Top Ten Tuesday: The Best Films Featuring Spider-Man

Happy Tuesday, dear readers! Each week, we’ll rank the top 10 films in a specific category. While we aim to tie these lists to big releases, that won’t always be the case. Our goal? For you to enjoy, share your own lists, and join in on a lively, friendly debate. This is an interactive space to build community here at The Contending.

No fancy intros, no long essays – just a category and a list. Sound good?

This week, everyone’s favorite friendly neighborhood Spider-Man swings back into theaters in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the latest chapter in one of cinema’s most enduring superhero franchises. Since first appearing on the big screen in 2002, Spider-Man has become one of the few comic book characters to successfully span multiple generations, franchises, actors, and even animation, all while remaining remarkably true to the heart of the character.

Spider-Man consistently reminds audiences that heroism isn’t measured by superpowers alone. Beneath the mask is an ordinary young man trying to balance responsibility, family, friendship, love, and loss while doing his best to make the world a little better. It’s that nerdy, gee-golly humanity, more than the web-slinging or spectacular action, that has made Peter Parker one of the most beloved heroes in popular culture.

I was fortunate enough to see Spider-Man: Brand New Day yesterday, and think fans of the franchise’s core characters are really going to enjoy it. The best parts of Brand New Day are the ones that focus on Peter’s sacrifices and his struggle to reconnect with the people he loves, knowing they no longer remember him. There’s something genuinely moving about a hero forced to live with being forgotten.

With Spider-Man once again swinging across the big screen, it’s the perfect time to look back at the very best films featuring Marvel’s iconic web-slinger.

Here are the ten best films featuring Spider-Man: