As part of our superhero theme month, ScreenAge Wasteland is proud to present our community’s ranking of the Spider-Man and Venom movies.
Fourteen people (whether is was staff, commenters, or social media followers) took part in sending us their personal rankings of the eleven films starring Spider-Man and/or Venom. We then assigned them points (top spot got 11, last spot got 1) and tallied the scores. In the event that someone hadn’t seen a film, a multiplier was added to bump that film’s score up to what it would have been if all seven people had seen it.
So get webslinging and see where each Marvel film placed. And feel free to agree or disagree with where a film ranked in the comments below!
11. Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021) | 18 points
- The second Venom flick was so much better than the first. What worked was that it didn’t take itself too seriously. It drops you in and takes off. The banter between Eddie Brock and Venom was hysterical at times. Woody Harrelson’s Carnage/Cletus Kasady was as vicious and sadistic as can be! – Ralph Hosch
10. Venom (2018) | 29 points
- Tom Hardy’s first film as Eddie Brock/ Venom. It’s an origin story, but without the most important part: freaking Spider-Man. I still cannot understand how you omit that. You just can’t have one without the other. – Ralph Hosch
- A weird comedy that could be enjoyable with a good load of LSD. – Tarek
- What a stupid movie. – Jetpack Jesus
- The best thing about this is Tom Hardy. He’s not who I would’ve cast in the role (and I’m still mad he’s in it since it effectively kills any chance he’ll have at playing Wolverine, the role he was born to play), but he makes the character better simply by fighting against, not embracing, the symbiote. Turning Venom into a comedic-buddy movie between two characters who hate each other is a good take and if that was all it was, it would probably be good but it’s also a comic book movie that is trying and failing at every turn to compete with every other comic book movie. The villain is forgettable, the action set pieces aren’t impressive or memorable and Michelle Williams is utterly wasted. When it focuses on Hardy bickering with Venom, it’s fun but when he fights anyone or does anything else, it falls on its face. – Sailor Monsoon
- Ridiculously dumb and undeniably fun. Tom Hardy is the only reason this movie is as entertaining as it is. What an epic love story. – Romona Comet
9. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014) | 32 points
- This is were this series really fell off the rails for me and probably for Sony too, because this would be the last outing for Garfield as Spider-Man… until No Way Home. What went wrong for me? Blue Electro, Mecha-Rhino, freaky weird Goblin. The Gwen Stacy death scene was the only shining spot of this film because its such a powerful moment. – Ralph Hosch
- The mystery about Peter’s parents is half-baked and dumb. The villains suck. The only thing working for this movie is Garfield and Stone. At least No Way Home paid off the end of this thing in a really nice way. – Jetpack Jesus
- Would this movie have been better if Electro wasn’t blue? No. Would it have helped? Yes. All forms of kidding aside, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 has its moments, but it’s a product of a time when every superhero movie coming out after The Avengers had to set up its own cinematic universe. It’s bloated and has way too many moving pieces. If the whole point of the movie was to kill off Gwen Stacy then Green Goblin should have been the main villain and Electro the added muscle. Shoehorning Goblin in at the end just felt rushed. That said, I’ll still watch it over Far From Home. – Marmaduke Karlston
8. Spider-Man 3 (2007) | 49 points
- You gave us emo-Peter memes and for that we’ll always be thankful. No, that’s it. You can go now. – Bob Cram
- The final movie of the Raimi trilogy was half-train wreck and half-masterpiece. Shoe-horning Venom into the film when Raimi wanted to include classic villains was the death knell, at the time, for the series. If you see the film, see it for Thomas Haden Church’s Sandman. – Ralph Hosch
- Messy, but still carrying Raimi’s spirit. A decent closing to the trilogy. – Tarek
- Spider-Man 3 isn’t nearly as bad as its reputation. The first half-ish has some really great stuff. Unfortunately, Sony had to Sony the rest of the movie (F*ck you, Avi Arad). – Jetpack Jesus
- The only good thing to come out of this movie is the emo-Peter Parker dancing in the street scene. The rest of bloated garbage. – Romona Comet
- This movie is so tonally chaotic. Sandman’s regeneration is one of the most beautifully poetic sequences in comic book movie history, but there’s also the line “if you want forgiveness try religion.” I will never know how I actually feel about it. – Raf Stitt
- I like Spider-Man 3. Until No Way Home, this was our last film with Maguire’s Spidey and there was something special about watching this film knowing we wouldn’t see the character again. That closing shot of Peter and MJ reaching out and taking each other’s hands is a beautiful moment. It’s a sign that Peter’s story will continue even if we don’t get to see it. It’s not a perfect film, but it’s definitely not as bad as some people online are making it out to be. – Marmaduke Karlston
7. The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) | 59 points
- I didn’t hate the Amazing Spider-Man films like some folks did, but… it just didn’t feel like Spider-Man to me. I mean I loved Garfield and Sally Field and Martin Sheen and Emma Stone and still can’t really remember much about it. Were there cranes on top of buildings in this one? – Bob Cram
