There have been many films featuring adaptations of the infamous Spider-Man throughout the timeline in the Marvel cinematic universe. A total of 9 movies have been the main focus of the Spider-Man lineage ranging from 2002 to the most recent in 2019. The upcoming movie which was just given the title of Spider-Man: No Way Home is set to release sometime in 2021. However, the previous films feature plenty of great content from Peter Parker and the many others in the series.
At the bottom of the list for me is The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and The Amazing Spider-Man which came out in 2014 and 2012 respectively. Personally, I don’t even remember these two movies in their entirety because I never cared for them. Andrew Garfield played the role of Peter Parker and consequently Spider-Man in these two films but the plot felt disappointing after watching the original trilogy. The villain in the first movie is The Lizard played by Rhys Ifans. In the sequel, three villains are present: Jamie Foxx as Electro, Dane DeHaan as the Green Goblin, and Paul Giamatti as Rhino. The second film was complicated and honestly felt overwhelming and thus places below its prequel.
Moving up my list comes the original trilogy, Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2, and Spider-Man 3. These movies were the major start of Peter Parker in the Marvel Cinematic Universe but still rank below the newer films for me. Released in 2002, 2004 and finally 2007, these three films feature Toby Maguire as the lead role of Peter Parker. In the first film, William Dafoe plays the villain Green Goblin and in the second film, Alfred Molina makes his appearance as the infamous Doctor Octopus. For many, this sequel proved better than the original and built support for future Spider-Man films in the franchise. And finally, the last film in the triad features James Franco as New Goblin, Thomas Haden Church as Sandman, and Topher Grace as Venom. For me, this movie was the best one to watch growing up. I loved the chaotic atmosphere between the three villains, especially Sandman and Venom. The appearance of Venom in my childhood, as well as the much later remake, is a really good connection and he is definitely one of my favorite characters from the Spider-Man franchise.
The Animated movie, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, was honestly amazing. I went to see it in theaters in 2018 with friends and it was wonderfully done. The animation team truly created a masterpiece with this film, as well as excellently portraying each character from within the multiverse. This film features seven versions of Spider-Man and a total of five villains. This movie was so wonderfully made and animated that it ranks better than the others.
After a long wait, Spider-Man: Homecoming hit theaters in 2017. This movie was amazing, especially after Spider-Man began appearing in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the rest of the Avengers. The new films cast Tom Holland as Peter Parker and feature many famous actors for other characters in the films, of course, giving a spot to Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man and introducing the villain Michael Keaton as Vulture. This movie was a refreshing introduction for Tom Holland to officially join the Avengers, and with the release of Spider-Man: Far From Home in 2019 giving memorial to RDJ made it feel like progress. The tribute to him truly gave this film a different feeling since it was the first film in the MCU after his death. Tom Holland reprises his role as Peter Parker in this film, meeting the hero turned villain Jake Gyllenhaal as Mysterio. These two films rank above the others mainly because they were made with the rest of the Avengers and tie to the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe we all know. Eventually, Spider-Man: No Way Home will continue this series sometime in 2021.
At the very top of the list is the spin-off Venom released in 2018. Of course, Peter Parker and Spider-Man will always hold a special place in my heart. However, Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock’s Venom made it such a good film to me. The cinematography and storyline with the alien symbiote bonding with Eddie and the way everything plays out was simply amazing. There’s a sequel scheduled for 2021, titled Venom: Let There Be Carnage. Personally, I am super excited to see Venom again and the rivaling symbiote Carnage in the latest film. The introduction of Eddie Brock again after Spider-Man 3 led to such a refreshing movie as I instantly fell in love with the entire premise. While the newer films rank close, Venom will always be special to me.
My final ranking from worst to best Spider-Man is as follows: The Amazing Spider-Man 2, The Amazing Spider-Man, Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2, Spider-Man 3, Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Spider-Man: Far From Home, and finally Venom. The Marvel Cinematic Universe has wonderfully cast and played Stan Lee’s vision of Peter Parker throughout its timeline and I can’t wait to see the films in the making.
