From Web-Head and Wall-Crawler to Menace, Spider-Man has about as many nicknames as he does feature films over the past two decades. He is easily one of the most recognized superheroes from Marvel Comics and the comic book collective as a whole. Through the years, multiple actors have taken on the mantle in propelling this beloved character onto the silver screen.

Spider-Man and his web-slinging adventures may have kept audiences thrilled for the past twenty-odd years, but not all of these films have fared well over time. Since the emergence of Spider-Man in cinematic form, discussion of the quality of each iteration has quickly set discussion boards ablaze. While some of these heroes might be described as amazing, the same cannot be said for all films.

Updated June 29, 2023: In honor of the release of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, the new trailer for Kraven the Hunter, and the fact that many Spider-Man films have come out near July, this article has been updated with even more entries.

Debates about which actor played the role better had been going around for decades, but although the results for that vary wildly, the adventures of the masked web-slinger have remained popular all this time. In fact, the animated release that brought the genre not only a fresh perspective but also the Academy Award has shown dimensions of the hero before unseen.

The franchise certainly isn't slowing down at all, as Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse has been a box office hit, and the sequel, Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, is now one of the most anticipated movies of 2024. In addition, Sony will continue to expand their villain-centric corner of the franchise with Kraven the Hunter set for release in October 2023, Madame Web set for release in 2024, and Venom 3 has begun filming. Here is every film in the Spider-Man franchise, either where he appears or one of his villains does, ranked.

15 Morbius (2022)

Jared Leto as Morbius
Sony Pictures Releasing

Is Morbius connected to the Spider-Verse? Apparently, yes, in more ways than one. Not only do characters in Morbius actively talk about Venom's reign of terror in San Francisco, but the main character himself is seen reading The Daily Bugle, a tabloid staple in the Spider-Man franchise. Even more, telling is the reports on the page about characters Black Cat and Rhino next to Morbius' headline. The appearance of Michael Keaton's Vulture in the trailer has since also reassured fans that Morbius is indeed in the Spider-Man Universe.

Much in the vein of many a Spider-Man character, Biochemist Michael Morbius’ inception is more scientific than supernatural in origin. His transition stems from an ill-fated attempt to cure himself of a rare blood disease that ends with a nasty case of vampirism instead. Attempts to bring him to the screen in the Blade franchise or as a stand-alone film had all previously failed. Originally set for release in July 2020, the date was delayed several times due to the pandemic.

Morbius was both a box office and critical disaster and was made worse by Sony's attempts to try and cash in on the "It's Morbin Time" memes to only have the film bomb at the box office twice. Morbius is a low bar for superhero films, and it is clear there are not many fans who are excited to see Morbius return anytime soon.

14 Venom (2018)

Tom Hardy in Venom
Sony Pictures Releasing

Sony kicked off the release of its Villains of the Spider-Verse with Venom in 2018, and with good reason. Not only had the IP been previously introduced to the Spider-Man cinematic universe in the ill-fated Spider-Man 3, but the character of Venom was dynamic, edgy, and suitable for a more modern audience. In 2007, the role of Venom had been played by Topher Grace, hot off the last season of That '70s Show. Despite his performance, the film suffered from one too many plot dynamics (including a laughably Goth Peter Parker). Fans and the studio alike hoped that a stand-alone movie for the character would help to solve this problem, and in that, they were partially right.

This new, more gritty version of the character was played by Tom Hardy, who brought a sort of odd-couple chemistry to the role as the titular antihero of Eddie Brock, a failing journalist who becomes one with an alien symbiote. While reviews for the movie were low, audiences connected with the film as it grossed an impressive $850 million at the worldwide box office. While the producers might have set out to make a gritty anti-hero film, what connected with audiences were the more quirky comedy elements that played Eddie Brock and Venom as bickering romantic partners, which the series would embrace in its sequel.

13 The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)

Andrew Garfield in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)
Sony Pictures Releasing

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is a polarizing title among Spider-Man fans, and not just because of the pre-leaked death of one of its main characters. Sony's heavy interference created a rift between the studio and the story attempting to be told by director Marc Webb. As melancholic as Dane DeHaan's Green Goblin may have been, he was an odd choice for such a prominent villain. Jaime Foxx's Electro feels like he was written in for the sake of including yet another looming threat.

Related: Everything We Know About Andrew Garfield's The Amazing Spider-Man 3 (& Why It Didn't Happen)

Shailene Woodley was cast as Mary Jane Watson but was cut from the finished movie in hopes of setting up spin-off projects like the Sinister Six (which never wound up happening). The final cut of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 attempted to marry too much together, making it an overcrowded and busy mess.

