For the longest time, Spider-Man was just known to be a famous comic book superhero. They do not know that he is a character in Spider-Verse, which consists of more Spider-People like him in alternate universes. However, Spider-Man’s franchise has always been tough and chaotic. Although Sony owns the rights to Spider-Man, Disney-owned Marvel has been loaned a fair share for some Marvel Cinematic Universe films.
Spider-Man typically has seven live-action films and several animated shows. However, to understand Spider-Man completely, you have to watch a few other films apart from the original ones as Spider-Man has made appearances in them and has a role to play. Listed below are the best Spider-Man films followed by the best-animated films in their correct order to watch.
NOTE: Spoilers Ahead!
Upcoming Spider-Man Movies
1. Spider-Man: Far From Home sequel
The currently-unnamed sequel of Spider-Man: Far From Home will be hitting the US and UK cinemas on 17th December 2021. Although Tom Holland as Spider-Man has been confirmed, word has been out that Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield will be joining him on screen in their respective roles as Peter Parker.
Though unverified, it clearly looks as if the movie is heading for a live-action multi-verse show, making the wait all the more difficult to keep calm. Fortunately, the threequel filming is already underway in Atlanta, and if all things head well, the December release should not be delayed any further.
2. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse 2
Yet another untitled movie, but we did see this one coming. Especially after the first Spider-Verse movie, there was no way the viewers would not have expected a sequel. The producers have said that this movie will focus more on an inter-verse romance between Miles Morales and Gwen Stacy while attempting to communicate between dimensions and traveling through them. Although the movie was to be released on April 8, 2022, they had to delay the release to October 7, 2022, according to US and UK cinemas. Thankfully, the filming is underway, and there shouldn’t be any further delays with the release.
Best Spider-Man Movies
1. Spider-Man (2002)
- Director: Sam Raimi
- Writer: David Koepp, Scott Rosenberg
- Cast: Kirsten Dunst, Tobey Maguire, James Franco, J. K. Simmons, Willem Dafoe
- IMDB Ratings: 7.3/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 90%
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime
Based on the superhero character from Marvel Comics and also a production of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-man by Sam Raimi is a story of a high school nerd, Peter Parker. Peter’s character is portrayed as an anxious teen who was orphaned as a child, frequently bullied by the jocks in his school, and someone who, no matter what, is too scared to confess his feelings for the stunning girl that lives next door, Mary Jane Watson.
But things take a completely different turn when he gets bitten by a genetically modified spider while on an excursion to a laboratory. This alters his life in a way that he never even nearly fathomed. Peter gains muscles and becomes stronger, his sight gets fixed, gains the ability to clasp and crawl over surfaces, and also the ability to suspend webs out his wrists.
But as Spider-Man’s famous quote goes, “With great power comes great responsibility,” even Peter Parker finds himself bound to certain responsibilities as Spider-Man. Norman Osborn, a rather odd millionaire, carries out a drug experiment and watches it go wrong as he transforms into “Green Goblin.” Now, Peter Parker has to become Spider-Man, the new superhero expected to save the town from Goblin’s wrath and take him down.
2. Spider-Man 2 (2004)
- Director: Sam Raimi
- Writer: Alvin Sargent
- Cast: Kirsten Dunst, Tobey Maguire, James Franco, J. K. Simmons, Alfred Molina
- IMDB Ratings: 7.3/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 93%
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime
Despite gaining a lot of name and fame and fulfilling duties as Spider-Man for two whole years, Peter Parker is still miserable, and his life has begun only to worsen. His love life, his grades, his job, everything is slipping away out of his hand. On top of everything, the newspaper, Daily Bugle, is viciously attacking him, claiming that Spider-Man is a criminal and not a hero. He exhausts his threshold and decides to give up the superhero life. However, his retiring plans are put down at a halt when after an experiment goes haywire, a queer and manic scientist, Dr. Otto Octavius, turns into a supervillain. Will he gather himself back and fight his way through?
