Spider-Man (2002)
MovieOptionalLegacy
Peter Parker gets bitten by a genetically altered spider and faces the Green Goblin. This 2002 Marvel film sits outside the MCU timeline, so you can watch it on its own without any homework. At 2h 1m, it streams on Disney+ in the US.
| Directed by | Sam Raimi |
|---|---|
| Starring | Tobey Maguire, Willem Dafoe, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco |
| Release date | May 3, 2002 |
| Runtime | 2h 1m |
| Age rating | PG-13, some material may be inappropriate for under 13 |
| IMDb rating | 7.4/10 |
| Box office | $822M worldwide |
| Series | Legacy Marvel films |
| Part of | Spider-Man movies in order |
| Post-credit scene | No |
Why it matters now
Tobey Maguire and Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin: both return in No Way Home, so this is the setup for that film.
About Spider-Man
Sam Raimi's Spider-Man is the origin story that set the template for the modern superhero blockbuster. Shy teenager Peter Parker gains spider abilities, learns the cost of not using them responsibly, and pines for Mary Jane Watson while his best friend Harry's father, the brilliant and unstable industrialist Norman Osborn, becomes his first real enemy. Along the way Peter starts selling photos of his alter ego to J. Jonah Jameson's Daily Bugle.
Columbia Pictures made it with Marvel Enterprises from a screenplay by David Koepp. Tobey Maguire plays Peter, Willem Dafoe is Osborn, Kirsten Dunst is Mary Jane and James Franco is Harry, with Cliff Robertson and Rosemary Harris as Ben and May Parker and J.K. Simmons as Jameson. Released in May 2002, it opened to a record $114.8 million weekend, the first film to pass $100 million in a single weekend, and finished at about $822 million worldwide, then the biggest superhero film ever. It earned Oscar nominations for Best Sound and Best Visual Effects.
Good to know
- Peter's webs come from his own wrists rather than mechanical web-shooters, an idea carried over from James Cameron's earlier treatment that annoyed some comic fans.
- A teaser trailer and poster showing the World Trade Center were pulled after the September 11 attacks.
- Danny Elfman's score won a Saturn Award, and Stan Lee has a cameo.
Spoiler Spoilers for Spider-Man: tap to reveal
- Tobey Maguire and Willem Dafoe returned as Peter Parker and the Green Goblin in the MCU's Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021).
How to watch it
Start here for the Raimi trilogy, then continue with Spider-Man 2 (2004) and Spider-Man 3 (2007). If you're heading for the MCU, finish all three before Spider-Man: No Way Home, which rewards anyone who knows these films. The sincere, comic-book tone still holds up, and it's a good pick for viewers who only know Tom Holland's Spider-Man and want to see where the big-screen version started.
Where it fits in your watch
Spider-Man FAQ
Who plays the Green Goblin in Spider-Man (2002)?
Willem Dafoe plays Norman Osborn and the Green Goblin.
Who directed Spider-Man (2002)?
Sam Raimi directed it from a screenplay by David Koepp. Raimi also directed both sequels.
Does Spider-Man (2002) have sequels?
Yes. Spider-Man 2 followed in 2004 and Spider-Man 3 in 2007, both with Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst.
Can you skip Spider-Man?
Yes. It isn’t part of the MCU, so watch it for the characters’ history, not for MCU plot.
When was Spider-Man released?
Spider-Man was released on May 3, 2002.
Is Spider-Man part of the MCU?
No. Spider-Man is a Marvel film made outside the Marvel Cinematic Universe, so it isn’t on Marvel Studios’ official timeline.
Does Spider-Man have a post-credit scene?
No, Spider-Man has no post-credit scene.
Where to watch Spider-Man in the US
| Streaming (subscription) | Disney+ |
|---|---|
| Rent or buy | Amazon, Apple TV, Fandango at Home |
Where to watch Spider-Man outside the US
| Country | Stream | Other options |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Prime Video, NOW, Sky Go, Netflix | Rent: Apple TV, Rakuten TV, Amazon |
| Canada | Crave | Rent: Apple TV, Amazon, CosmoGo |
| Australia | Foxtel Now | Rent: Apple TV, Amazon |
| India | Prime Video, Sony LIV, Lionsgate Play, JioHotstar | Rent: Apple TV, Amazon |
Streaming availability last verified: October 16, 2026
All streaming options for Marvel movies and shows, by service and country.