All 11 Spider-Man Movies, Ranked

With great power comes great responsibility.

Spider-Man is one of my favorite superheroes, and, after a long five years, we finally have another web-slinging adventure. This time, Tom Holland becomes the classic hero we know and love in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. A brand new day for Tom means a brand new ranking for us. I rewatched every single Spider-Man movie in preparation for this ranking, so these are my most updated and current thoughts on every single one of them. My ranking has changed a lot since No Way Home came out, so let's see if it feels brand new (okay, I'll stop) to any of you.

11. Spider-Man 3

An overstuffed mess of a movie that fumbles the Venom storyline

Spider-Man 3 is the only Spider-Man film that I would say I truly dislike. I think that it has a lot of good ideas, but the execution is just terrible. On the positive side, the concept of this film is really interesting. Peter Parker is at the top of his game as Spider-Man, and his ego starts to get to him right as the Venom symbiote infects him. That could be a really interesting exploration of what happens when someone gets too big for their own good. Instead, though, we get a litany of cheesy scenes including the infamous "Bully Maguire" dance. The whole plot line ends with a completely underdeveloped Eddie Brock receiving the Venom symbiote and becoming a poor, screeching excuse for the Lethal Protector.

Along with the fumbled Venom storyline, there's way too much happening. I think Sandman could've been a really compelling villain, but his backstory and motivations are lost in an overstuffed plot. Everything with Harry Osborn is shoehorned in and feels like an afterthought. His ridiculously convenient amnesia and the butler reveal at the end are two of the worst and laziest moments in any Spider-Man movie. At the core of this film is a good idea, but there's too much going on and the Raimi cheesiness overshadows any true drama that it's aiming to achieve.

10. The Amazing Spider-Man

A darker, grittier, and more forgettable retelling of Spider-Man's classic origin

The Amazing Spider-Man does have a lot to offer. Andrew Garfield gives us an entirely different (and I'd argue better) take on Peter Parker than Tobey Maguire did. The action and web-swinging have a cleaner, more modern look to them compared to the middling CGI in the Raimi trilogy. And, of course, Garfield and Emma Stone have unbeatable chemistry. If anything, this movie is worth watching for the relationship between Peter and Gwen alone.

Where this movie does stumble, however, is in the way it redoes the classic Spider-Man story. Another origin movie is, in my opinion, completely unnecessary, and The Amazing Spider-Man does not make enough interesting changes to justify its existence. The mystery surrounding Peter's parents and the radioactive spiders is not compelling and in fact removes some of the core themes of what Spider-Man is and always has been. The Lizard is a generic villain with a ridiculously corny plan to turn all of New York into reptiles. The movie is strongest when it focuses on Gwen and Peter or Captain Stacy hunting Spider-Man. Everything else feels like it pales in comparison to the original Spider-Man.

9. The Amazing Spider-Man 2

An ambitious and very flawed sequel that has some of the best moments in any superhero movie

I know this isn't the most agreeable take, but The Amazing Spider-Man 2 tries a lot of things that I really appreciate. It throws a bunch at the wall, and while most of it doesn't stick, the swings it takes are so bold that I cannot help but applaud the effort. Are Electro and Green Goblin pretty terrible villains? Yes. Does the plot lean more on the Richard Parker stuff than The Amazing Spider-Man? Yes. But the highs of this movie push it slightly past its predecessor for me. The death of Gwen Stacy is, in my opinion, one of the best sequences in any superhero movie ever. It takes arguably the most famous single moment in comic book history and adapts it beautifully to the silver screen. The action and visuals of this movie are also top tier, and that just makes it a more fun, exciting watch than The Amazing Spider-Man.

Now, of course, this movie is riddled with flaws. It's the clunkiest of any Spider-Man film, with messy plotting and a completely overstuffed narrative. The movie constantly jumps from Peter and Gwen to Harry to Electro to Richard Parker and so much of it feels underbaked and underwhelming. The emotional beats, which are really good, would hit harder if this film had a tighter narrative or a really good through line, but as it stands, it's a mess of a movie with some absolutely standout moments.

8. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

A beautiful, visceral continuation of Miles Morales's story with way too much going on

Let me make it very clear: I think Across the Spider-Verse is miles better than The Amazing Spider-Man 2. But I do find it to be slightly overrated. To me, Into the Spider-Verse felt like a great homage to the character that did all of the insanity of the Spider-Verse while also keeping focus on Miles and his story. With Across, it goes bigger, and I think that hurts the story a little bit. There are so many characters, and, while they are all memorable in their own right, a lot of them feel underdeveloped and very frustrating. I find Miguel O'Hara to be compelling, but his impatience and frustration with Miles does not feel earned because we he's really introduced into the story about halfway through the actual film and we don't really know him.