12 Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021)

Venom: Let There Be Carnage
Sony Pictures Releasing

Tom Hardy reprised the role of Venom in Venom: Let There Be Carnage. The sequel placed Eddie Brock at the center of a potential career revival gone awry. Now, he must stop his once-in-a-lifetime interview subject before he becomes even more of a terror to society.

This take on the titular anti-hero/villain was, at times, more serious and silly than the previous iterations. The introduction of the arguably better-known character of Carnage was a welcome reprieve for fans. The end-credits scene in this movie once and for all solves the problem of just where in the Spider-Verse Venom takes place.

While this film grossed far less than its predecessor, it is arguably the more well-rounded of the two. While not insignificant, the gap between critics and audience members alike was greatly diminished from the previous adaptation. One thing to note is this film’s joke of a PG-13 rating. While other Spider-Man adaptations are usually made well within these parameters, Venom’s storyline is just not as well-suited for the same category. Allowing an R-rated Venom film might actually do wonders for the fledgling franchise in the future. Maybe Sony will allow Venom 3 to be R-rated.

11 Spider-Man 3 (2007)

Spider-Man 3 with Toby Maguire (2007)
Sony Pictures

Unlike the other two films in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy, it's hard to dig into Spider-Man 3. There's just too much going on in the final leg of a series, which was supposed to be a distinguished finale to Tobey Maguire's inaugural run.

A Spider-Man movie is only as strong as its villain, and Spider-Man 3 has one heck of a villain problem. There was a clear-cut opportunity for the plot of the film to strictly focus on Norman Osborn (Willem Dafoe), Harry Osborn (James Franco), and the generational transfer of the Green Goblin mantle from father to son. Keeping it simple would have allowed the franchise to conclude with Parker being forced to face off against his closest friend, a fitting bookend indeed.

Unfortunately, the studio had other plans. Instead of following a singular plot line, two more villains are brought into the picture. Raimi had always wanted to adapt Sandman as he was a fan of what the character's powers could look like on screen. At the same time, Sony and Spider-Man producer Avi Arad forced the filmmaker to also include the popular villain Venom as well (even though Raimi was not a fan of the character).

From there, Spider-Man 3 begins to crumble under the weight of its intermeshed plots, causing the attempt to show Peter Parker's life as even more complicated to fall flat. While the reaction to Spider-Man 3 has softened over time, it certainly feels like a step down from Raimi's two previous entries.

10 The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)

Emma Stone in The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)
Sony Pictures Releasing

The Amazing Spider-Man proves that Garfield is better suited for Spider-Man than he is a young Peter Parker, though his short-lived two-parter legacy still remains a controversial divide for fans. His first film, however, rings true to Parker's transition into Spider-Man, though Garfield takes a more mature approach to the role. He feels like he's shed the boyish spirit that Holland brings. His effortless coolness takes the position of a character that's loosely based on the idea of Parker.

This film chose to play it fairly safe; an age-old origin story with a familiar cast of characters and a plot that doesn't overstimulate. The Amazing Spider-Man is easy enough for newcomers to the superhero genre to digest but might be too simple compared to its potential.

9 Avengers: Infinity War/Avengers: Endgame (2018 & 2019)

Tom Holland as Spider-Man in Avengers Infinity War
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

For this pick, it has been decided to put the two entries together. The movies were originally conceived as being part of a two-part film, and since Spider-Man has a bigger role in Avengers: Infinity War only appeared in the last half of Avengers: Endgame, it makes sense to pair the two films together.

Avengers: Infinity War was the movie that really established Peter Parker as a prominent part of the MCU and Avengers on screen. His death scene at the end of the film was a heartbreaking moment that likely scarred an entire generation of young fans and sold Holand's Peter Parker as the new heart of the MCU. Then in Avengers: Endgame, he gets some incredibly fun heroic moments in the final battle against Thanos and some touching scenes with Tony Stark. What makes these aspects of the movie even more touching is the fact that one of the major drives for Tony Stark to join the Avengers and wage war against Thanos all over again, even by going back in the past, was to bring back all those people wiped away without a trace was to bring Peter Parker back. Something he did successfully and died a true hero.

8 Captain America: Civil War (2016)

Spider-Man with Captain America's shield in Captain America Civil War
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Captain America: Civil War was the movie that first introduced Tom Holland's Spider-Man to the MCU. From an awkward teenage superhero trying to still figure things out for himself to that boy surprisingly stealing Captain America's shield and then becoming a part of the exclusive group of Earth's strongest protectors and being taken under the wing of Tony Stark, aka Iron Man. With that, this movie established the base for one of the most endearing bonds in the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe as well.

Holland's Spider-Man feature really garnered some amazing reviews from fans who have waited for the iconic character to get formally introduced to the MCU for so long. Rightfully so, as trying to chase down and fight against people who have decades of experience on you for a rookie is nothing short of an epic feat. The movie also featured a Spider-Man suit that had eyes that could emote, just like the comics always could but prior films could not.

7 Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

Spider-Man's iconic Stark Suit look from Spider-Man_ Homecoming (2017)
Sony Pictures Releasing

In Spider-Man: Homecoming, new recruit Tom Holland needed to establish himself as the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Spider-Man past his first canonical appearance in Captain America: Civil War (2016). Holland may be Marvel's most accurate version of Parker yet: A wide-eyed, baby-faced, and over-eager high schooler whose double-life disguises him as the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.

Holland's version of Peter Parker satisfies those who can either relate to the character's personality through their own life experience or have been torn over how Maguire and Garfield didn't quite lock down the "socially awkward high-schooler" personality. Aside from the targeted niche, those who may have been hoping for an elaboration on Parker's personality may struggle to take a liking to him.

The actor may have the boyish look and the bubbly personality down, but Spider-Man: Homecoming still tells the same story that has been told for decades, just with a father figure and a new villain at play. Spider-Man: Homecoming is flashy and contemporary enough for the modern-day audience, but it isn't original enough to be considered a step forward for the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

6 Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)

The Cast of Spider-Man Far From Home
Sony Pictures Releasing

A direct pipeline into Spider-Man: No Way Home, Spider-Man: Far From Home breathed a little life into Holland's Homecoming trilogy as the series became more comfortable with itself. It feels less stiff than its predecessor and gives way for Holland to elaborate more on Parker's character, aside from being the anxious teen with superhero-level responsibilities. Spider-Man: Far From Home challenges Holland to push past the self-doubt that he previously shrouded himself in as Parker and embrace the spirit of Spider-Man with more vigor.

Spider-Man: Far From Home offers an exciting new villain with the debut of Mysterio, who is reimagined in a fresh way that also serves as a semi-meta take on the nature of superhero films. Taking the classic sequel set-up laid out with films like The Great Muppet Caper and National Lampoon's European Vacation, Spider-Man: Far From Home uses a classic international trip trope to also stay true to the classic teen-centric storylines of the early Stan Lee/Steve Ditko Spider-Man comics. Instead of stifling itself, the sequel to Spider-Man: Homecoming gives Holland's secondary solo venture the jolt it needed to push the franchise, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, forward.

5 Spider-Man (2002)

Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst kiss in Spider-man (2002)
Sony Pictures Releasing

Prior to the development of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Sam Raimi set out to portray a simplistic origin story that streamlined a singular objective with 2002's Spider-Man. It laid bare the bones of a hero's journey through a more narrative-driven story that still held true to Parker's comic book character. The result was this film sensation, which set the record for the biggest opening weekend at that time, and launched a new age of superhero movie adaptations in its wake.

Tobey Maguire is clearly stronger as Parker than he is as Spider-Man, and in this way, he captures the legitimacy of a street-level hero. There is an emphasis on Maguire honing in on aspects of Parker's life when he's not donning the Spider-Suit, which adds to the film's overall authenticity. Being able to view Parker through this everyday lens as he keeps his alter-ego at bay contributes a tremendously human tone to Maguire's defining role. Combined with Willem Dafoe's incredible turn as Norman Osborn, a.k.a The Green Goblin, and an iconic kiss to boot, Spider-Man set the template for how audiences would imagine Spider-Man for generations to come.

4 Spider-Man 2 (2004)

Tobey Maguire Loses His Powers in Spider-Man 2
Sony Pictures Releasing

Tobey Maguire is the OG of the franchise in what is easily Maguire's best Spider-Man film. Spider-Man 2 transitions cleanly from its predecessor, keeping in stride with everything Raimi did right with Spider-Man. It pushes the story and themes of the first one forward while also working as a standalone film. As a result, this is a story any viewer could pick up.

The film is utterly charming in the most early-2000s sense imaginable. Elements of post-911 are scattered throughout, grounding its reality. The theme of doing the right thing, even when it's hard is perfectly demonstrated by Tobey Maguire's Parker. Even as a superhero, he's clearly struggling... and that's okay. Aside from this, Spider-Man's epic train scene is easily one of the most iconic of the series. Alfred Molina's Doc Ock is often regarded as one of the greatest comic book movie villains of all time, so much so that Kevin Feige decided just to bring him back into the MCU years later.

