One of the most popular superheroes of all time,Spider-Manhas endeared himself to the masses as one of the mostrecognizable fictional charactersof all time. Despite the many heroes boasted by both Marvel and DC, a strong case can be made forSpider-Manbeing the most well-known of the lot who has been commercialized to Kingdom Come. The sheer number of movies featuring this webhead is a testament to that.
From nostalgic romps featuring Sam Raimi’s classic take on the superhero to the webhead’s heroic actions as a part of the MCU, it’s easy to see why fans can’t get enough of one of the most lovable heroes of all time. Stan Lee and Steve Ditko hit gold with this character, and almost everySpider-Manmovie has a bombastic and engaging conclusion that keeps fans wanting more.
5Spider-Man
Peter Parker’s Life Forever Changes When He Sacrifices Love With Great Responsibility
Sam Raimi’sSpider-Manis a cultural milestone, establishing Tobey Maguire as one of the most beloved actors to don the suit and take out the villains standing in his way. He captured the heroism and nerdiness of this character, helping audiences relate to a school outcast who gains powers and decides to fight against crime after his cockiness led to the death of his beloved uncle. However, things take a turn for the worse when Green Goblin arrives and beats him up time and time again before the webhead decides to take him out in one final confrontation.
The battle is gritty, and watching Spider-Man’s tattered mask as he suffers blow after blow is hard to digest. Thankfully, Peter manages to get the upper hand, but not before the Goblin unmasks himself and shocks Peter with his identity. This moment of hesitation prompts Norman to use his glider to get a fatal hit, only for the webhead’s Spider-Sense to kick in and save him at the cost of his enemy’s life. It’s a tragic self-inflicted death, and things get worse when Harry sees Spider-Man carry the corpse of his father before running away. A mourning best friend, and a woman whose love he cannot reciprocate, Peter Parker is burdened by the responsibility to be Spider-Man in this somber yet stellar ending.
4The Amazing Spider-Man
Peter Breaks His Promise and Continues His Romance With Gwen Stacy
After the Sam Raimi trilogy drew to a close, fans wanted to see another iteration of the webhead. Sony fulfilled these wishes withThe Amazing Spider-Man, with Andrew Garfield taking on the role of this hero and Emma Stone serving as a new romantic interest in the form of Gwen Stacy. After acquiring his powers, everyone’s favorite neighborhood Spider-Mancaptures criminals in New Yorkwhile sparking his love with Gwen. However, things take a turn for the worse when Curt Connors injects himself with an experimental serum to regrow his hand, only to transform into the Lizard and wreak havoc.
The serum addles Curt’s mental state. He goes completely nuts and decides to “help” the human species evolve by transforming them into lizards with an airborne pathogen. Spider-Man comes to save the day in the nick of time, but not before Gwen’s father passes away. After finding out the hero’s true identity in his last moments, he makes Peter promise him to stay away from Gwen and keep her safe. This leads to the couple splitting up as a guilty Peter tries to stay away from the woman he loves. Clearly, he’s unable to stay away, uttering an iconic line when told he shouldn’t make promises he can’t keep to leave a broad smile on Gwen’s face and reassure her that their relationship is far from over.
The idea ofa Spider-Man multiversegained steam withInto the Spider-Verseshowing the entertainment potential of such a concept. So, it’s easy to see why Marvel decided to hop onto this trend and direct a live-action spectacle for the ages where the live-action Spider-Men team up to battle against their respective foes and save the multiverse from tearing apart. Aunt May’s death fuels Peter to don the costume and save the world to preserve order, but it’s not until the end that he realizes what he has to sacrifice.
After Doctor Strange tries to repair the multiverse only to find the damage to be severe, he states that the only way to undo this damage would be for Peter to fade away from the minds of everyone he knows. It’s a tough call, but Spider-Man is a noble hero who’s well aware of the sacrifices that must be made in his profession. The ending is more of a new beginning for the webhead, who decides to become New York’s hero and battle any criminal that comes his way, whilst protecting the identity of Peter Parker and ensuring the safety of those he loves by having them forget him.
2Spider-Man 2
Mary Jane Leaves Her Wedding to be With Peter, and Harry Discovers Spider-Man is Peter Parker
Spider-Man 2is arguably the greatest live-actionSpider-Man movie of all time, with the threat of Otto Octavius and Peter’s fading powers threatening to put the webhead out of commission for good. However, a series of events leads to Peter regaining his mojo andentering Doc Ock’s hideoutto prevent his risky experiment from becoming a reality. It’s a tense confrontation, and MJ’s presence at the scene adds to the tension.
However, after appealing to Otto’s good side, Spider-Man convinces him to make the ultimate sacrifice and save New York from the disastrous magnetic waves that would’ve emanated from his experiment. To add the cherry on top of this climax, MJ makes the bold decision to run away at the altar and proclaim her love for Peter, giving fans another reason to cheer as the two cement their relationship. Sure, the fact that Harry knows about his best friend being Spider-Man and gains access to the Green Goblin’s armory may be a source of worry, but that’s a tale reserved for the sequel.
Spider-Man fans were in for a treat with theSpider-Versemovies, showing a level of creativity and love for the IP that propelled the first movie to become one of the most successful and lauded cinematic experiences for any fan of this hero. However, fans had no idea what was in store for them in the sequel, which took things to new heights and included one of the greatest chase sequences inSpider-Manhistory. After escaping Miguel O’Hara’s wrath,Miles assumes that he’s safe in his universe, only for the ugly truth to come rearing its head.
The fact that his spider came from a different universe meant that Miles' genetic makeup altered and confused the Inter-Dimension Teleporter to send him to the wrong world. He learns this first-hand when he comes face-to-face with the Miles Morales of Earth-42, who turns out to be the Prowler. It’s a mind-blowing revelation and ends this movie on one of the most tantalizing cliffhangers in Spider-Man history, and fans still eagerly await its conclusion withBeyond the Spider-Verse.
