Summary

• Spider-Man has had the most different cinematic universes established in his name, making it difficult to keep track of all the different versions.
• The different Spider-Man continuities frequently interact with each other, taking advantage of the concept of the multiverse in superhero stories.
• The various Spider-Man timelines, including the 70s movies and TV show, the Tobey Maguire trilogy, the Andrew Garfield movies, the MCU Spider-Man movies, Sony's Spider-Man universe, and the Animated Spider-Verse, each have their own distinct characteristics and contributions to the Spider-Man mythos.

Of all the superheroes to be put to screen, Spider-Man has had the most different cinematic universes established in his name, each of which frequently interact with each other. One of the most beloved Marvel superheroes of all time, Peter Parker has swung his way into the movies with six different movie continuities, spanning over a dozen movies featuring Spider-Man or peripheral characters associated with him in the comics as lead roles. With so many different versions of the Spider-Man universe, it can quickly become a daunting task to keep track of them all.

Not only have Spider-Man, his allies, and his enemies become some of the most iterated-upon comic book characters in movie history, but the different versions of them have frequently interacted with each other. The multiverse has been an increasingly popular concept in modern science fiction, especially superhero stories, and the various Spider-Man continuities have capitalized on the craze handsomely, harmonizing different film series together in a single web of parallel dimensions. It seems Spider-Man is particularly suited for adventures that allow his different cinematic timelines to cross over and interact with one another.

6 The 70s Spider-Man Movies And TV Show

3 films and 1 TV series, 1977-1981

The oft-forgotten first Spider-Man to ever appear in a live-action film, 1977 saw Peter Parker hit the small screen in a direct-to-TV movie simply titled Spider-Man. The film stars Nicholas Hammond of The Sound of Music fame, better known now for his appearance in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, as the titular web-slinger. Though clearly limited by a shoestring budget and late 70s special effects, Hammond managed to put on a charming performance as Spider-Man, and even committed to some fairly impressive practical effects regarding wire-strung wall-crawling and thick, ropey web shooting.

Still relatively obscure to this day, the 70s Spider-Man movie has yet to get any recognition from bigger Spider-Man projects down the line, though it did serve as a pilot for a briefly-lived TV series that ran for a modest 13 episodes. Hammond would also reprise the role in two more sequels, Spider-Man Strikes Back and Spider-Man: The Dragon's Challenge, creating a distinct continuity all its own. Curiously, the 70s Spider-Man is the only film series to-date to tackle the infamous Clone Saga of the Spider-Man comics, thrusting Hammond into a second performance as Peter Parker's doppelgänger.

5 The Tobey Maguire Spider-Man Trilogy

3 films, 2002-2007

The first cinematic Spider-Man as far as most fans are concerned, the modern superhero genre as audiences know it today owes much of its existence to Sam Raimi's original Spider-Man trilogy. Spanning three movies, the Sam Raimi trilogy established a timeline still fondly-ed for its campy charm and unforgettable style. While the Raimi movies certainly aren't without their flaws, particularly the messily-adapted third installment, there's something to be said about the earnest simplicity of the cheesy continuity that simply isn't available in the modern age of filmmaking.

The Sam Raimi movies never crossed over with another Spider-Man series in their own lifetime, still being at the cutting edge of superhero franchise creation at the time of their release. That being said, there were talks of a Wolverine appearance in 2002's Spider-Man, with Spider-Man even making a cameo in Fox's X-Men two years prior to the release of Raimi's first film. More famously, Tobey Maguire reprized his role in the MCU's Spider-Man: No Way Home, officially bringing the Raimi trilogy into the fold of the MCU as a parallel dimension.

4 The Amazing Spider-Man Movies

2 films, 2012-2024

The most short-lived of the Spider-Man timelines, Andrew Garfield's tenure as the beloved wall-crawling, friendly-neighborhood hero in the mid 2010s was fraught with issues. The first film under The Amazing Spider-Man moniker offered a shaky start that nevertheless did have potential, with Garfield's almost-too-cool Peter Parker being mired in an awkward romance with Gwen Stacy and a forgettable villain with questionable goals. Sadly, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 fell into the same pitfalls as Raimi's Spider-Man 3, with too many villains being crammed into a 2 hour and 22 minute-long struggle.

For as much as The Amazing Spider-Man continuity got wrong, Andrew Garfield's take on Peter Parker was a diamond in the rough, which was acknowledged with his cameo in Spider-Man: No Way Home. His endurance of the only on-screen death of a Spider-Man love interest with Gwen Stacy's demise in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 only makes this continuity all the grimmer, as this scene shows up in hologram form in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse as an explanation of the "canon events" all Spider-Men must endure. It remains to be seen whether Garfield's Spider-Verse will continue to get any further recognition.

3 The Marvel Cinematic Universe Spider-Man Movies

3 films, 2016-Present

Tom Holland's Spider-Man 4 has been confirmed as on the horizon for Marvel Studios.

While the MCU's Spidey has been criticized for his over-reliance on Stark technology and general inseparability from other MCU characters, the factory-reset Spider-Man got at the end of Spider-Man: No Way Home ensures that future projects will be closer to classic Spider-Man solo movies. Of course, the same film was responsible for the most significant continuity-crossing for cinematic Spider-Men, with Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield coming together in the MCU to team up against their old rogues galleries. Sony's universe may be brought into the fold soon as well, with Tom Hardy's Eddie Brock also making a cameo appearance.

2 Sony's Spider-Man Universe

4 films, 2018-Present

In a strange position as a Spider-Man continuity not actually featuring Spider-Man, Sony has gone on to put their own spin on ing characters from the Spider-Man comics, making anti-heroes out of villains like Venom and Morbius. The Sony movies have enjoyed a mixed critical reception, but have still managed to forge a compelling enough timeline to be worth continuing, with Madame Web expanding the franchise's scope and both Kraven the Hunter and Venom 3 both looming on the Horizon. Even if Spider-Man himself isn't front and center, the character's mythos offers enough fascinating characters to be worth exploring in their own distinct universe.

Interestingly, Sony's universe has had some of the most crossover with other Spider-Man timelines. Venom briefly strolled through the MCU in Spider-Man: No Way Home, and seemed to find his way there permanently by the end of Venom 2. Morbius also encounters Michael Keaton's Vulture in a post-credits scene of his own titular movie, suggesting the formation of a Sinister Six.

1 The Animated Spider-Verse

3 films, 2018-Present

Where other Spider-Man movie continuities may simply acknowledge the others, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller's Spider-Verse films are built around the conceit of the Spider-Man multiverse. Starring Miles Morales as Spider-Man for the first time in cinema history, the groundbreaking art style, clear vision, and heart of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse set up a daring animated Spider-Man continuity that has limitless potential. Although the Spider-Verse movies primarily concerns itself with showing audiences iterations of Spider-Man that were never before seen in theaters, like Spider-Punk and Spider-Gwen, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse gave more nods to the live-action films.

Donald Glover reprises his role as Miles Morales' uncle, The Prowler, in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, providing a glimpse at what a costumed version of the live-action character might look like. Venom's Peggy Lu gets an on-screen appearance in the second film, unfazed by The Spot's sudden appearance. Most importantly, the Spider Society's explanation of canon events features Andrew Garfield's Spider-Man, and Tom Holland's escapades with Doctor Strange are mentioned by name.