Every Spider-Man Movie Ranked From Best To Worst
Here is every single Spider-Man movie ranked using our Giant Freakin Robot Movie Score.
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You may not realize it, but your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man has been on film going on 44 years. We are not talking animated but actual feature films. Most of us know the trifecta of Spider-Man (or Men, as it were) – Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, and Tom Holland. Most of you won’t recognize the name, Nicholas Hammond. Because of that very exact reason, Giant Freakin Robot decided to use our Movie Score algorithm and apply it to the Spider-Man movie franchise with some interesting results. Read on and let the web-slinging debate begin.
SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE (2018)
GIANT FREAKIN MOVIE SCORE: 9.05/10
Okay, so it’s animated. But it is also the only Oscar winner on the list. This wonderfully fun animated movie was the creation of Phil Lord, taking home the big prize, Best Animated Feature – the first non-Disney/Pixar since 2011 – at the 91st Academy Awards. The movie introduced fans to Miles Morales, the young man who takes over the Spider-Man mantle after he watches first Green Goblin severely injuring Spider-Man, then in horror as Kingpin finishes the job by actually killing Spider-Man. Morales eventually comes across a Peter B. Parker, an older version of Parker who has arrived from a different dimension.
This version of Parker becomes a reluctant mentor to Morales and their adventures begin. This would include battles with Kingpin, Prowler, Scorpion, Octavius, and Tombstone. We see different versions of Spider-Man which include Spider-Ham and Spider-Man Noir and also featured the voice talents of Shameik Moore, Jake Johnson, Chris Pine, Hailee Steinfeld, Kathryn Hahn, Live Schreiber, and Nicholas Cage. Most worthy of a number one ranking in the Spider-Man pantheon.
SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING (2017)
GIANT FREAKIN MOVIE SCORE: 8.3/10
In terms of feature films that didn’t include a Spider-Pig, Tom Holland’s first venture in a solo movie as Spider-Man ranks up there in a tie for the numero uno spot. No complaints about that. Holland took over a role first made famous by Tobey Maguire and then Andrew Garfield and didn’t miss a beat. He first put the costume on in a brief appearance in Captain America: Civil War before leading the cast in Spider-Man: Homecoming.
This movie took Peter Parker back to high school, already having him established as Spider-Man, so a complete reboot was unnecessary. We knew his Uncle Ben had been killed and Peter was just trying to work his way through high school, albeit by also trying to hide his identity as Spider-Man. In terms of his friends at school, only Ned knew of Peter’s identity, which he learned by accident.
This story had Parker looking to prove his worth as an Avenger by taking on the Vulture, played by Michael Keaton. Robert Downey Jr. was on board as Tony Stark, mentoring the young Parker, with Marisa Tomei playing a much younger and much hotter version of Aunt May. Jon Favreau and Gwyneth Paltrow made brief appearances and Zendaya arrived as “M.J.” With Tom Holland, Spider-Man is in good webs.
SPIDER-MAN 2 (2004)
GIANT FREAKIN MOVIE SCORE: 8.3/10
Sam Raimi was the first to bring back the wall-crawler. Obviously, Spider-Man 2 was the second of his films, one that ranks up there with Spider-Man: Homecoming. Tobey Maguire returned as Peter Parker and this time Raimi has Parker being mentored by Dr. Otto Octavius, who we all know becomes the super-villain Doctor Octopus, based on the mechanical arms he has created to help him deal with hazardous materials.
Raimi has also brought back Kirsten Dunst as Peter’s ex-girlfriend Mary Jane Watson. She has found love with John Jameson, who is the astronaut son of newspaper magnate J. Jonah Jameson. Also, back in Raimi’s version is James Franco, who returns as Harry Osborn. Thrilling action and romance mix in this great Raimi sequel.
SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME (2019)
GIANT FREAKIN MOVIE SCORE: 8.25/10
Fans and critics alike have really taken to Tom Holland and his version of Spider-Man. This is the second movie in which Holland has led as Spider-Man and this also ranks high up the Spider-Man ladder. We now find Parker on a two-week class trip to Europe. Parker is still in mourning following the death of his father figure Tony Stark during the events of Avengers: Endgame. Aunt May feels the school trip will help take Peter’s mind off the loss. When the class arrives in Venice, a Water Elemental attacks. Peter is able to save his fellow classmates but not before Quentin Beck arrives to help out. Beck, as it turns out, becomes Mysterio, a super-villain with whom Spider-Man has future battles.
But this Mysterio appears to be on the side of good, teaming up with Nick Fury and SHIELD to help battle the Elementals. But not all is what it appears. Parker figures out Beck’s game while MJ figures out Peter’s secret. Not only that, but in a wild mid-credits scene, J. Jonah Jameson appears (a returning J.K Simmons) and lets the world know that Peter Parker is Spider-Man. This revelation sets up the third Holland-led Spider-Man movie, not yet released.
