May 3, 2002
Spider-Man is a 2002 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Spider-Man. Directed by Sam Raimi from a screenplay by David Koepp, it is the first installment in Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy. Produced by Columbia Pictures and Laura Ziskin Productions in association with Marvel Enterprises, it stars Tobey Maguire, Willem Dafoe, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Cliff Robertson, and Rosemary Harris. The story follows timid teenager Peter Parker, who gains superhuman abilities after being bitten by a genetically engineered spider. He adopts the masked persona "Spider-Man" and begins to fight crime in New York City, facing the malevolent Green Goblin in the process.
Development of a live-action Spider-Man film began in 1975, but stalled for nearly 25 years due to licensing and financial issues. Columbia Pictures finally licensed the project for a worldwide release in 1999. Koepp was hired to create a working screenplay, which was eventually rewritten by Scott Rosenberg and refined by Alvin Sargent. Various directors were considered before Raimi was hired in 2000. Filming took place in Los Angeles and New York City from January to June 2001. Danny Elfman composed the musical score, while Sony Pictures Imageworks handled the visual effects.
Spider-Man premiered at the Mann Village Theater on April 29, 2002, and was released in the United States on May 3, by Sony Pictures Releasing. The film received positive reviews from critics and audiences, who praised Raimi's direction, the story, the performances, visual effects, action sequences, and musical score. It was the first film to reach $100 million in a single weekend, as well as the most successful film based on a comic book at the time. With a box office gross of $826 million worldwide against its $139 million budget, it was the third highest-grossing film of 2002, the highest-grossing superhero film, and the sixth-highest-grossing film overall at the time of release. The film garnered nominations for Best Sound and Best Visual Effects at the 75th Academy Awards, among numerous other accolades. Spider-Man is credited for redefining the modern superhero genre and the summer blockbuster. It was followed by two sequels, both directed by Raimi: Spider-Man 2 (2004) and Spider-Man 3 (2007). Maguire and Dafoe later reprised their roles in Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021), which explores the concept of the multiverse and links the Raimi trilogy to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Storyline[]
On a high school field trip, Peter Parker visits a Columbia University genetics laboratory with his best friend, Harry Osborn, and his love interest, Mary Jane Watson. There, he is bitten by a genetically engineered spider, and falls ill upon returning home. Meanwhile, Harry's father Norman tests a performance-enhancing chemical on himself in an attempt to secure a military contract for Oscorp, the company he founded. The chemical causes him to go insane and kill one of his scientists, Dr. Stromm. The next day, Peter develops spider-like abilities, including enhanced strength, senses, agility and speed, organic webbing in his wrists, and the ability to cling to walls. Hoping to buy a car to impress Mary Jane, Peter enters an underground wrestling event and wins his first match, but is swindled out of his earnings. Soon after, Peter's Uncle Ben is killed by a thief who robbed the wrestling event, and whom Peter let escape. Peter pursues the thief, who eventually falls to his death. Meanwhile, a crazed Norman sabotages a product test by an Oscorp rival and kills several people.
Upon graduating, Peter begins using his abilities to fight crime, donning a costume and adopting the alias "Spider-Man". J. Jonah Jameson, the publisher of the Daily Bugle newspaper, hires Peter as a freelance photographer, since he can provide high-quality images of Spider-Man. When Oscorp's board of directors decides to oust Norman and sell the company, Norman assassinates them while wearing a disguise during the Unity Day festival. As Spider-Man, Peter fends off Norman and rescues Mary Jane. Afterwards, Jameson bestows the name "the Green Goblin" upon the mysterious masked killer.
Norman offers Peter a place at his side, but Peter refuses. They fight, and Peter flees after being wounded. Peter's Aunt May invites Mary Jane, Harry, and Norman for Thanksgiving dinner. Norman sees Peter's injury and deduces that he is Spider-Man.
Later, Norman attacks and injures May, who is hospitalized. Peter is still unaware of the Goblin's identity, but realizes that the Goblin is targeting his loved ones. While visiting the hospital, Mary Jane confesses to Peter her infatuation with Spider-Man, who has rescued her twice. Harry, who is dating Mary Jane, sees her holding Peter's hand and assumes she has feelings for him. A distraught Harry tells his father that Peter loves Mary Jane, unknowingly revealing Spider-Man's biggest weakness.
That night, Norman captures Mary Jane and a tram car full of children. He tells Peter to choose whom to rescue, then drops them both from the Queensboro Bridge. Peter saves everyone, then lowers them to a nearby barge for safety. An enraged Norman throws Peter into an abandoned building, then brutally beats him. After Norman reveals his intentions to kill Mary Jane, Peter finds the strength to fight back. Norman reveals his identity and begs forgiveness, discreetly preparing to impale Peter with his glider. Warned by his spider-sense, Peter dodges the attack, and the glider fatally skewers Norman instead. Before dying, Norman begs Peter not to reveal his identity to Harry. Peter takes Norman's body to the Osborn house, where Harry confronts him, but Peter escapes.
At Norman's funeral, Harry vows revenge on Spider-Man, whom he falsely holds responsible for his father's death. Mary Jane then confesses to Peter that she loves him. However, Peter feels he must protect her from his enemies, so he hides his true feelings and tells her they can only be friends. As Peter leaves, he recalls Ben's words: "With great power comes great responsibility" and accepts his new responsibility as Spider-Man.
Also See[]
Movie Trailer[]
- Spider-Man (2002) (Trailers)