The original Spider-Man trilogy ended nearly 20 years ago, but some parts of the Tobey Maguire-led films have only gotten better with time. Sam Raimi was the first director to adapt Spider-Man into live-action and really understand the complexity of the character. Despite his horror film background, Raimi’s ability to capture stunning visuals and bring fantasy into the real world was remarkable. And while technology has improved over time, and the MCU has grown to become a sprawling franchise which has once again utilized Raimi’s talents, this trilogy stands up to the test of time.
From simple moments that were made real with visual effects, or required long hours of shooting and a dedicated team, these movies continue to be powerful. And with such an iconic character as Spider-Man, they continue to deliver on the simple messages about accepting responsibility alongside power, or that anyone can be a hero in that mask, remain just as meaningful today. All of this is possible thanks to numerous scenes that elevated the movies to become timeless classics.
10 Catching MJ & The Lunch Tray
Spider-Man
When Peter Parker first gets bitten by a radioactive spider, it takes some time to get to grips with his powers. However, the following day, he sees a glimpse at his newfound potential when MJ slips and could be harmed. His deep love for MJ, along with his superpowered reflexes allow him to leap up, catch the girl of his dreams before she falls, and in a beautiful flourish, he manages to catch her entire lunch on a food tray after it’s tossed in the air.
Related Upcoming Spider-Man Movies & TV Shows: All 12 Projects Explained
Along with more Spider-Man 4 and more Spider-Verse on the horizon, there are more movies and shows from the current Spider-Man multiverse coming up.
This scene is great for a number of reasons, but perhaps the biggest reason of them all is the fact that it was not done with any special effects. Maguire really did catch his co-star, Kirsten Dunst, and all the food items on the tray. It just required literally dozens of repeated takes, dedication from the team, and some special sticky elements on the tray so that the food wouldn’t bounce off. A real superhero moment that continues to define the trilogy and Peter Parker’s character.
9 Spider-Man Saves Mary Jane & The Kids
Spider-Man
A common dilemma in superhero movies comes when villains put the heroes in impossible situations. By endangering the lives of many people at a wide distance, the villains try to force the heroes into a position where they have to make a choice, saving one person or set of people, while allowing others to die. While the responsibility for creating the problems lies with the villain, the burden of the choice weighs heavily on the hero.
Movies like The Dark Knight saw Batman put in this position by Joker, and as a result, he lost his beloved Rachel. However, Spidey was able to reach a different conclusion in Spider-Man when Green Goblin captures MJ and attempts to put a large group of kids on a cable car on a path to certain destruction. Spidey pushes his limits, digs deep, and in the face of certain disaster, he saves everyone while putting himself in the path of the greatest danger.
8 “Don’t Tell Harry”
Spider-Man
Norman Osborn descended into madness when the enhanced super soldier chemical was introduced to his system. This led to the man who once stood as an idol of Peter’s to become his greatest rival as the Green Goblin. However, Peter and Norman’s rivalry was cut short when the pair had a final encounter that ultimately saw Norman killed as a result of his own trap.
Related What does Tom Holland’s Spider-Man 4 have to do to get it right?
Tom Holland’s Spider-Man is getting a fourth movie, but considering how well done the other three are, there is a lot of pressure to get this one right. I personally think this is the time to separate him from his high school friends – at least for now. They do not remember him anyway, thanks to Doctor Strange’s spell, so it is time to move on. As much as I love seeing Peter, MJ, and Ned together, Peter needs to take this time to grow on his own. The best thing that Sony and Marvel can do with Spider-Man 4 is not include them – however, that does not mean they cannot come back in the future, which I would love to see.
In his dying breath, Norman begged Peter “Don’t tell Harry,” which put him in the difficult position of lying to his best friend and taking the blame for having killed his father as his alter-ego, Spider-Man. Of course, Peter was not responsible for killing Norman, and Harry did not know for certain that it was Peter in the spider suit, but it put a strain on their relationship. However, Peter stuck to Norman’s dying wish, and even in the sequels, he never revealed Norman’s secrets.
7 Spider-Man No More
Spider-Man 2
One of the most satisfying elements of any comic book movie is seeing the comics brought to life. Recently, Deadpool & Wolverine did this on several occasions when it hopped between different versions of Wolverine and reenacted iconic comic book covers. But long before this, Spider-Man 2 was able to recreate another iconic moment from the comics with both dialogue and visuals.
When Peter’s life becomes increasingly complex due to his double life as a college student and a superhero, he is forced to choose a single path. With the chance to work with a great inspiration to him, Doctor Otto Octavius, and Peter’s relationship with MJ being strained, he chooses to retire his superhero suit and be “Spider-Man no more.” This line and the scene where he places his costume in a trash can in a dark alley is lifted straight from the comics.
6 Spidey Saves Everyone On The Train
Spider-Man 2
Similar to his big save in Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2 puts Peter in another seemingly impossible situation when he needs to slow down and stop a train from rushing off the tracks and killing dozens of innocent passengers. With tremendous effort, literally ripping the suit from his own body with the strain of his muscles, Peter is able to successfully stop the train, but he is ultimately completely drained of energy and collapses from exhaustion.
Related Spider-Man 4 Theory Explains How The MCU Movie Could Be Street-Level & Include The Multiverse Simultaneously
A new MCU Spider-Man 4 theory answers how Tom Holland’s next solo movie could have the perfect balance between a street-level and multiversal story.
However, the most impressive part of this actually comes in the moments that follow, as the now saved citizens band together to protect him. They carry him inside the carriage, see his unmasked face, and choose to protect his identity and physically put themselves between him and Doc Ock. This moment of unity, kindness, and heroism from the ordinary people of NYC is increasingly more beautiful in a world that continues to grow more divided.
