it was only fitting that Sony fast-tracked a follow-up. Unfortunately, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 suffered from the same mistakes that 2007's Spider-Man 3 did, resulting in an overcrowded film full of underdeveloped plot threads.
The emotions are certainly high and Garfield and Stone are once again magical on-screen together, but Spidey's attention is pulled between Electro and the Green Goblin for much of this movie, once again resulting in a pretty jarring tone. Nevertheless, the performances - and that incredible Spider-Man suit - are enough to make up for that. And hey, in an era of lacklustre superhero movies, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 doesn't seem so bad in hindsight.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe movies
After The Amazing Spider-Man 2 underperformed, Sony made the call to Marvel Studios in the hopes that they could integrate Spidey into the monster that was the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Fans had longed to see it for many years and there was no doubt that Marvel were hoping for it to happen one day. The stars aligned, and Tom Holland was cast as the new Peter Parker, with a debut set for Captain America: Civil War - the third installment in the highly-successful Captain America trilogy.
Since then, Holland's hero has gone on to headline his own trilogy of movies (with a second trilogy now in development). He has also starred alongside the Avengers in multiple films to battle world-ending threats such as Thanos and he even went on to become one of the biggest heroes of the franchise.
With that in mind, here are all of the MCU films that Spider-Man stars in, starting with his very first appearance.
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
Release date: May 6, 2016
Director: The Russo Brothers
Cast: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Don Cheadle, Jeremy Renner, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Rudd, Emily VanCamp, Marisa Tomei, Tom Holland, Frank Grillo, Martin Freeman, William Hurt, Daniel Brühl
As the cast list above highlights, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is a star-studded franchise full of recognizable faces. Captain America: Civil War is the third Captain America movie and it features almost all of the Avengers as they tackle the issue of the Sokovia Accords - something which threatens to split the iconic team into separate factions.
Tom Holland's Spider-Man is introduced as a member of Tony Stark's team, supporting Iron Man in his battle against Captain America. It's not a major role, but it is a very effective introduction to the character that sets Spidey up as a force to be reckoned with going forward. He's also involved in the film's most iconic scene, landing some major blows against some of the most powerful Avengers.
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Release date: July 7, 2017
Director: Jon Watts
Cast: Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Jon Favreau, Gwyneth Paltrow, Zendaya, Donald Glover, Jacob Batalon, Laura Harrier, Tony Revolori, Bokeem Woodbine, Tyne Daly, Marisa Tomei, Robert Downey Jr.
After his introduction in Captain America: Civil War, Tom Holland went on to headline Spider-Man: Homecoming - the first of a new trilogy set to spotlight the MCU's biggest new addition at the time. Released in 2017, the Jon Watts-helmed film sees Peter attempt to find his place in the MCU, hoping to become an official Avenger after helping Tony Stark out all those weeks ago. But once the call doesn't come, he takes it upon himself to be a Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man in a very unfriendly, larger-than-life neighborhood.
Michael Keaton delivers an incredible performance as the villainous Vulture, whose alien technology makes Spidey's first solo adventure an ambitious one. But Peter knows that if he can take down a threat as large as this one, then he'll show everyone just how formidable a hero he can be. Needless to say, he proves that... and so much more.
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Release date: April 27, 2018
Director: The Russo Brothers
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Don Cheadle, Tom Holland, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Danai Gurira, Letitia Wright, Dave Bautista, Zoe Saldaña, Josh Brolin,
Chris Pratt
Avengers: Infinity War marked the beginning of the end for the MCU's classic Infinity Saga. It was the moment that it had all been building towards, as Thanos brought his army to Earth in search of the remaining Infinity Stones. The big purple brute sought to eradicate half of the universe and only The Avengers could stop him from pulling that off.
Stars from all across the realms and reaches of the Marvel Cinematic Universe appear in this one, including Tom Holland's Spidey. He unites with mentor Iron Man, Doctor Strange, Hulk, and Wong in a bid to stop the invader's army from obtaining the Time Stone in New York, but it ultimately leads to a much larger, much more expansive adventure that changes the face of the MCU forever.
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Release date: April 26, 2019
Director: The Russo Brothers
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Don Cheadle, Paul Rudd, Brie Larson, Karen Gillan, Danai Gurira, Benedict Wong, Jon Favreau, Bradley Cooper, Gwyneth Paltrow, Josh Brolin
The movie that brought the Infinity Saga to the conclusion audiences had been waiting for, Avengers: Endgame marked the culmination of a decade long story and it needed another star-studded cast to do that. Set in the shocking aftermath of Avengers: Infinity War, the 2019 movie sees the remaining Avengers attempt to move on from the damage that Thanos had done to the world. But when presented with a Hail Mary chance to undo all of it, they sweep back into action. After everything, they have to try.
It's a thrilling, triumphant and emotional conclusion to long-running story that shows us how far The Avengers are willing to go to fight the good fight and save lives. One more time - in the Infinity Saga at least - they assemble.
Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
Release date: July 20, 2019
Director: Jon Watts
Cast: Tom Holland, Samuel L. Jackson, Zendaya, Cobie Smulders, Jon Favreau, Jacob Batalon, J.B. Smoove, Martin Starr, Tony Revolori, Marisa Tomei, Jake Gyllenhall
Spider-Man got the chance to headline a second solo outing in the MCU in 2019 sequel Spider-Man: Far From Home and this one was all about aftermath. If Avengers: Endgame was the conclusion of the Infinity Saga, Far From Home was its epilogue, acting as a send-off to both the storyline that catapulted the franchise into superstardom while also clearly positioning Spider-Man as a face of its future.