3. Spider-Man 3 (2007)
- Director: Sam Raimi
- Writer: David Koepp, Scott Rosenberg
- Cast: Kirsten Dunst, Tobey Maguire, James Franco, J. K. Simmons, Topher Grace
- IMDB Ratings: 6.2/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 63%
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime
After much turmoil in Peter Parker’s life, in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 3, Mary Jane and Peter finally confess their love for one another. Things finally seem to come together, and Parker seems to have maintained a balance between his lives as both Spiderman and as Peter Parker. Spider-Man remains committed to rescuing the world in times of its needs while Mary Jane becomes the star of a huge show all the way up on Broadway.
After Peter attempts reasoning with Harry and tries to fix their ties, a violent confrontation breaks out, followed by a brutal battle, and consequentially Harry suffers from temporary amnesia. On the other hand, Peter encounters a latch, and it attaches itself to the Spider-Man suit that he was wearing, while it slowly turns jet black. After a while, Peter feels a difference in his behavior and starts becoming more aggressive.
Along with the change in his behavior, he also notices that his powers are amplified. In a struggle to save his relationship with Mary Jane, he takes off his suit with the church bells’ help while the suit finally latches itself onto Eddie Brock. Though average, Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 3 gives us a heartbreaking end as Harry reconciles with Peter after knowing about the truth and dies in his and Mary Jane’s arms.
4. The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)
- Director: Marc Web
- Writer: James Vanderbilt, Alvin Sargent
- Cast: Andrew Garfield, Jamie Foxx, Emma Stone, Dane DeHaan, Stan Lee
- IMDB Ratings: 6.9/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 72%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
Spending days in an attempt to come to terms with the mysteries of his past and finally win over his crush, Gwen Stacy, the nerdy high schooler and pariah, Peter Parker, has a lot going on. Backed up by the support of Peter’s Uncle Ben and loving Aunt May, who brought him up soon after his parents left him with them, Peter Parker accidentally comes across a suitcase hidden away; a top-secret discovery that might open paths for a sudden and unusual transformation, and the revelation of a new identity.
As Peter discovers the briefcase that originally was his father’s, he decides to move on a quest to search for answers and seek answers for his parents’ mysterious disappearance that eventually leads him directly to Oscorp and the laboratory Dr. Curt Connors, former partner of his father. As Spider-Man is set on a face-off with Connors’ surrogate, The Lizard, Spider-Man tends to make revolutionary choices concerning his powers and alters his destiny to become a superhero finally. Hence, Peter sets out on an overwhelming mission to find answers, emerging to protect the city of New York from brutal rivals and an unstoppable reptilian nemesis.
5. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)
- Director: Marc Webb
- Writer: Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, Jeff Pinkner
- Cast: Emma Stone, Andrew Garfield, Jamie Foxx, Dane DeHaan, Stan Lee
- IMDB Ratings: 6.6/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 51%
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime
With the opening of The Amazing Spider-Man 2, we discover Richard and Madonna Parker stealing away with some crucial Oscorp files whilst retiring young Peter within the care of Aunt May and Uncle Ben. Fast forward a few decades, Peter, now a graduate, is swinging his way through the city’s action as Spider-Man; disappointed with the hijacking of Oscorp’s truck by ill-famed criminal Aleksei Sytsevich, Spider-Man ditches the costume simply in time to meet Gwen Stacy on stage at their high school graduation. Despite his true love for Gwen, Peter is haunted by the promise he made to Gwen’s late father to keep her away from trouble as Spider-Man’s many rivals might target her.
Meanwhile, Harry Osborne falls heir to OsCorp and a deadly animal virus from Norman, his father. Another good, however, timid OsCorp mortal liquid ecstasy gets infused in Dillon with a strong electricity dose while attempting to repair a faulty power circuit within the workplace. Upon restitution consciousness, Electro discovers that he possesses the power to produce electricity – the more the voltage, the more powerful he keeps getting. Once a battle with Electro in the city district breaks out Spider-Man’s web-shooters, Peter Parker goes to develop an additional, trustworthy model of his prime weapon.