5 Swinging Through New York City Toward Doc Ock
Spider-Man 2
One scene that did require the aid of visual effects was when Spider-Man is seen swinging through the skyrise buildings of New York City. Of course, it’s impossible to perform these kinds of stunts, but Sam Raimi has made a name for himself making the impossible possible. In many of his films, he delivers spectacular visuals that make his films incredible visual delights. And one such scene plays out as Spidey swings through the iconic NYC skyline towards Doc Ock before the camera pulls back from Doc Ock’s reflective goggles.
This scene is a real spectacle, and one that stands out as a stunning effect. However, it’s also one that is so smooth and seamless that it could easily be missed. With the proper time and attention dedicated to reviewing this scene, it’s easy to see why Raimi has been hailed for his incredible visual style. And it’s only grown more impressive over time.
4 MJ Learns Peter Parker Is Spider-Man
Spider-Man 2
While Peter struggled to keep both halves of his life separate, it caused him immense stress to the point that he almost threw in the towel. In fact, as mentioned above, he did for a little while. However, circumstances pushed him to take up the mantle once again, and become the hero that would stand between villains like Doc Ock and New York City. But, he was not able to hide his identity from the people closest to him when things got too tough.
Related Should Tom Holland’s Peter Parker have a new mentor in Spider-Man 4?
With the first three movies serving as his rise to being his own superhero, Tom Holland’s Spider-Man trilogy saw him taken under the wing of a variety of adult figures, whether it was Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark, Jake Gyllenhaal’s Mysterio or Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange. As development gains steam on Spider-Man 4, I truly hope that they break free from this trend, as No Way Home did a great job to fulfill his arc as a teenage hero and put him on the path to learn lessons on his own.
Today, it’s likely that the scene where Spidey’s identity was revealed to his friend would be compared to the other films, but Maguire’s reveal to MJ still stands up as one of the best. It’s not overly comical, it holds weight and gravity because of the immense ways that it changes their relationship, and it’s a defining moment. It still stands out as one of the all-time best scenes from the franchise.
3 Black Suit Spider-Man
Spider-Man 3
In recent years, Venom has become the lead in his own franchise, but when the character first appeared in live-action, it was in Spider-Man 3. Venom first appeared on-screen having merged with Spider-Man, and this is where the character gained specific abilities, and even his signature appearance, which mimics the spidey suit. And thanks to his symbiotic bond with Peter Parker, Spider-Man can be seen in the iconic black spider suit, which is another moment straight from the comics.
This suit is an integral part of Spider-Man’s history, and the origin story for Venom, but to this day, this is the only time that it’s appeared in live action, and delivered the correct origin story for Venom. This moment remains just as iconic as ever, but considering the lack of this story showing up in the other stories, it has become even more impressive. However, hopefully Venom and Spider-Man will have a chance to share the screen very soon.
2 Harry Osborn Dies
Spider-Man 3
While Raimi’s series of Spider-Man movies were intended to continue beyond Spider-Man 3, Raimi did have the foresight to include a moment that gave the trilogy an effective ending and closed out an arc that was established in the first movie. And considering the third movie became the last, it became even more influential and iconic in the years that followed. Peter Parker had a strained relationship with his best friend Harry Osborn since the first movie, and in Spider-Man 3, things came to a head when Harry chooses to follow in his father’s footsteps and become the Hobgoblin.
Related Miles Morales’ Perfect MCU Debut Doesn’t Take Place Where You’d First Think According To Tobey Maguire Spider-Man 4 Theory
There are plans for a Miles Morales live-action movie, but a Tobey Maguire Spider-Man 4 theory positions an alternate and epic live-action debut.
However, in the final moments of the trilogy, Harry has a change of heart, helps his friends to defeat Venom and Sandman, and in the chaos, suffers fatal injuries. In his final moments, he delivers his final words, forgiving Peter, acknowledging that he was wrong to hold a grudge, and helping to resolve the secret that Peter has maintained since Norman’s death. This scene has beutiful symmetry for the trilogy, and wraps up the Osborn arc neatly.
1 “With Great Power, There Must Come Great Responsibility”
Spider-Man: No Way Home
While Maguire’s Spider-Man never had another solo-adventure, he did appear in the MCU more recently when he joined forces with the other Spider-Men from live-action films in Spider-Man: No Way Home. But before they could team up and take on their greatest rivals, Tom Holland’s Spider-Man was experiencing a crisis after the death of his Aunt May. This is when Maguire and Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Men meet Holland’s Peter Parker on the roof and help him embrace his grief, and take on board her final message.
All three Spideys suffered a huge loss. All three were given a powerful message that invoked their sense of responsibility. But only Holland’s Peter had two other variants to come and help him really embrace that message. Maguire’s part in this moment is indispensible, and it’s a beautiful moment that sees the hero go from Uncle Ben’s student, to the mentor that an alternate version of himself desperately needs. And ultimately, it’s a moment that only gets more powerful with every rewatch of the original Spider-Man trilogy, and the latest Spider-Man movie.
Upcoming MCU Movies
-
Captain America: Brave New World
Release Date February 14, 2025
- Thunderbolts*
Release Date May 2, 2025
- The Fantastic Four (2025)
Release Date July 25, 2025
- Blade (2025)
Release Date November 7, 2025
- Avengers: Doomsday
Release Date May 1, 2026
- Avengers: Secret Wars
Release Date May 7, 2027
Captain America: Brave New World
Thunderbolts*
The Fantastic Four (2025)
Blade (2025)
Avengers: Doomsday
Avengers: Secret Wars