Spider-Man

Character history & cinematic adaptations

Spider-Man's first issue, Amazing Fantasy #15 (August 1962), is one of the most consequential single comic books ever published. Stan Lee and Steve Ditko's premise — a teenager grappling with power, responsibility, grief, and ordinary adolescent failure — established the modern superhero archetype. Every angsty teen hero since (Beast Boy, Robin, Static, Miles Morales himself) descends from Peter Parker's template.

Three actors have headlined the character in live-action film, across three distinct continuity branches that finally crossed in Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021). Tobey Maguire in Sam Raimi's original trilogy: Spider-Man (2002), Spider-Man 2 (2004), and Spider-Man 3 (2007). Andrew Garfield in Marc Webb's Amazing duology: The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) and The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014). And Tom Holland in the MCU/Sony co-production: Homecoming (2017), Far From Home (2019), No Way Home (2021), and the upcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026).

Miles Morales — Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli's 2011 creation in Ultimate Spider-Man #1 — has become Spider-Man's parallel cinematic identity through the Phil Lord and Christopher Miller animated trilogy: Into the Spider-Verse (2018), Across the Spider-Verse (2023), and the upcoming Beyond the Spider-Verse (2027). Into won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.

For ranked analysis of every Spider-Man film, see our Every Spider-Man Movie Ranked pillar. For the complete Sony cinematic context including Venom, Morbius, and Kraven spinoffs, see our Sony Spider-Verse hub.

Films featuring Spider-Man

Notable actor portrayals

• Tom Holland
• Tobey Maguire
• Andrew Garfield