Later, wicked OsCorp chairman Donald Menken steals the corporate out right out from below Harry, driving the revengeful youth to interrupt Electro out of the heavily-guarded Ravencroft Institute to carry out a two-target attack on Menken and Spider-Man.
6. Captain America: Civil War (2016)
- Director: Joe Russo, Anthony Russo
- Writer: Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely
- Cast: Chris Evans, Tom Holland, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Robert Downey Jr.
- IMDB Ratings: 7.8/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 90%
- Streaming Platform: Disney+ Hotstar
Although Captain America: Civil War is not a Spider-Man film, it still is considered an important one as it was Tom Holland’s debut appearance as Spider-Man. When Tony Stark and Captain America are forced to turn against each other over a debate on superhumans and the government’s control over them, they assemble their own teams for an ultimate face-off. For this recruitment procedure, Tony Stark visits Peter Parker’s apartment in Queens and convinces him to come along. The epic battle between the two teams is one to watch for, along with Spider-Man and Tony Stark’s comical chemistry.
7. Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
- Director: Jon Watts
- Writer: Jon Watts, Jonathan Goldstein, Erik Sommers, Chris Mckenna, Christopher Ford, John Francis Daley
- Cast: Zendaya, Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Robert Downey, Jr.
- IMDB Ratings: 7.4/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 92%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
As a continuation from Captain America: Civil War, in Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), Peter returns home to Aunt May and his ordinary life in Queens. However, he seems unable to recover from the rush and thrill of the life of an Avenger. He starts slinging his way through crimes around his place on his own when he eventually stumbles upon Adrian Toomes, who has been secretly selling recovered weapons from the battle of the first Avengers. Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) is one of the more important films as Tom Holland’s first Spider-Man film.
8. Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
- Director: Joe Russo, Anthony Russo
- Writer: Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely
- Cast: Tom Holland, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Robert Downey Jr.
- IMDB Ratings: 8.4/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 85%
- Streaming Platform: Disney+ Hotstar
The Avenger series needs no introduction as it has been one of the most highly watched and appreciated movies in Marvel movies’ history. With Thanos directing the world’s fate, he also succeeded in directing our emotions, considering how this movie left us speechless at the end. Although all the characters played a heart-breaking end, Peter Parker’s ending too broke all of us for good. At least, until the release of Avengers: Endgame. In this film, we saw Iron Man designing a special suit for Spider-Man, the Iron-Spider. The duo’s relationship is an extremely interesting and overwhelming one as they keep looking out for each other.
9. Avengers: Endgame (2019)
- Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
- Writer: Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely
- Cast: Tom Holland, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, Robert Downey Jr.
- IMDB Ratings: 8.4/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 94%
- Streaming Platform: Disney+ Hotstar
While Avengers: Endgame is one of the most important movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man does not get enough screen-time in this movie. However, Spider-Man’s role is crucial as, after this movie, he proves his potential to be a true avenger. Although we get the thrill of witnessing the climax scene in the movie when all superheroes of the Marvel universe come together to fight Thanos, we did see a terrible heart-break incoming. With Spider-Man coming back to his mentor, Tony Stark, the end of Avengers: Endgame, yet again, makes its viewers shed tears with Tony Stark’s greatest sacrifice.
10. Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
- Director: Jon Watts
- Writer: Erik Sommers, Chris Mckenna
- Cast: Zendaya, Tom Holland, Jake Gyllenhaal, Jacob Batalon
- IMDB Ratings: 7.5/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 91%
- Streaming Platform: YouTube
Spider-Man: Far From Home, co-produced by Marvel Studios and Columbia Pictures, is basically in a post Endgame world. Peter Parker is played by Tom Holland, who is haunted by the memories of Tony Stark’s death and finds it difficult to get back to his regular life. Peter’s school decides on taking them on a field trip to Europe, where he decides that he will confess his feelings for his classmate, MJ.
