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After the release of Spider-Man: No Way Home in 2021 and the reveal of the multiverse, Spider-Man has become a hot topic as the actors who played Spider-Man in the past, Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire made a return to the screen in a now-iconic team-up sequence. Not only was this one of the mind-blowing reveals in all of MCU history, but it brought warmth and nostalgia to the hearts of Spider-Man fans everywhere.
Seeing the various Spider-Men reunited on-screen roused a number of feelings in many, one of which being nostalgia. Fans seeing Maguire don his suit once more sparked new fan campaigns for Sam Raimi's unmade Spider-Man 4, and, similarly, for Garfield to return to The Amazing Spider-Man franchise in The Amazing Spider-Man 3. Furthermore, thanks to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, a number of Spider-Man actors have been added to the roster by way of animation. Here’s every actor who played Spider-Man in both live-action and animated movies, ranked.
8 Andrew Garfield
Starring as Peter Parker in the re-imagined The Amazing Spider-Man, Andrew Garfield brought his own version of Peter to the screen with a new level of charm and confidence. While some appreciated this new iteration of Spider-Man, most thought that he did not do the original concept of the character justice. While Peter is known as a dorky awkward teenager, Garfield’s performance as Peter is forgettable and his grouchy attitude throughout the film is uncharacteristic of Peter from the comics as is the charisma and confidence he portrays throughout the films. This ranks him as the worst Spider-Man on the list as his version of Spider-Man diverted too far away from the comic book version.
7 John Mulaney
As some much-needed comic relief in Into the Spider-Verse, we have John Mulaney, known for his voice-acting work on Big Mouth, as Spider-Ham AKA Peter Porker, who bears a striking resemblance to the classic Looney Tunes character Porky Pig. This hilarious iteration of the hero may appear to be a frivolous addition, but despite his constant joking, Spider-Ham still takes his responsibility as a hero seriously. Spider-Ham’s character saw immediate popularity among both children and adults, as Mulaney managed to tone down his usual raunchy comedy to a family-friendly performance. This prompted Mulaney to pitch for Spider-Ham to get his own film. While many would love to see the return of Spider-Ham, it’s not been confirmed whether he will get his own solo film or if he will return in Across the Spider-Verse Part 1.
6 Jake Johnson
Peter B. Parker who ends up in Miles’ universe in Into the Spider-Verse is voice-acted by Jake Johnson, best known for his regular role as Nick in the hit sitcom New Girl. Johnson’s Parker is a washed-up old Peter whose body is no longer able to meet the demands of being a hero. He ends up being a mentor to Miles, who also carries the Spidey gene. Despite his reluctance to help Miles train and hone his powers, Peter soon changed his tune thanks to the optimistic Miles. Peter B. Parker is set to return in Across the Spider-Verse Part 1 as the same sarcastic spidey we’ve all come to know.
5 Nicolas Cage
In what some have referred to as an “Oscar-worthy” performance as Spider-Man Noir, award-winning actor Nicolas Cage makes a surprising appearance in Into the Spider-Verse. While his role is quite small in the film, his voice-acting was beyond memorable and has since become legendary. It’s hard to imagine anyone else being able to emanate the “film noir” aesthetic through mere voice-acting, which is part of what makes his performance so incredible. This monochromatic, highly-stylized version of the hero based in New York City during the Great Depression instantly became a fan favorite. There is no confirmation that Spider-Man Noir will be seen again, but fans seem to be holding out high hope for another outstanding performance from Cage.
4 Chris Pine
Chris Pine voiced Peter Parker in Miles’ universe in Into the Spider-Verse, and was, at the time, the only Spider-Man. Upon discovering that Miles developed the same powers as him, Peter decided to pass the torch and responsibility to him. Shortly after this, Peter Parker was killed by the main antagonist in Into the Spider-Verse, Kingpin. While his role was short-lived, it was still essential to the whole plot of the film, as Miles was left to seek guidance to fill the empty gap that the deceased hero left behind.
3 Shameik Moore
Shameik Moore, actor, singer, dancer, and rapper, made headlines for his voice acting performance as Miles Morales in Into The Spider-Verse and its two sequels, which are set to be released in 2022 and 2023. As much as Miles enjoys being a teenager who hangs with his friends and manages his awkward crushes, he also manages to grapple with his new reality as Spider-Man. The portrayal of Miles is a brand-new iteration of Spider-Man, while still maintaining a certain level of awkwardness so key to the character. Shameik Moore’s performance earned him more acting roles including the role of Sha/Raekwon in Wu-Tang: An American Saga.
2 Tobey Maguire
The original actor to portray Spider-Man in the original Spider-Man trilogy was Tobey Maguire. His awkward Peter Parker alongside his charming best friend Harry, played by James Franco, is exactly what we expected to see from Spider-Man. True to the comics and the original animated series from the 60s, Maguire’s Spider-Man has been considered the greatest for a number of years. His most recent performance in Spider-Man: No Way Home has led to a fan campaign calling out for Sony to make a fourth Sam Raimi Spider-Man film featuring Maguire.
1 Tom Holland
Most consider Tom Holland to be the best Spider-Man of all time, and for good reason. Not only does Holland have the innocence and naivety of a teenage boy, but he also manages to express a modern version of Spider-Man that contains the awkward realness of the Peter Parker portrayed in the comics. Making his first appearance as Spider-Man in Captain America: Civil War, Holland became beloved by many and became the youngest actor to star in a title role MCU film in Spider-Man: Homecoming. Holland’s influence as Spider-Man also managed to spawn the final inception of the connected Sony Spider-Man Universe, a cinematic universe connected to the MCU.