SPIDER-MAN (2002)
GIANT FREAKIN MOVIE SCORE: 8.15/10
This Spider-Man was Sam Raimi’s first jump into the Marvel Universe, even though it was Sony’s undertaking. He introduced Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker, Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane Watson, and James Franco as Harry Osborn. He told the tale from the beginning, how Parker was bitten by a radioactive spider to give him spider-like superpowers, to how Peter was ultimately responsible for his Uncle Ben’s death.
Raimi brought along Willem Dafoe as Norman Osborn who eventually becomes the Green Goblin and J.K Simmons as an amazing J. Jonah Jameson. The casting was perfect, the story was familiar but imaginative, and Raimi provided enough leadership to rank this as one of the top-rated Spider-Man movies.
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (2012)
GIANT FREAKIN MOVIE SCORE: 7.05/10
Andrew Garfield got his shot as Peter Parker and Spider-Man in this soft reboot of Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man series. The story is another origin one with slight alterations. Instead of having Parker in a relationship with Mary Jane, the producers went with Parker’s first love, Gwen Stacy, played by Emma Stone.
The big bad villain in this one was Curt Connors, aka The Lizard, and was played by Rhys Ifans. Connors made an appearance in Raimi’s Spider-Man 2 and Spider-Man 3, but he was played by Dylan Baker in those movies. The Amazing Spider-Man also starred Denis Leary, Martin Sheen, and Sally Field. Though many fans didn’t feel like another origin story was necessary, The Amazing Spider-Man, as well as Garfield’s portrayal of Parker, received a good reception.
SPIDER-MAN 3 (2007)
GIANT FREAKIN MOVIE SCORE: 6.25/10
Even though many consider it to be, it’s hard to call the third movie in the Raimi Spider-Man trilogy an unmitigated disaster. What could be said about this movie is “too many cooks.” With the overwhelming success of the first two Raimi movies, producers were looking for bigger and badder. At first, Spider-Man had only the Sandman on his villain plate and Raimi wanted more. The producers wanted Venom, so Venom it was. So, Sandman, Venom, and James Franco’s New Goblin.
But the producers not only wanted Venom, but they also wanted to introduce Gwen Stacy. So, along came Gwen, played by Bryce Dallas Howard. Tobey Maguire was back as Peter Parker with Kirsten Dunst returning as MJ. The movie seemed to be a bit too ambitious, the villain of Sandman (played by Thomas Haden Church) not translating as well as it could have, and the casting of Topher Grace as Eddie Brock/Venom was a huge misfire. All that aside, Raimi’s third Spider-Man wasn’t all that bad.
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 (2014)
GIANT FREAKIN MOVIE SCORE: 5.9/10
This was Andrew Garfield’s second shot at Spider-Man and unfortunately, this one didn’t fare as well as his first. Emma Stone was back as Gwen Stacy and this one brought out Jamie Foxx as Electro. Dane DeHaan was introduced as the new Harry Osborn/Green Goblin and also saw Paul Giamatti (who is a great actor but not Marvel villain material) as Rhino.
Campbell Scott and Embeth Davidtz reprise their roles from Garfield’s first Spider-Man as Peter Parker’s parents, telling their backstory as to how they perished in a plane crash. Critics didn’t take to this Spider-Man and even though it didn’t play as well as its predecessor, there were plans for a third and fourth movie with Garfield starring. Obviously, those plans were scrapped.
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN TV SERIES (1977-79)
GIANT FREAKIN MOVIE SCORE: 3.7/10
This is where the name Nicholas Hammond comes into play. Jumping into the Way Back Machine, Hammond was the first Spider-Man to hit the screen, though this one would be the small screen. Hammond led the way as an older Peter Parker working as a photographer at the Daily Bugle while fighting crime as Spider-Man. Hammond played the part in a TV series that lasted three seasons and then TV movies that were culled together from certain episodes from the series.
The TV movies were called Spider-Man (1977), Spider-Man Strikes Back (1978), and Spider-Man: The Dragon’s Challenge (1979). If you can imagine special effects back in the late ‘70s, then you will understand what this series and movies were all about. Much more about Peter Parker and not him in his Spider-Man costume. It was a cheesy three-season series, but one that holds the nostalgic charm. If you ever somehow roll up on one of these episodes, force yourself to watch. Ignore the cheese factor.
HOLLAND, MAGUIRE, AND GARFIELD
They are all coming back! It will be a multiverse mashup of Spider-Man’s 1, 2, and 3 with strong hints that the various versions of Mary Jane and Gwen will be making an appearance. Spider-Man 3 looks to be taking a page out of Into the Spider-Verse playbook by combining all Spider-Man talents. The movie also looks to bring back Charlie Cox as Daredevil, Alfred Molina as Doc Ock, as well as Dafoe and Dehaan returning to their Green Goblin roles. Doctor Strange, obviously, looks to play a part in this and we can only say, hurry up and get this thing made!
The GIANT FREAKIN MOVIE SCORE is calculated using rating averages from Rotten Tomatoes and the Internet Movie Database.