Related: Why Tobey Maguire Is Still the Best Peter Parker and Spider-Man Put to Live-Action Film

Together Raimi and Maguire created an incredibly quintessential comic book movie to the best of their ability. There is the possibility to extend the sentiment and make the bold claim that Spider-Man 2 may still be one of the best Marvel movies ever made. This sequel not only paved the way for the phenomenon of comic book genres in the cinematic arts but re-established what makes Spider-Man a character that audiences connect with.

3 Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)

Spider-Man- into the Spider-Verse team
Sony Pictures Releasing

Sony Pictures Animation's Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse was a welcome surprise. Teeming with creativity, this animated delight set Parker in the background and diversified the narrative. They even pioneered a new animation style to perfectly execute Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, establishing new technology to bring pop art to the big screen. In a stunning move straight out of geekdom, the viewer can pause the movie and see a still from a comic book.

This new Spider-Man, Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) is given his silver-screen debut without beating around the redundancies of live-action films. Though Morales' radioactive spider bite and coping with the loss of his uncle are two beats found in other Spider-Man material, the filmmakers lean into that familiarity to show how it connects Miles to the larger legacy of Spider-Man's past.

Stacked with a talented voice cast and an even more vibrant array of characters from other Spider-Verses, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is a fascinating, entertaining, and wholeheartedly uplifting alternative to the trio of Spider-Men we've already met. The movie became a sensation when it came out and became a favorite even among those who might not traditionally like superhero movies (some even say it's the best superhero movie). The film even went on to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film.

2 Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

SV2_mpp0420.1010_RT_sb_v1-copy
Sony

Expectations after the Academy Award-winning Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse were sky-high among fans, and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse delivered on that beyond any of those expectations. The experimental art style and applications of not only different color palettes but also completely different styles to differentiate dimensions worked strangely well. Not only that, but comic insertions and even blending live-action with a myriad of different art styles made the movie an experience of a lifetime.

In fact, Gwen Stacy's watercolor world, Miles' 3D, and both of their struggles with trying to figure out who they really are, to Spider-Punk Hobie's hyperactive punk aesthetics and a need for explicitly going against the flow at all times, and Spider-Man India Pavitr's Desi charm all mixed together to bring a unique group of Spider-heroes together that might seem so out of place at any other time, but their need to do what they think is right even if they have to fight every Spider-hero from every other dimension for it gave fans a completely fresh perspective on the whole genre.

In fact, the introduction of Spider-Man 2099 Miguel O'Hara as a wildly enigmatic character, and Peter B. Parker trying to convince Miles and later leading a group to protect Miles from his peers stole the spotlight as well. Filled with Easter eggs, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse was as much Gwen's movie as it was Miles', and it worked perfectly both ways. The visuals, the spectacular playlist, and the storyline all came together to provide a kind of cinematic experience people won't forget soon.

The only complaint about the movie seems to be that it ended at all, although that set up the anticipation for the final installment in the trilogy Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse coming next year nicely. What's more, is that this movie gave a glimpse that there are many other Spider-heroes out there with interesting stories to tell. Now only time will tell if that ever will come to fruition or not.

1 Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

The Three Heroes of Spider-Man No Way Home
Sony Pictures Releasing

The anticipation for Spider-Man: No Way Home was unlike any Spider-Man movie before it.... and it almost didn't happen after Sony and Marvel Studios nearly ended their contract with one another. For over a year, audiences devoured news of the casting of prior Spider-Man villains like Jamie Foxx's Electro and Alfred Molina's Doc Ock, all of which hinted at an event film like none other. Showing that the rumors had been true all along, both Maguire and Garfield appeared in the 2021 film as their own respective Peter Parkers before teaming up with the MCU's Tom Holland. Those who had the privilege of seeing Spider-Man: No Way Home in theaters can surely attest to the eruptions of celebration upon seeing the surprise-guests stars appear.

This film became an instant smash at the COVID-19 box office, showing that there was potential for audiences to return to pre-pandemic levels of attendance. From there, box office returns continued to grow to $1.9 billion. Yet Spider-Man: No Way Home is far more than a fan service movie. The appearance of the prior two Spider-Man movie actors is a love letter to the character that shows just how far he's come in twenty years... All while still managing to tell a classic Peter Parker Spider-Man story. The trio idealizes Spider-Man as a cinematic icon whose perpetual lessons of great power and great responsibility continue to transcend generations.