This one sees Peter Parker take a vacation with his classmates in Europe, both in a bid to bond with them after the ordeal that Endgame thrust upon the world and to escape the trauma he was dealing with at the time. However, once new threats emerge and Nick Fury and Maria Hill ask for his help, Spidey swings into action. He's also aided by the alluring new hero Mysterio (played by Jake Gyllenhall), who carries his own promises of the existence of the multiverse.
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
Release date: December 17, 2021
Director: Jon Watts
Cast: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jacob Batalon, Jon Favreau, Jamie Foxx, Willem Dafoe, Alfred Molina, Benedict Wong, Tony Revolori, Marisa Tomei, Andrew Garfield, Tobey Maguire
The Spider-Man movie to end all Spider-Man movies, No Way Home is the third and final installment in Jon Watts' Homecoming trilogy and one of the most important of the entire Multiverse Saga. Following on from the events of its predecessor, this one fully explores the concept of the multiverse as a desperate attempt to keep his secret (involving Doctor Strange and a spell gone wrong) plunges Peter into some multiversal madness, leaving him battling foes from worlds protected by different Spider-Men.
Stacked with plenty of familiar faces and offering up some of the most game-changing exchanges in movie history, Spider-Man: No Way Home is an exhilarating experience that delivers everything that a Spider-Fan could ever want.
UPCOMING: Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026)
Release date: July 31, 2026
Director: Destin Daniel Cretton
Cast: Tom Holland, Jon Bernthal, Mark Ruffalo, Sadie Sink, Liza Colón-Zayas, Michael Mando, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon
Tom Holland is set to make his long-awaited return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the upcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day. The fourth installment in Spidey's standalone MCU offerings, it will be the first of a brand new trilogy of movies set to spotlight the wall-crawler after a tough time for him.
Taking place after the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home, this new installment will see the webslinger attempting to further his heroics as Spidey when the world has forgotten that Peter Parker himself exists. It's expected to be a bit darker than the previous trilogy, focusing on more mature themes. It also features some major MCU returnees in Jon Bernthal's Punisher and Mark Ruffalo's Hulk, so it will be interesting to see what kind of roles they will play - particularly The Punisher who is normally associated with the more violent, street-wise side of the franchise.
Zendaya and Jacob Batalon are expected to return as MJ and Ned, but their roles will reportedly be smaller than they were in the previous trilogy. That's not all that surprising since the story of this new trilogy might revolve around them remembering who Peter is.
The Spider-Verse movies
Last but not least, we have the critically-acclaimed Spider-Verse movies that have taken the world by storm over the past decade. Although Sony Pictures allows Marvel Studios to use the Spider-Man character in the MCU movies, the studio also has its own standalone animated franchise of Spider-Verse movies - which have earned both critical acclaim and box office success.
Although they aren't explicitly canon to the previous Spider-Man movies' established multiverse, the very concept of the Spider-Verse does suggest they could exist out there somewhere within the vast range of Spider-People, potentially allowing for a future crossover.
As it stands, there are currently two Spider-Verse films with a third one on the way.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
Release date: December 14, 2018
Director: Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman
Cast: Shameik Moore, Jake Johnson, Hailee Steinfeld, Mahershala Ali, Brian Tyree Henry, Lily Tomlin,
Luna Lauren Vélez, John Mulaney, Kimiko Glenn, Nicolas Cage, Kathryn Hahn, Liev Schreiber
To say that Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse exploded onto the scene would be an understatement. The animated adventure took the box office by storm, earning acclaim from fans and critics, all while introducing mainstream audiences to Marvel's other iconic Spider-Man: Miles Morales.
A thoroughly enjoyable adventure that makes the most of its Spider-Verse concept, Into the Spider-Verse was an ambitious task to take on but everyone involved pulled it off. The fact that this film won an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature says all you need to know.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2022)
Release date: June 2, 2023
Director: Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson
Cast: Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Brian Tyree Henry, Lauren Vélez, Jake Johnson, Jason Schwartzman, Issa Rae, Karan Soni, Shea Whigham, Greta Lee, Daniel Kaluuya, Mahershala Ali, Oscar Isaac
The wait for the sequel to Into the Spider-Verse was long, but it was worth it in the end. Designed as the first in a two-part story, Across the Spider-Verse brought Miles Morales back for an even bigger story that placed more of a focus on his relationship with Spider-Gwen. Needless to say, it impressed audiences, once again seeing the animated franchise score critical acclaim. The immersive film was an even bigger hit than its predecessor at the box office, earning almost twice as much.
This one is so good that people often debate as to whether it's better than Into the Spider-Verse. It's hard to surpass the first one, but Across the Spider-Verse makes a very strong attempt to do so. The only downside is that it was so good that the wait for the next installment feels even longer.
Upcoming Spider-Verse movies
While Sony's live-action Spider-Verse movies struggled (mostly because they did not feature Spider-Man), the animated offerings have continued to find success. With that in mind, it's no surprise that the studio is continuing to invest in this franchise.
Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse arrives in movie theaters on June 25 2027. It is a direct sequel to Across the Spider-Verse and will pick up after the events of that movie as Miles looks to contend with the fallout.
Meanwhile, there are spinoffs in development too. The first of those is a Spider-Woman movie focusing on Jessica Drew while a more recent report claims that a Spider-Punk movie is also in the works. Insider Daniel Richtman also claims that an animated Venom spinoff film could be on the cards, too.