Spider-Man has been a staple character in Marvel comic books, TV shows, movies, and even video games for the past 60 years, and its popularity has only continued to skyrocket. The first official Spider-Man movie was released in 2002, led by the acting of Tobey Maguire, and the series instantly picked up fame and popularity around the world. Even as new villains have been introduced and the actor playing Spider-Man has changed several times, each film has set some of the highest standards for superhero movies. In this article, all nine Spider-Man movies will be ranked from worst to best based on the storyline, actors, special effects, action scenes, and so much more.

9. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)
The worst of the Spider-Man series, The Amazing Spider-Man 2, led by Andrew Garfield, was a mess compared to past installments. Even with a star-studded cast filled with Jamie Foxx, Emma Stone, Dane DeHann, and solid special effects, dull villains and an overloaded story plot made this stick out as the worst Spider-Man movie.

8. Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
The second Tom Holland movie from the Spider-Man saga, Far From Home is able to develop the essential relationships between Holland and other main characters. With a huge twist towards the movie’s end, Spider-Man fans are left sitting on the edge of their seats to see what happens next. As Holland battles his way through the struggles of being a typical teenager and Spider-Man at the same time, his character is strongly built up for No Way Home, which was released two years later. Spider-Man: Far From Home was an excellent movie, but the classic and predictable teen romance drama along with the somewhat boring plot (at least compared to other movies from the Spider-Man series) was simply too noticeable to place it over any other film.

7. Spider-Man 3 (2007)
Tobey Maguire’s final hurrah as Spider-Man brings a fantastic storyline, great characters, and almost perfect fighting scenes, but it does not even compare to the first two. The story seems to drag on and gets a little boring at some points, bringing its marks down to seventh on the list. Even though Tobey Maguire’s acting stays strong surrounded by James Franco and Kirsten Dunst, it’s simply not good enough to put Spider-Man 3 any higher on this list.

6. Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Tom Hollands’ first movie as Spider-Man helps develop his new character, fitting him nicely into the Marvel Cinematic Universe promptly before the release of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: End Game. The inclusion of Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) into the plot heavily helps the overall development of the storyline, giving Spider-Man a mentor to look up to and guide him as he begins to understand his new powers. A solid storyline with a good mix of actors gives Spider-Man: Homecoming a great ranking, but it cannot be compared to others before it due to stronger acting, villains, and plots in the franchise’s other movies.

5. The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)
The second beginning of the Spider-Man Franchise, The Amazing Spider-Man, is able to stray away from the original plot while still checking the major boxes of a Spider-Man movie. After a traumatic beginning to the film, Garfield’s character development as Spider-Man helps grow a strong connection with viewers as he battles against a lizard with hopes to terrorize New York City. The only thing marking down The Amazing Spider-Man is its overall similarities to the original Spider-Man movie, but Garfield’s spectacular acting makes up for it.

4. Spider-Man (2002)
The original. The first installment of the Spider-Man series left viewers longing for more after developing the story of Peter Parker, a young teenager in New York who receives Spider-like powers after being bit by a radioactive spider on a school field trip. The villain Green Goblin (Willam Dafoe) brings the story to life with his character development and psycho-like expressions, ultimately getting the original Spider-Man into the top four. The top-tier cinematography and beginning of the Spider-Man tale is featured in a great way in the first movie.

3. Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
Using a great plot, the inclusion of Dr. Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) to open up portals to different universes, and fantastic action scenes, Spider-Man: No Way Home is one of the best movies in the Spider-Man series. The only thing holding this movie back is the need for context clues. While big Spider-Man fans could comprehend all of the references made, if you haven’t seen all or most of the other Spider-Man movies, No Way Home is not worth watching. But, if you’ve seen all or most of the past films, Spider-Man: No Way Home could easily be seen as the best movie in this series.

2. Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse (2018)
Honestly, Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse has some of the best animations I have ever seen. It is most definitely worth watching. The story of Miles Morales finding his powers and becoming Spider-Man differs heavily from the original storyline, giving the film its own vibe. Tons of incredible action and cool villains also boost the 2018 film’s ranking, but I cannot justify putting it over Spider-Man 2 with Tobey Maguire. Still, Into the Spiderverse, while it does not connect to the other movies, is a must-watch.

1. Spider-Man 2 (2004)
Here we are – the best Spider-Man movie. A sequel to the original Spider-Man movie, Tobey Maguire builds his connection with the audience while battling the (arguably) coolest villain within these nine Spider-Man movies. Dr. Otto Octavious (Alfred Molina), otherwise known as Doc Ock, displays metal tentacles coming from his back that he can control with his mind, giving him insane power and strength over Maguire. Throughout the movie, self-doubt and issues with his control hurt Maguire, leading to several prevalent problems throughout the film. Spider-Man 2’s ability to outdo the original, which was already a great movie, proves its worth and why it is placed at the top of the list.

Overall, the Spider-Man movies are all great. While some definitely seem to have much weaker plots, characters and overarching topics, the beauty of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is consistently present. The Spider-Man films will always be seen as some of the best of all time, no matter how different or similar they are to each other. As Spider-Man’s character appears in future Marvel movies, its lovable, childhood nature will surely continue to resonate with viewers.

Take the “Which Spider-Man Are You?” quiz here!

If you enjoyed some or all of the Spider-Man movies, you might like other Marvel movies like Iron Man, Captain America: The First Avenger, Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: End Game.