Every Spider-Man Movie, Ranked
In an age where superheroes have become overarchingly commonplace, Spider-Man still manages to swing his way to the forefront of the entire superhero genre.
While his contemporaries in Iron Man, Thor, or The Hulk remain incredibly popular in their own right, audiences hold a special place in their hearts for New York City’s intrepid arachnid-themed superhero, as evidenced by the countless video games, TV series, amusement park rides, and comic books there are centered around the character.
Another notable reason for Spider-Man’s continued popularity today has to do with the number of fantastic movies we’ve seen featuring the hero in a central role. From Sony’s ill-fated Amazing Spider-Man universe to the colorful settings of the Spider-Verse, here is a definitive ranking of every Spider-Man film we’ve seen to date.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)
If audiences believed they were witnessing a new age for Spider-Man with The Amazing Spider-Man, those expectations quickly came crashing down with the release of its immediate follow-up, The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Whereas almost every Spider-Man film remains a more or less enjoyable experience for audiences to sit through, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is too long, too complicated, and too overstuffed with branching plotlines to even remotely engage viewers’ interests.
Spider-Man 3 (2007)
After the momentous success of his initial two installments, director Sam Raimi had the difficult task of crafting a film every bit as good as his earlier two Spider-Man films. Unfortunately, continuous studio interference ultimately undermined his creative efforts, ushering in a third Spider-Man outing that left viewers cringing instead of thoroughly enthralled by its narrative’s contents. Though not quite as bad as most people seem to remember, it’s also without a doubt the weakest chapter in an otherwise remarkable trilogy of films.
Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
Don’t get us wrong, Far From Home isn’t even close to a bad movie. But when compared to the heights of Homecoming or No Way Home, it’s clear that the second MCU Spider-Man film leaves a little something to be desired. Though Jake Gyllenhaal’s Mysterio makes for a fascinating central villain and the film does end on a tantalizing cliffhanger, Far From Home feels like more of the same when holding it up next to its sister titles (albeit with some fun new European settings).
The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)
After the disappointing conclusion to Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy, the Spider-Man series was promptly rebooted with 2012’s The Amazing Spider-Man. Swapping out Tobey Maguire for an equally charismatic Andrew Garfield, The Amazing Spider-Man provides a predictably entertaining platform for Garfield’s iteration of the character. Casting Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy and the underrated Rhys Ifans as The Lizard, The Amazing Spider-Man seemed to mark a new era in the webslinger’s immediate future, even if Garfield’s tenure as the character proved woefully short-lived.
Spider-Man (2002)
Alongside the earlier X-Men films, 2002’s Spider-Man helped prove to the world that superheroes could succeed in mainstream pop culture, paving the way for the various MCU films that arrived later in the decade. Taking plenty of inspiration from Marvel’s original comics, Sam Raimi helps bring NYC’s Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man to the big screen here, setting the standard on which all future Spider-Man-related films would be measured.
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Following his highly anticipated debut in The Avengers: Civil War, Tom Holland’s plucky iteration of Spider-Man received his very own spin-off film with 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming. A remarkable blend between a traditional superhero film and an ‘80s-esque teen comedy, Homecoming somehow manages to be both relatable and thoroughly action-packed over the course of its two-hour runtime. Eloquently expanding upon Peter’s insecurities as an aspiring superhero, it’s an incredible start to Holland’s full-time tenure as the MCU’s wall-crawling webhead.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023)
Shattering everyone’s preconceived expectations with a resounding bang, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse somehow climbs to the same Herculean heights as its immediate predecessor, Into the Spider-Verse. Weaving together practically every version of Spider-Man to ever exist within pop culture, Across the Spider-Verse also finds a way to continue Miles Morales’ dizzying odyssey into the heart of the Multiverse itself. Brilliantly bridging the gap from Into the Spider-Verse to the upcoming Beyond the Spider-Verse, it’s a wondrous second chapter in Miles’ story, showing his growth from ordinary teenager to existential savior of reality.
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
It’s been four years since the release of No Way Home and we still can’t believe Marvel pulled this movie off. Merging three separate canonical universes together into one epic project, No Way Home is a Spider-Man fan’s ultimate dream come true. Whether you grew up watching Maguire, Garfield, or Holland in the titular role, No Way Home balances out each of its three Spideys’ presence with poise and calculated clarity. With returning appearances from cult-favorite villains like Alfred Molina’s Doc Ock and Willem Dafoe’s unhinged Green Goblin, it’s a super-sized superhero film you simply have to see to believe.
Spider-Man 2 (2004)
It’s amazing to note just how radically unique Spider-Man 2 remains even when compared to the numerous MC and DCEU superhero films that followed after it. Continuing forward with Peter Parker’s tenure as the Big Apple’s resident webslinger, Spider-Man 2 also expands upon Peter’s growing struggle to separate his life as Spider-Man with his personal life as an ordinary college student. Intelligent, fast-paced, and bolstered by strong performances from Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, and a devilishly charming Alfred Molina, it’s one of the finest superhero films ever made, whether looking at the 2000s, 2010s, or the first half of the 2020s.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
Undoubtedly one of the best and most important animated films of the past decade, Into the Spider-Verse remains a beloved modern classic for a few reasons. Most notably, the film pushes the boundaries of 3D animation to an entirely new level, introducing a playful, vibrantly colorful artistic style straight out of a 2000s Brisk commercial. Aesthetic achievements aside, however, Into the Spider-Verse succeeds first and foremost as a breathtaking introduction to Miles Morales’ character, establishing him as the pitch-perfect successor to Peter Parker for a modern generation of viewers.