- It’s a good film. Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man was well done as was the interaction between him, Emma Stone’s Gwen Stacy and her father Captain Stacy, played by Denis Leary. The main villain was the Lizard and he was a serviceable villain. However, there was nothing that “wowed” me. – Ralph Hosch
- I’ve actually grown to really love the Spider-Suit Garfield wears in this one. It’s probably the only original thing in this whole movie. That, and the amazing Stan Lee cameo. – Marmaduke Karlston
- This film could have been the start o a great new trilogy. Even if I don’t belive Garfield was in High School. They made some interesting tweaks to the origin, but the ending devolved into a lame ass fight and beam in the sky. – K. Alvarez
6. Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019) | 65 points
- Enjoyable and forgettable at the same time. Is that a thing? – Bob Cram
- Oh the middle child film syndrome of the MCU Spider-Man films! Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good film with the typical Marvel cameos and a good villain in Mysterio. Plenty of eye-popping special effects with plot twists and turns. It’s good, but it isn’t No Way Home good. – Ralph Hosch
- Man, do I feel bad for Jake Gyllenhaal. He was *this* close to being Spider-Man himself and now has to settle for being a D-list villain in a mediocre Spider-Man movie. Granted, he is by far the best thing about Far From Home but he, along with Tom Holland, deserve so much more. There hasn’t been an MCU film in a long time that feels as disposable and pointless as this one does. Ant-Man and the Wasp was utterly forgettable but it at least explained where Ant-Man was during Infinity War. This does nothing. It doesn’t introduce a new character into the universe, it doesn’t do anything new or interesting with the characters it already has and it doesn’t do anything we haven’t already seen a million times by now. The film is also shot terribly. It looks more like one of those CW superhero shows than a 250-million-dollar production. There’s a bit in the middle involving Mysterio’s illusions that was cool. That’s about it. Other than that, it’s just another soulless comic book film that offers nothing but mild entertainment. This series is in desperate need of a Raimi. – Sailor Monsoon
- I actually thought this was a better movie than Homecoming the first time I watched it. A recent rewatch of both quickly changed that opinion. Far From Home is the most MCU movie of them all, and that’s not a compliment. It just doesn’t feel like a Spider-Man movie when the villain is mad at Tony Stark and Nick Fury is actually a skrull from Captain Marvel, and Peter is desperately trying to not be Spider-Man the whole time. It’s just not a fun watch. – Marmaduke Karlston
- See, Karlston’s wrong. 😛 In this day and age with the MCU it’s hard to believe no other superheroes are around. We need these little fillers/ties-ins to expand the MCU more. This film is a solid second entry that leads us to No Way Home and makes this trilogy an entirely new origin story. – K. Alvarez
5. Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) | 84 points
- I know it’s kind of almost an Iron Man movie as well, but I like Iron Man so that’s okay. Peter Parker felt like Peter Parker again. Spidey was Spidey. Aunt May was whoa… – Bob Cram
- The first entry into the MCU was Iron-Man heavy and that was a good thing. Though I’m not a big Vulture fan, seeing him portrayed by Michael Keaton was a treat. Oh, and let’s not forget the first ever appearance of my favorite third rate villain: The Shocker! – Ralph Hosch
- They should have called it Iron Man: The Spin-Off. – Tarek
- The scene in the car with Michael Keaton and Peter is A+ material. I deduct some points because it felt more like SpidIron-Man instead of a Spidey flick. – Jetpack Jesus
- I love this movie because I can’t get enough of Peter and Tony Stark’s bizarre father/son relationship. And how can you ever go wrong with Micheal Keaton? – Romona Comet
- After two separate Spider-Man origin stories, it was refreshing to see an introductory story for a young Peter Parker that didn’t just retread a lot of the same ground. A wonderful tale of a boy becoming just a little bit more of a man. – Raf Stitt
4. Spider-Man (2002) | 94 points
- Nostalgia probably plays a role in how high I place this film, but man that nostalgia is a helluva drug. It was the first super-hero film that really felt like it captured what those films should feel like, especially a Marvel super-hero film. Heightened action, heightened visuals, heightened emotion. Uncle Ben… *sob* – Bob Cram
- The ultimate Spidey movie. Raimi invented the comic book adaptation. Perfect with all its imperfections. – Tarek
- The one that started it all. Still a great flick despite Osborn’s Power Rangers costume. – Jetpack Jesus
- Tobey Maguire will always be my Spider-Man. Releasing before CGI spectacle became commonplace in superhero movies, Spider-Man features some great practical stunts and a New York that feels real (and not digital). It might also have one of the best casts for a comic book movie. Look no further than J. K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson. If Spider-Man was released today, we’d be getting a Disney+ spin-off series set at the Daily Bugle. He’s that good in the role. – Marmaduke Karlston
3. Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) | 95 points
- It’s all a freakin’ gimmick and I hate gimmicks but dammit… it’s a good gimmick. A great gimmick. And it somehow made it all work. – Bob Cram
