Four actors have played Spider-Man in live-action: Nicholas Hammond (CBS TV, 1977-1979), Tobey Maguire (Raimi trilogy 2002-2007), Andrew Garfield (Amazing Spider-Man duology 2012-2014), and Tom Holland (MCU 2016-present). Tom Holland holds the longest single-actor tenure; Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man 2 (2004) remains the franchise's critical high-water mark; Andrew Garfield's reputation was rehabilitated by his No Way Home (2021) return.
The full lineage of cinematic Spider-Men
Spider-Man has been portrayed by more actors in live-action film and television than any other Marvel character. Since the 1977 made-for-TV Nicholas Hammond run, every major Hollywood era has produced its own Peter Parker. The Sam Raimi trilogy (2002-2007) made superhero films into a commercial blockbuster genre. The Marc Webb duology (2012-2014) tried to grit-reboot it. The MCU integration (2016-present) put Spider-Man in the world's most-watched franchise. The animated Spider-Verse (2018-present) opened up the multiverse entirely.
Below, we rank every live-action Spider-Man actor by performance quality, cultural impact, franchise contribution, and faithfulness to the character. Animated voice actors are addressed in a separate section.
The ranking
Tom Holland's MCU Peter Parker is the longest-running uninterrupted Spider-Man in any single actor's tenure. He debuted in Captain America: Civil War (2016) at age 19, anchored the franchise through Homecoming (2017), Far From Home (2019), and the cultural phenomenon No Way Home (2021). His take — a teenager who happens to be a superhero, mentored by Tony Stark — became the franchise's most-financially-successful version. Brand New Day (July 2026) reboots his arc post-mind-wipe. Holland's combination of physical agility, comedic timing, and emotional vulnerability defines the contemporary Spider-Man template. Read our complete No Way Home coverage.
Tobey Maguire's Peter Parker defined the modern superhero blockbuster. Sam Raimi's Spider-Man (2002) opened the door for every Marvel film that followed; Spider-Man 2 (2004) is still routinely cited as one of the greatest superhero films ever made. His Peter — a sincere, slightly-awkward photography geek who repeatedly chooses responsibility over personal happiness — established the emotional template every subsequent live-action Peter has worked from. His No Way Home (2021) return was the most-celebrated multiversal reunion of any 2021 film. Even Spider-Man 3 (2007)'s troubled production didn't diminish his standing.
Andrew Garfield's tenure was brief and commercially troubled — The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) and its 2014 sequel underperformed at the box office, leading Sony to terminate his contract for the MCU co-production. But Garfield's Peter — leaner, more wisecracking, with more visible emotional damage from Uncle Ben's death — has aged into one of the most-beloved interpretations. His No Way Home (2021) catch of MJ — explicitly mirroring his failure to save Gwen Stacy — became one of the most-emotionally-celebrated scenes in modern superhero cinema. The fan-driven 'Make Garfield Spider-Man 3' campaign continues to this day.
Shameik Moore's voice performance as Miles Morales in the Spider-Verse animated trilogy is the franchise's most-acclaimed non-live-action Spider-Man. Into the Spider-Verse (2018) won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature; Across the Spider-Verse (2023) earned Phil Lord and Christopher Miller cult-classic status. Miles Morales — Brooklyn-based, Afro-Latino, the first lead Spider-Man of color — has become the second-most-recognized Spider-Man identity in the franchise. Beyond the Spider-Verse (2027) closes the trilogy.
Nicholas Hammond played Spider-Man in the CBS made-for-TV film and 13-episode television series — the character's first live-action portrayal. The production was widely mocked at the time for its limited budget, low-grade special effects, and grounded register that minimized Spider-Man's comic-book aesthetic. Hammond's Peter has since been recontextualized as a sincere effort given the era's superhero-TV constraints. The series is mostly forgotten outside hardcore Spider-Man fandom.
Animated voice actors worth honoring
Voice-only performances are usually excluded from 'who played Spider-Man' rankings, but several deserve recognition:
- Jake Johnson (Peter B. Parker) — voiced the disheveled middle-aged Peter B. Parker in the Spider-Verse trilogy. His take on Peter as a divorced, exhausted middle-aged hero became one of the franchise's most-beloved characters.
- Hailee Steinfeld (Spider-Gwen) — voiced Gwen Stacy / Spider-Woman across both Spider-Verse films. Her arc through Across the Spider-Verse (2023) received broad critical praise.
- Christopher Daniel Barnes — voiced Spider-Man in the 1994 Spider-Man: The Animated Series, considered the gold-standard animated Spider-Man portrayal for that generation.
- Yuri Lowenthal — voiced Peter Parker in the Insomniac PlayStation Spider-Man games (2018, 2020, 2023). His Spider-Man has become the modern animation reference.
Spider-Man tenure comparison
The four major live-action Spider-Men have widely varied tenures and contexts:
- Tom Holland: 7+ films across 10 years (2016-present). Longest single-actor uninterrupted Spider-Man tenure.
- Tobey Maguire: 3 trilogy films + No Way Home cameo. Most-watched Spider-Man of any cinematic era at theatrical release.
- Andrew Garfield: 2 films + No Way Home cameo. Shortest tenure; most-rehabilitated reputation through 2021's multiversal return.
- Nicholas Hammond: 1 TV film + 13 TV episodes (1977-1979). Original; least-recognized.
Frequently asked questions
How many actors have played Spider-Man in live action?
Who is the best Spider-Man actor of all time?
Did Tobey Maguire return as Spider-Man?
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Related guides
- Top 25 Comic Book Films — our editorial all-time ranking.
- Highest-Grossing Comic Book Movies — box-office rankings.
- Best Comic Book Movie of All Time — definitive top 10.
- MCU Watch Order — for Marvel-focused viewing.
- Every Batman Actor Ranked — for DC-focused coverage.