The Amazing Spider-ManSave

We open with young Peter Parker (Max Charles) at home. His father Richard (Campbell Scott) is a brilliant genetic scientist who works at OsCorp. One day Richard's home laboratory has been broken into. Richard and Peter's mother Mary flee to leave their son with his aunt May (Sally Field) and uncle Ben (Martin Sheen). Days later, the Parker plane crashes — both parents dead. Peter, now an orphan, is raised by his aunt and uncle.

Cut to: present day. Peter is a 17-year-old science nerd at Midtown Science High School. He has a crush on Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone) — the school's brilliant academic star and police-chief's daughter. Peter discovers his father's old briefcase in his uncle's basement. Inside: scientific papers connecting Richard Parker to Dr. Curt Connors (Rhys Ifans), a one-armed reptile researcher at OsCorp.

Peter sneaks into OsCorp during a school tour to meet Dr. Connors. There, in the genetics lab, a genetically-modified spider escapes its container and bites Peter. He develops superhuman strength, agility, and the ability to climb walls. He doesn't develop organic web-shooters — this version of Spider-Man invents mechanical web-shooters in his basement.

Dr. Connors, having lost his right arm in a car accident, has been working on a cross-species DNA serum based on lizard regeneration. He injects himself with the serum. He transforms into a 20-foot bipedal lizard — the Lizard. The transformation is initially controlled but progressively more degraded.

The Lizard kills two NYPD officers in front of Peter's Uncle Ben at the convenience store where Ben is buying milk. Ben dies trying to stop the carjacker (whose connection to the Lizard is implied but not directly stated). Peter, devastated and seeking revenge, dons a homemade Spider-Man costume and hunts the killers across New York. He is initially considered a vigilante criminal.

Peter develops a relationship with Gwen Stacy. Captain George Stacy — Gwen's father, the NYPD chief — is hunting Spider-Man. Peter eventually reveals his identity to Gwen. The two of them work to stop the Lizard, who is planning to release a city-wide serum that would transform all of Manhattan into lizard-humanoids — a permanent genetic mutation.

The final battle takes place on top of the OsCorp building. Peter, with Gwen's help (she synthesizes an antidote in OsCorp's basement lab), neutralizes the Lizard's airborne serum. The Lizard is captured and reverts to Dr. Connors. Captain Stacy dies in the fight, having just sworn Peter to leave Gwen alone for her safety. The film closes with Peter, in violation of his promise to her dying father, continuing his relationship with Gwen.

The Amazing Spider-Man grossed $757 million globally on a $230 million budget — strong commercial success but slightly below the original Sam Raimi trilogy. Critics responded warmly to the more-grounded tonal approach. Marc Webb returned for The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014). Sony's plan for a multi-film Andrew Garfield Spider-Man universe was eventually canceled after the second film's underperformance, leading to the MCU co-production deal that produced Homecoming (2017).