In Europe, Peter Parker comes in contact with Quentin Beck after he destroys the Water Elemental. In Spider-Man: Far From Home, we see Nick Fury pass on Tony Stark’s glasses to Spider-Man, which were meant to be received by Tony’s successor. Nick Fury also asks Spider-Man to join them back to fight the ending chain of crimes, but he does not comply and resumes his field trip.
After Beck’s series of fights to prove that he is the good guy, it unravels that his actual intentions imply otherwise. With the help of E.D.I.T.H., an AI, Peter gets access to Tony Stark’s databases, which helps him get in command of situations.
Best Animated Spider-Man Movies
Apart from Spider-Man’s long list of live-action movies, there are also many animated movies and Spider-Man series that are just as entertaining and enjoyable to watch.
1. Spider-Man (1967)
- Program Creators: Ralph Bakshi, Stan Lee, Steve Ditko, Grantray-Lawrence Animation, Krantz Films
- Writers: Stan Lee, Steve Ditko
- Cast: Paul Soles, Peg Dixon, Paul Kligman, Carl Banas
- IMDB Ratings: 7.4/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 71%
- Streaming Platform: NA
Spider-Man’s very first on-screen performance came with the launch of this fun show for children. This show can be referenced as the OG of all Spider-Man movies ever, paving ways to create multiple memes with its fun and adventure and with a theme song that is played, at least once Spider-Man movies. Spider-Man (1967) may sound ancient, but without this show, we may not have gotten all the other Spider-Man shows that came after.
2. Spider-Man (1981)
- Program Creators: DePatie–Freleng Enterprises, Stan Lee, Steve Ditko
- Writer: Jeffrey Scott
- Cast: Walker Edmiston, Ted Schwartz, Bill Woodson, Michael Rye
- IMDB Ratings: 7/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 86%
- Streaming Platform: Disney+
As entertaining as the series was, Spider-Man (1981) got canceled soon after its twenty-second episode. It was much like the original Spider-Man series, but the show was way ahead of its time. The show brought in multiple surprise appearances of other Marvel superheroes and supervillains, including Captain America, Doctor Doom, and Namor. However, the show got canceled due to alternate agendas of the Entertainment house.
3. Spider-Man And His Amazing Friends (1981)
- Director: Don Jurwich
- Writers: Stan Lee, Dennis Marks, Hans Conried, Kathy Garver
- Cast: June Foray, Anne Lockhart, John Stephenson, Dennis Marks
- IMDB Ratings: 7.2/10
- Streaming Platform: Disney+
The same animation and production team put forward another series with a small bunch of superheroes, including Spider-Man, Fireband, and Iceman from the X-Men. This series goes all out with guest star appearances; another reason why viewers so highly liked it. Even to date, people go back to enjoy this series. Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends was a super-hit of its time with three short seasons till the present date.
4. Spider-Man (1994)
- Program Creators: Stan Lee, Steve Ditko
- Writer: John Semper
- Cast: Christopher Daniel Barnes, Ed Asner, Roscoe Lee Browne, Sara Ballantine
- IMDB Ratings: 8.4/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 86%
- Streaming Platform: Disney+
Spider-Man (1967) is where it all began, but Spider-Man (1994) is considered the best-animated reboots of all shows by a lot of people. The show has better action, a better grip on the story, darker twists, better attention to the superheroes, and exceptional animation. It was one of the most highly appreciated Spider-Man shows and remained to be. Spider-Man (1994) was the longest-running Spider-Man show consisting of five seasons until that year.
5. Spider-Man Unlimited (1999)
- Program Creators: Stan Lee, Steve Ditko
- Writer: Larry Brody
- Cast: Rino Romano, Richard Newman, Akiko Morison, Rhys Huber
- IMDB Ratings: 6.4/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 50%
- Streaming Platform: Disney+ Hotstar
Spider-Man Unlimited (1999) was more of a continuation of the previous series with Peter Parker chasing Carnage and Venom into a tech-savvy universe with a mission to stop them and save the life of J. Jonah Jameson’s son. However, the show lasted only a season as everything about it was blase staring from the animation to Spider-Man’s suit.