The movie is at its best when it hits those quiet moments with Miles and Gwen or Miles and his parents. The conversation Miles has with Rio after he shows up late to Jeff's promotion party is one of the most powerful moments in the film, and I wish we saw more stuff like that. I also think this is a movie that hasn't aged particularly well in the three years since it came out because the multiverse has been so overdone and is a gimmick in so many movies at this point. I know I've spent a lot of time harping on this film, but the highs are so obvious that I feel the need to justify its placement here. It's gorgeously animated, Miles is an incredible protagonist, and there are some real stakes and emotions here. I'm just not as high on this film and its crowded cast of characters as everyone else is.

7. Spider-Man: Brand New Day

A thrilling return to classic Spider-Man with a bit of a jumbled plot

As of right now, Brand New Day is my least favorite Tom Holland Spider-Man movie, but at the same time, it's the one I could see moving up the most. I love that we finally got to see Holland as the classic Spider-Man we know and love. He's swinging through New York City, fighting criminals and being miserable in his alter ego. I love how he tries to deal with the isolation by diving headfirst into being Spider-Man and truly trying to erase Peter Parker from existence. The temptation to reconnect with Ned and MJ is so innately human that it makes this one of the most mature and somber Spider-Man movies we've gotten.

And, while I think the main plot and conflict is good, I feel that it's not as strong as the character stuff we get. To me, the most disappointing thing was that it felt like Peter was not the one driving the main conflict. The battle is between Sadie Sink's character (who I still won't say if you haven't gotten it spoiled) and the Department of Damage Control. Peter is caught in the crossfire, and I think that's a little bit underwhelming, because the main battle doesn't really connect to his personal struggles. I also did not like that we didn't get a classic Spider-Man villain as the main antagonist. The closest thing we get to that is Scorpion's brief and slightly underwhelming appearance. So, while I think this movie does a lot right, there are a few things holding it back from being top-tier Spidey to me.

6. Spider-Man: Homecoming

A small stakes high school superhero movie with a great, compelling villain

It feels like opinions on the original Tom Holland trilogy have grown more divided in the past few years, and I think a lot of that is just general discourse towards the MCU shifting. These are still really good movies, and Spider-Man: Homecoming deserves the praise that it got upon release. I love how small stakes this is and how much this truly is a high school movie starring a superhero. It feels like The Breakfast Club mixed with Spider-Man, and I mean that as a complete positive. It has the awkward teenage angst and comedy you want from those types of films while also having web-swinging and epic battles.

Part of what elevates this movie, though, is its villain and central conflict. The Vulture is an incredible antagonist who's small stakes scheme fits this movie perfectly. There's a very personal relationship between Peter and Vulture because of their connection that is revealed through the MCU's best plot twist. Michael Keaton has a menace and a fatherly side to him that just gives Vulture layers that you don't expect from a B-tier comic book antagonist like him. Homecoming isn't the perfect movie: in retrospect, it does rely a bit too much on the wider MCU, but that's also how most of the Infinity Saga is. It's not trying to be a solo Spider-Man movie. It's trying to be a Spider-Man movie that pushes us closer to Infinity War and Endgame, which is does. When you judge it on those merits, it is a great movie.

5. Spider-Man 2

The ultimate story about Peter Parker struggling with his alter ego

It took three watches for me to finally like Spider-Man 2, but upon my most recent watch, I actually understood it. For so long, the main conflict with Peter Parker is the way he balances being Spider-Man with being a normal guy. Spider-Man 2 captures that better than any other movie. From the get-go, we see how much being Spider-Man is interfering with his life to the point where he is starting to lose his powers. And as he gives up being Spider-Man, a huge threat to all of New York City emerges in the form of Doctor Octopus. This simple combination of things makes for the most complex and intricately plotted movie in Spidey's filmography. It's a great character study of Peter Parker and the sacrifices he makes to be Spider-Man.

Obviously, the other great thing about this movie besides its exploration of Peter is Doc Ock. Alfred Molina brings one of Spider-Man's most iconic enemies to life in a tragically sympathetic way as we see a good man corrupted by his own life's work. At the start, Doctor Octopus isn't even necessarily malevolent, but you can see the tentacles start to infect his brain and turn him into this monster. His final actions and redemption is so satisfying because we know that he is a good-hearted person deep down. Molina brings that gravitas to the character in every single scene he's in. You can see the minor shift in his face when the tentacles give up control and Otto Octavius returns to perform his final redemptive act. Spider-Man 2 has some things I'm not crazy about (looking at you, James Franco) and I wish Mary Jane was as compelling as Peter or Ock, but as a Spider-Man movie, this just feels like everything the character is meant to be.

4. Spider-Man

It hasn't aged perfectly, but this is still a great silver screen debut for the web-slinger

Just like Batman Begins, the definitive on-screen portrayal of Spider-Man's origin will always have a special place in my heart. What this movie captures so well is the principle lesson of "with great power comes great responsibility". It properly builds out Peter Parker as a character before the spider bites him and we see this immature teenager do what a bunch of us would do if we suddenly had superpowers: use them selfishly. And, in using them selfishly, he inadvertently causes the death of his uncle. The worst possible thing happens to it, and from that, he becomes this force for good. That story is compelling, and the combination of Sam Raimi's assured direction with Tobey Maguire's boyish performance makes the original Spider-Man still a great film.

