Summary
- The three cinematic versions of Spider-Man finally united in Spider-Man: No Way Home, which was a generational event.
- Major Spider-Man side characters have impacted the success of each movie franchise in unique ways.
- Characters like Aunt May, Uncle Ben, Gwen Stacy, Green Goblin, and others have contributed to the emotional depth of the Spider-Man movies.
The three Spider-Man movie franchises have succeeded on different levels, with all of them featuring major characters from Marvel Comics that impacted the overall narrative in key ways. The Spider-Man movies are among the most popular superhero films of all time, with Spider-Man: No Way Home showing just how important the three cinematic versions of Spider-Man are to millions of fans around the globe. The film united the franchises, with Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, and Tom Holland’s versions of Spider-Man interacting for the first time.
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Before they got together in the MCU Spider-Man’s timeline, each of the characters went on a journey that included important players from the Spider-Man comics. Without including MCU co-stars like Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man, Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury, and Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange, there are still many key characters that made the Spider-Man movies the success they are, and some could return through the multiverse in future MCU movies.
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21 Rhys Ifans’ Lizard
Debuted In The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)
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First up is Rhys Ifans’ Lizard. This was the first version of the character in live-action to transform from Dr. Connors into the Lizard. The character made for a good first opponent for Garfield’s Spider-Man, tapping into the aspect of Oscorp’s story that connected intimately to The Amazing Spider-Man‘s Peter Parker and his parents. Ifans’ Lizard also returned in fully CGI form in Spider-Man: No Way Home, where he just fought heroes.
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20 Denis Leary’s Captain Stacy
Debuted In The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)
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Denis Leary’s turn as Captain Stacy left a huge impact on Garfield’s Peter Parker. The Amazing Spider-Man initially pits the characters against one another, both in their personal lives, with Stacy doubting that Peter was a good boyfriend for his daughter Gwen and “professionally,” as Spider-Man and the police did not see eye to eye. Captain Stacy discovers Peter is Spider-Man and lets him go, later dying while emotionally making Peter promise to leave Gwen out of his life to keep her safe.
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19 Kirsten Dunst’s Mary Jane Watson
Debuted In Spider-Man (2002)
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Mary Jane Watson is one of the most important characters in Spider-Man comics. The reason Kirsten Dunst’s version of the character is so low on the list is due to how often she was shown simply as a damsel in distress in the Maguire Spider-Man trilogy. MJ can be so much more than that, and when the Spider-Man movies focused on those aspects of the character, they worked perfectly. Dunst also had the iconic kiss scene with Maguire, which is one of the most recognizable shots in Spider-Man films.
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18 Sally Field’s Aunt May
Debuted In The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)
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The Amazing Spider-Man brought to life an interesting version of Aunt May. Younger than the character in the Maguire trilogy, Sally Field’s Aunt May was shown to struggle with the loss of Uncle Ben and still keep moving forward to make ends meet. She pushed, encouraged, and consoled Garfield’s Peter Parker, depending on what the situation asked for. The Amazing Spider-Man franchise’s Aunt May was well-rounded and nuanced.
Sally Field’s Aunt May was shown to struggle with the loss of Uncle Ben and still keep moving forward to make ends meet.
17 Rosemary Harris’ Aunt May
Debuted In Spider-Man (2002)
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Rosemary Harris’ Aunt May still stands as the most iconic version of the character in live-action to this day. She was the most like the classic comic book Aunt May, being a loving mother figure to Maguire’s Peter Parker. Harris’ Aunt May also had one of the best moments of all the Spider-Man films, with her speech about what it means to be a hero to Peter showing she knows he is Spider-Man but will not say it.
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16 Jacob Batalon’s Ned Leeds
Debuted In Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
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Jacob Batalon’s Ned Leeds is one of the key characters of the MCU’s Spider-Man trilogy. As stated in Spider-Man: Homecoming, he is Peter Parker’s “guy in the chair.” Instead of using Harry Osborn for the third Spider-Man franchise, Marvel decided to branch out and make Ned Peter’s best friend. It has mostly worked out, with Batalon being charismatic and hilarious in the role. Spider-Man: No Way Home‘s ending makes his return uncertain.
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15 Marisa Tomei’s Aunt May
Debuted In Captain America: Civil War (2016)
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The highest Aunt May on the list is Marisa Tomei’s version of the character. In the MCU, Aunt May was used instead of Uncle Ben to deliver Holland’s Peter his saddest moment. While Marvel could have done more with Tomei besides sporadic appearances, the actress made her May charismatic and was a great modern version of the character. Her death at the hands of the Green Goblin while giving Peter the “Great Power, Great Responsibility” speech is a tearjerker.
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14 Thomas Haden Church’s Sandman
Debuted In Spider-Man 3 (2007)
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Most of the villains in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy were incredible. Only Venom, which the director did not want to use, was a letdown. Still, Thomas Haden Church’s Sandman served as a nice counterpoint in Spider-Man 3, being a complex character who was not necessarily a bad guy. Sandman has a tragic backstory, and his turning away from villainy in the end was perfect. The character was also used for great action scenes in the MCU.
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13 Cliff Robertson’s Uncle Ben
Debuted In Spider-Man (2002)
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Cliff Robertson’s Uncle Ben is one of the most iconic characters in live-action superhero movies. Uncle Ben is extremely important to who Spider-Man is, as the character’s death is the traumatic event that pushes Peter over the edge in many versions and leads to Spider-Man’s birth. Robertson was perfectly warm, caring, and wise in the Maguire franchise, with Uncle Ben’s “Great Power, Great Responsibility” speech being an all-timer.
