Every ‘Spider-Man’ Movie Ranked From Worst to Best

Throughout two decades of web-slinging, rebooting, reversals of fortune, immersions into the Marvel Cinematic Universe and sporadic reappearances by the Spidey-hating J. Jonah Jameson, the “Spider-Man” film franchise has been wildly inconsistent, yet remarkably indestructible.

“Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” the latest film, broke box office records this weekend after it swung its way to a mind-blowing $360 million domestic opening. It’s the biggest box office launch of all time, after setting records for the largest preview haul and opening day, and beat “Avengers: Endgame” for the historic honor. Tom Holland has now starred in the four highest box office openings of all time: “Brand New Day,” “Endgame,” “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Spider-Man: No Way Home.” After several superhero movies have misfired at the box office, it’s clear there’s no such thing as Spider-Man fatigue.

Spidey has been swinging to box office heights across live-action and animation. “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” the previous entry, was a follow-up to the Oscar-winning animated feature “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” (2018). It delighted many long-time fans with its mythos-expanding plotting, quicksilver universe shuffling, abundant Easter Eggs, wide-ranging inclusivity, and audaciously variegated visuals — even if it totally confused, if not actively annoyed, newbies unfamiliar with the minutiae of what someone here aptly refers to as “the canon.” “Beyond the Spider-Verse” will put a bow on the animated trilogy when it releases on June 18, 2027.

Naturally, the Spider Dude also continues to attract legions of the faithful to animated TV series and direct-to-video product, all-star MCU group gatherings — and, yes, the comic books that started it all. But the 11 theatrical features — movies in which Spider-Man is the star, not an ensemble player — are our focus here in this revised least-to-best ranking.   

• The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)

  Image Credit: ©Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Eve

  The longest (until “Spider-Man: No Way Home”) and least of the Spidey movies is a ponderously overstuffed misfire only partially redeemed by the chemistry generated between Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone. Having learned nothing from the debacle of “Batman and Robin” (1997), the filmmakers cram no fewer than three classic comic book villains — Electro, a reimagined Green Goblin and, fleetingly, Rhino — into a padded narrative, demonstrating once again that, yes, more can be less. Originally intended as the gateway to an extended universe of Spidey sagas, complete with Sinister Six spin-offs, “Amazing 2” instead led to a second franchise reboot. — Joe Leydon