Beyond the origin, we have to talk about Willem Dafoe's Green Goblin. This is one of my personal favorite movie villains of all time, and it is one hundred percent due to Dafoe's unhinged manic portrayal of Norman Osborn. Everything, from the cackle to the witchy-sounding voice, just oozes villainy in the most fun way possible. I honestly don't think this character would work with any other actor. As it stands, though, Dafoe's Goblin matches up perfectly with Maguire's Spider-Man to create an absolutely incredible hero-villain relationship that feels pulled straight from the pages of the comics. Spider-Man is cheesy and very 2000s, but its core message and its near-perfect translation of Peter Parker's origin makes it an absolute classic.

3. Spider-Man: Far From Home

An overhated epilogue to Avengers: Endgame that has some unforgettable action and twists

I don't get it. I simply do not get the hate that Far From Home gets. When it was initially released, people loved this movie, but then public opinion became more divisive and a lot of people started calling this one of the worst Spider-Man movies. Now, it is completely understandable that people criticize this as more of an MCU movie than a classic Spider-Man story, but I think it works as both. This was, after all, the first movie to come after Avengers: Endgame, so it sort of served as an epilogue, and that was necessary. Having Spider-Man on a globe-trotting adventure of sorts is really fun, and I think the movie honors Iron Man's legacy well without taking away the spotlight from Peter.

I also think that No Way Home makes this movie retroactively better. Peter is incredibly selfish and irresponsible in this movie. The way he feels pressure from being the next Iron Man and how he handles the EDITH glasses perfectly sets up the next steps of his journey. Along with that, Mysterio is an undeniably fantastic villain. Jake Gyllenhaal's charismatic illusionist is convincing as a good guy at first, but the incredible menace he brings alongside the visually stunning illusion sequences are absolutely amazing. To top it all off, Far From Home has one of the best and most impactful post-credits scenes in the entire MCU. I love this movie and will defend it to my last breath. I think it's a great sophomore entry in Tom Holland's solo Spider-Man journey.

2. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

A gorgeous homage to the character's long history while passing the baton to Miles Morales

Into the Spider-Verse did the multiverse before it was trendy to do so, and I think that's why this movie feels so special. There was no pressure here. Nobody was excited for this animated movie starring a Spider-Man that wasn't even Peter Parker. The trailers didn't look good. There was no hype...and then the movie came out and blew everybody's minds. Not only was this a beautiful homage to one of the world's most beloved superheroes - it was also a groundbreaking piece of animation that fundamentally changed animated film as a whole. The blend of 2D and 3D animation alongside the comic book style made Into the Spider-Verse something so unique and so incredible that it set the standard for animated superhero stories.

Beyond that, the way they do Miles Morales's origin story subverts our common knowledge of the classic Peter Parker story. Instead of being alone, Miles has to live up to the legacy of all the other Spider-Men before him. He has to step into the shoes of Peter Parker. He has to believe in himself and his ability to be Spider-Man. The deep, resonant themes of the "leap of faith" are a running thread throughout the film that provide some incredibly satisfying moments in the final thirty minutes. Emotional, gorgeous, and thrilling, Into the Spider-Verse remains as one of the best comic book movies (and maybe even one of the best overall movies) of the 21st century.

1. Spider-Man: No Way Home

The perfect combination of nostalgia, heart, and fan service gives us Holland's true origin story

You can go back and look at my posts on the blog in late 2021. It was all about Spider-Man. I was so excited for No Way Home. I've always said this, Avengers: Endgame, The Batman, and Stranger Things 5 were the movies and shows in life that I was most excited for. Having watched the film a few times after it came out, I can confidently say that this isn't just a nostalgia pick. This isn't recency bias. Spider-Man: No Way Home is an incredible movie full of cathartic moments that give Tom Holland's Peter Parker a chance to explore what it really means to be Spider-Man. Shepherded by Tobey and Andrew, Tom gets his full origin story as he learns the cost of great power and what his great responsibility truly is.

Look, obviously No Way Home is all about fan service and leaning on the Raimi and Webb films, but what makes it truly special is how it all works as a coherent, emotional Spider-Man movie. The star of the show is still Tom Holland's Spider-Man. The supporting cast are incredible. Seeing all of the villains again is tons of fun. But the core and heart of this movie lies with Tom Holland, MJ, Ned, and Aunt May. Peter has to learn the hard truth about what responsibility truly is, and losing Aunt May causes him to learn that lesson. We see this young, irreverent Spider-Man transform into the mature adult that is given to us in Brand New Day. And, on top of that, we got an emotional catharsis for so many characters that were left in the dust after both the Raimi trilogy and the Garfield films were cut off before reaching their final resting place. If you are a Spider-Man fan, No Way Home is bound to not only put a smile on your face but also hit you right in the heart with its heavy dose of emotion and true consequences. This is the ultimate Spider-Man movie, and for that, it comes in at number one.