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12 Michael Keaton’s Vulture
Debuted In Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
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Michael Keaton’s Vulture was the first main villain of Holland’s Spider-Man films. What a way to start, as Keaton made Adrian Toomes just as menacing with and without his Vulture suit. The interrogation scene in the car, where Vulture reveals he knows Peter Parker is Spider-Man, stands as one of the most intimidating scenes in Spider-Man movies. Later, Vulture decides to keep Peter’s identity a secret out of gratitude for Spidey having saved his life, making him nuanced.
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11 Zendaya’s MJ
Debuted In Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
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Zendaya’s MJ is the second-best of the live-action Spider-Man love interests. The character slowly transforms over the MCU Spider-Man trilogy from a wallflower to someone who can now be more open and confident in the presence of her friends. Michelle always has Peter’s back and their slow-burn romance has bloomed into one of the MCU’s strongest relationships. MJ forgetting Peter due to Doctor Strange’s spell adds a heartbreaking twist to the character.
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10 Jake Gyllenhaal’s Mysterio
Debuted In Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
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Jake Gyllenhaal was almost Spider-Man in the Sam Raimi-directed trilogy, but the actor finally got into the Marvel world as Mysterio. Gyllenhaal’s performance made Mysterio an unpredictable foe with manic energy who could shift at any moment. The character is deeply important to the story of Holland’s Spider-Man, as Mysterio’s death led to a video he shot that would later reveal Spider-Man’s secret identity to the world and frame him for Mysterio’s death.
The actions of Jake Gyllenhaal’s Mysterio would lead to the multiversal events of
Spider-Man: No Way Home
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8 James Franco’s Harry Osborn
Debuted In Spider-Man (2002)
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James Franco’s Harry Osborn is the ultimate version of the character in live-action. Franco played both the best friend to Peter and the mortal enemy to Spider-Man sides of the character great. Harry is complex, trying to compete with Peter for the love of his own father, ultimately turning against Spider-Man and Peter after thinking he killed Norman. In the end, Harry turned around and helped Spider-Man save the day, with his emotional death ending the Maguire Spider-Man films.
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7 J.K. Simmons’ J. Jonah Jameson
Debuted In Spider-Man (2002)
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Only a few comic book adaptations manage to become as beloved and iconic as J.K. Simmons’ J. Jonah Jameson. Simply put, the actor’s performance as JJJ in the Maguire Spider-Man movies was so good that he became forever linked to the character. Simmons has gone on to voice Jameson in multiple animated projects, also playing a variant of the character in the MCU. The actor brings the perfect energy to the bad-tempered and hilarious JJJ.
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6 Alfred Molina’s Doc Ock
Debuted In Spider-Man 2 (2004)
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Alfred Molina’s Doc Ock is one of the best live-action villains in superhero movies. Spider-Man 2 is still held by many as the hero’s best movie to this day, and a lot of that is due to Molina’s Doc Ock. The actor nailed the character’s tragic backstory, making Otto Octavius a character to root for and also fear. Molina returned for a substantial role in Spider-Man: No Way Home, with Otto’s good guy side appearing more, which was refreshing.
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5 Emma Stone’s Gwen Stacy
Debuted In The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)
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Emma Stone’s Gwen Stacy is the best romantic interest of all the Spider-Man movies. Even when the writing faltered, Stone and Garfield’s chemistry carried The Amazing Spider-Man franchise. Stone’s Gwe was funny, charming, fierce, and intelligent, making her perhaps the best version of the character ever, including the comics. While The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is divisive, Gwen Stacy’s death is one of the saddest and most iconic moments of the Spider-Man movies.
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4 Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin
Debuted In Spider-Man (2002)
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Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin is second to none when it comes to villains in live-action Spider-Man movies. Dafoe perfectly brings to life the different sides of the character, making Norman Osborn both sympathetic and ruthless depending on the story and turning in all-timer performances as the Green Goblin. While he was fantastic in 2002’s Spider-Man, Dafoe’s Green Goblin was even more menacing in Spider-Man: No Way Home, killing Aunt May and traumatizing Holland’s Peter Parker for life.
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3 Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man
Debuted In The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)
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The first of the three Spider-Men on the list is Andrew Garfield’s. The actor delivered an emotional take on the character in both The Amazing Spider-Man franchise and the MCU’s Spider-Man: No Way Home. No other live-action Spider-Man actor has been as similar to the character when in the superhero suit as Garfield, who has the best Spider-Man banter. In his MCU appearance, Garfield’s Peter Parker got redemption for not saving Emma Stone’s Gwen Stacy as he saved Zendaya’s MJ in a similar scene.
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2 Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man
Debuted In Spider-Man (2002)
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Then comes Tobey Maguire’s Peter Parker. The actor gave life to the first iteration of Peter Parker in the Spider-Man movies. Without the success of Maguire’s Spider-Man trilogy, there would perhaps not be an MCU. Maguire is the best of the Spidey actors when it comes to making the two sides of the role feel different. His Peter Parker is closed-off and unpopular, while he instantly shifts into confident mode as Spider-Man. In the MCU, Maguire’s older Peter was also a caring mentor, adding depth to the character.
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