6. Spider-Man: The New Animated Series (2003)
- Program Creators: Stan Lee, Steve Ditko
- Writer: Brian Michael Bendis, Morgan Gendel, Marsha Griffin
- Cast: Neil Patrick Harris, Angelle Brooks, Lisa Loeb, Ian Ziering
- IMDB Ratings: 7/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 80%
- Streaming Platform: Google Play and iTunes (available for purchase)
Spider-Man: The New Animated Series suffered a serious loss in the number of viewers launched on MTV. The show’s poor animation made it very difficult for the show to last, and eventually, it got canceled after the first season. It’s a pity because the writing and performances were mostly pretty apt.
7. The Spectacular Spider-Man (2008)
- Program Creators: Stan Lee, Steve Ditko, Greg Weisman
- Writer: Greg Weisman, Nicole Dubuc, Stan Lee, Steve Ditko
- Cast: Stan Lee, Josh Keaton, Lacey Chabert, Greg Weisman
- IMDB Ratings: 8.1/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 98%
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime
The Spectacular Spider-Man is debated to be the best animated Spider-Man series in the Spider-Man series’s history. The show’s animation is unique and exquisite, and they didn’t miss out on the important parts of the comic, and character performances were thoroughly appealing. However, due to rights, even The Spectacular Spider-Man got canceled soon after the first two seasons.
8. Ultimate Spider-Man (2012)
- Program Creators: Stan Lee, Steve Ditko
- Writer: Joe Casey, Steve Ditko
- Cast: Drake Bell, J. K. Simmons, Ogie Banks, Greg Cipes
- IMDB Ratings: 7.1/10
- Streaming Platform: Disney+ Hotstar
Even though the show hints towards Miles Morales, the Spider-Man here is still Peter Parker. But this time, he has been upgraded by Nick Fury. Later, this very Spider-Man would have a crossover with Marvel’s Avengers Assemble. With a tonne of action mixed with humor, the show became the longest-lasting Spider-Man show with four long seasons extending to a five-year duration.
9. Marvel’s Spider-Man (2017)
- Program Creator: Kevin Shinick
- Writer: Kevin Shinick
- Cast: Laura Bailey, Robbie Daymond, Fred Tatasciore
- IMDB Ratings: 6.1/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 70%
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime
This series of Marvel’s Spider-Man focuses on Peter Parker’s attempt to balance his life as Spider-Man and joining a special technical school for children with genius minds. The show also introduced the concept of the multiverse as many Spider-People have included. Although the animation has been quite average, the show still hasn’t given a chance to get canceled.
10. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
- Director: Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman, Bob Persichetti
- Writer: Phil Lord, Rodney Rothman
- Cast: Shemeik Moore, Jake Johnson, Hailee Steinfeld, Nicolas Cage, John Mulaney, Chris Pine
- IMDB Ratings: 8.4/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 97%
- Streaming Platform: YouTube
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse has been, without a doubt, the best animated Spider-Man movie in history. The animation, performance, script, action, humor, and everything in the movie are right. Miles Morales, a high schooler, struggles to navigate life in his new private school and live up to his father’s expectations. But he finds his life completely changes when he is bitten by a radioactive spider in an abandoned subway station while painting graffiti with his uncle. Consequentially, a bunch of hurdles, rolls his way. Now he can either choose to run away from the new set of responsibilities thrown at him or resume his basic life, which he is already tired of.
With the changing casts of Spider-Man and its constant rise and fall, it can be difficult to keep track of the Spider-Man movies and TV shows. However, there is no reason enough to keep superhero lovers at bay from having such an amazing experience. After all, who doesn’t like a good series of Marvel movies?
