There are 12 theatrical Spider-Man films across three live-action continuities (Raimi 2002–2007, Webb 2012–2014, Holland MCU 2017–2021), the animated Spider-Verse trilogy (2018–2025), and Sony's Spider-Man Universe spin-offs (Venom, Morbius, Madame Web, Kraven). The recommended watch order is release order. Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) is the multiverse crossover that ties the three live-action continuities together.
The complete Spider-Man cinematic chronology
Spider-Man is the most-adapted superhero in modern cinema. Since Sam Raimi's 2002 origin film kickstarted the modern superhero blockbuster era, twelve live-action theatrical Spider-Man movies have been released across three separate continuities, with three additional animated Spider-Verse films expanding the character's multiverse mythology, and four Sony's Spider-Man Universe spin-offs exploring villains and supporting characters. Three different actors have played Peter Parker in live action — Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, and Tom Holland — and a fourth, Shameik Moore, voices Miles Morales across the animated trilogy.
This guide walks through every Spider-Man film in chronological release order, identifies which continuity each belongs to, and explains how No Way Home (2021) and the Spider-Verse films connect (or deliberately don't connect) the broader multiverse.
The Sam Raimi Trilogy (Earth-96283)
The film that launched the modern superhero blockbuster era. Sam Raimi's earnest, character-first reading of Peter Parker — bitten by a genetically-modified spider on a high-school field trip, mentored briefly by his murdered Uncle Ben — set the tonal template every subsequent superhero film has either followed or reacted against. Willem Dafoe's Green Goblin remains one of the most-iconic comic-book villains in cinema. Read our complete Spider-Man (2002) plot, cast, and trivia breakdown.
Widely considered the greatest superhero film of the 2000s and frequently ranked the best Spider-Man film ever made. Alfred Molina's Doctor Octopus brings Shakespearean tragedy to the villain role; the train fight sequence is one of the most-referenced action set pieces in comic-book cinema. The film's emotional arc — Peter giving up the suit, then choosing it back — became the template for Tom Holland's MCU trilogy fifteen years later. Full coverage in our Spider-Man 2 plot guide.
The Raimi trilogy's tonally overstuffed conclusion. Three villains (Sandman, Venom, New Goblin), a dance-sequence emo-Peter subplot, and producer-mandated character additions that didn't fit Raimi's original vision combined to produce a film fans either embrace as camp masterpiece or reject as franchise misstep. Topher Grace's Eddie Brock and the black-suit storyline have aged better in retrospect. Our Spider-Man 3 coverage walks through the full plot.
The Marc Webb Amazing Duology (Earth-120703)
Sony's necessary reboot following the canceled Raimi-Maguire Spider-Man 4. Andrew Garfield brought a wittier, snarkier, more-physically-acrobatic Spider-Man closer to the comic-book character's brash teenage energy. Emma Stone's Gwen Stacy supplied the franchise's strongest romantic chemistry. Rhys Ifans's Curt Connors / Lizard worked as villain but didn't reach Dafoe-or-Molina-level threat. Read our Amazing Spider-Man coverage for the full plot.
The film's franchise-setup detours (Electro, Rhino, Green Goblin, hints toward Sinister Six) overcrowded the central Peter-and-Gwen story. The final-reel adaptation of The Night Gwen Stacy Died from the 1973 comic remains the most-devastating sequence in any Spider-Man film. The film's underperformance directly led to Sony partnering with Marvel Studios to integrate Spider-Man into the MCU. Full plot in our Amazing Spider-Man 2 coverage.
The Tom Holland MCU Trilogy (Earth-616 / MCU)
Tom Holland's first solo MCU outing, following his scene-stealing Civil War debut. Michael Keaton's grounded, working-class Vulture brought genuine menace to a high-school-set Spider-Man story. Holland's youthful energy and Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark mentorship reframed Spider-Man as part of a larger universe. Read our full Homecoming plot guide.
Marvel's post-Endgame transition film. Jake Gyllenhaal's Quentin Beck / Mysterio reframed the character as a special-effects-savant illusionist rather than the comic-book Hollywood-stunt-veteran. The film's mid-credits reveal — J. Jonah Jameson exposing Peter's identity to the world — set up the entire premise of No Way Home. Full coverage in our Far From Home plot guide.
The first multiverse-crossover Spider-Man film. Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield return to fight alongside Tom Holland against villains pulled from their respective continuities (Willem Dafoe, Alfred Molina, Thomas Haden Church, Rhys Ifans, Jamie Foxx). The film grossed nearly $2 billion globally and is the highest-grossing Sony film of all time. Read our complete No Way Home plot breakdown.
The Animated Spider-Verse Trilogy
The animated Miles Morales origin film that won the 2019 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Sony Pictures Animation's blend of 2D comic-book and 3D animation, combined with Phil Lord and Christopher Miller's screenplay, produced the most-acclaimed Spider-Man film of all time. Miles Morales, voiced by Shameik Moore, became the breakout new Spider-Man for an entire generation. Full coverage in our Into the Spider-Verse plot guide.
The middle installment of the planned Spider-Verse trilogy. Hundreds of Spider-people across the multiverse, the Society of Spider-People led by Oscar Isaac's Spider-Man 2099, and a cliffhanger ending that left Miles trapped in an alternate dimension. Frequently ranked alongside Spider-Man 2 as one of the two greatest Spider-Man films ever made. Read our Across the Spider-Verse coverage.
Sony's Spider-Man Universe (Spin-Offs)
Sony's parallel "Spider-Man Universe" series of films explore villain and supporting-character spin-offs without Spider-Man directly appearing on screen. The continuity's relationship to the main Spider-Man films remains deliberately ambiguous, though Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021) included a brief mid-credits scene that placed Tom Hardy's Eddie Brock in Tom Holland's MCU continuity for a single No-Way-Home-adjacent sequence.
- Venom (2018) — Tom Hardy's Eddie Brock origin.
- Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021) — Woody Harrelson's Cletus Kasady / Carnage.
- Morbius (2022) — Jared Leto's vampiric Dr. Michael Morbius.
- Madame Web (2024) — Dakota Johnson's precognitive Cassandra Webb.
- Venom: The Last Dance (2024) — Tom Hardy's final Venom film.
- Kraven the Hunter (2024) — Aaron Taylor-Johnson's R-rated Sergei Kravinoff.
What's next for Spider-Man?
Marvel Studios and Sony have officially confirmed a fourth Tom Holland Spider-Man film, currently titled Spider-Man: Brand New Day, scheduled for theatrical release in 2026. The animated Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse remains in production with a release window expected for 2025 or 2026. James Gunn's separate DC Universe is unrelated to Spider-Man.
Related guides
- Spider-Man Character Profile — comprehensive deep dive into every Peter Parker actor, the character's comic-book history, and every animated voice performance.
- MCU Watch Order — complete in-universe chronology for Tom Holland's Spider-Man within the broader MCU.
- Crossover Map — visual map of how Spider-Man connects to the broader comic-book cinema universe.
- Top 25 Comic Book Films — Spider-Man 2 (2004), Into the Spider-Verse (2018), and No Way Home (2021) all rank in our top 25.
- Best Comic Book Films on Streaming — find every Spider-Man film and where to watch it.