- The most recent entry is arguably the best. Great story, great villains, and more importantly, nostalgia! Seeing my Spider-Man (Tobey Maguire) fighting his villains alongside those other two Spider-Man actors (Ha! I joke!) and their villains was the most fun I’ve had watching a Marvel movie in a long time! Though I still wanted to see Nicholas Hammond cameo as an older Spider-Man. Can someone tell Kevin Feige I need this? – Ralph Hosch
- Marvel somehow pulled off a miracle. They made a movie built solely out of nostalgia and I loved every second of it. Because the pandemic killed their release pattern, I gave up on the MCU. The second the train was late to the station, I decided to hop off. I guarantee I would’ve seen Black Widow in theaters if it released 3-4 months after Endgame but waiting a year and a half killed my interest in it. I still haven’t seen it, Shang-Chi, or Eternals. I stopped caring but goddamn it, No Way Home pulled me right back in. This movie is so entertaining, that the numerous nitpicks I have with it, which would otherwise kill my entertainment, didn’t even bother me. There’s so many stupid things that easily could’ve been fixed with a simple rewrite but I don’t care. It’s a sloppy mess of a script that has more holes than swiss cheese but every time Dafoe or Molina were on screen, I was smiling. This film utilizes the legacy characters better than the films they were originally from did. Green Goblin is a much bigger threat this time around and Dafoe is dialing up both the crazy AND the sympathetic. Dafoe’s performance alone—that I fully admit is boistered by the Raimi ones—might be my favorite villain in the MCU. He’s incredible. As are the rest of the villains. Lizard and Sandman have nothing to do but Electro is far more memorable here than he was in Amazing Spider-Man 2. But as good as they are, the real MVP is Garfield. He must’ve came in with a chip on his shoulder and something to prove because he’s slam dunking every single scene he’s in. His goal was to prove that he is the best Spider-Man and goddamn it, he ain’t wrong. I don’t know how Sony is going to add him into Morbius but it’ll be the smartest thing they could do. Marvel can have Holland, they can have Garfield, and every fan will be happy. Until they inevitably fuck it up. Again. I don’t think this is the best Spider-Man movie or even the best version of the multiverse but it is definitely the most entertaining. This is my third or fourth favorite MCU film. That’s how much I like it and I can’t wait to see it again. – Sailor Monsoon
- The only Spider-Man film that left me smiling as I left the theater. And Andrew Garfield was a better Spider-Man in No Way Home than he was in both of his own films. – Romona Comet
- This could have been an incredible Spider-Man movie, but unfortunately gets in its own way. Th deeply emotional, character driven scene of the three Peters on a rooftop = brilliant; ham-fisted recreation of popular internet memes = not so great. – Raf Stitt
2. Spider-Man 2 (2004) | 116 points
- Remember when all the Marvel pictures had sequels that were better? Blade 2, X-Men 2 and this – the best of the Spidey pictures. Great villain, great action, and a damn fun video game tie-in as well. – Bob Cram
- The second entry in the Raimi/Maguire series had quite possibly the best villain in terms of character (Doctor Octopus) and actor (Alfred Molina). You can’t really heap enough accolades onto this film. Its almost a perfect superhero film, the equivalent of X2 or Thor: The Dark World! (Don’t @ me; Dark World is magnificent!) – Ralph Hosch
- The The Empire Strikes Back of the Spider-Man franchise. – Tarek
- The best superhero films are the ones in which the director’s style is on full display. Burton brought his kooky gothic sensibilities to Batman, Nolan tackled the same character but added his own unique take, and Gunn took a band of space misfits no one had heard of before and, with his candy colored cartoon aesthetic and quotable dialogue, made them into beloved characters. However, as successful as those films were, no director has claimed a character quite like Raimi did with Spider-Man. Keeping all the things fans love about ol’ web head (the nerdy teen, the quippy jokes, the relatable money issues) but injecting it with his distinct gonzo directing style, Raimi made Spider-Man one of the most successful superhero films of the time, and when he was brought on to do the sequel, he doubled down on everything that made the last one great. More pathos, more character drama, bigger set pieces, better action, and a villain that some how out does Dafoe’s Green Goblin — Spider-Man 2 is no longer the king of the mountain but it held onto that crown for a long time. – Sailor Monsoon
- This is the best comic book movie of all time, please don’t @ me. – Raf Stitt
1. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) | 126 points
- It was glorious — exciting, emotional and entertaining and made me happy to have Miles Morales as the webslinger. More. Please. – Bob Cram
- If I only had one superhero film to show to Scorsese to convince them that the genre can produce “cinema”, it would be this one. Like he said, the genre is pretty much nothing but a cinematic theme park, cranking out new attractions but offering very little substance. As exciting as the best ones are, it’s hard to argue that many of them are more than just cotton candy but there are exceptions. While I think The Dark Knight is still the pinnacle, in order for Marty to truly appreciate it, he would have to see Batman Begins and he ain’t seeing two superhero films, so my pick would be the second greatest superhero film. Acting as a much needed adrenaline shot to a stagnant genre, Into the Spider-Verse is the freshest superhero origin story in a long time. Miles Morales’ story isn’t built on tragedy (he isn’t an orphan), it isn’t dark and gritty, and it super serious. He’s just a kid who happens to get super powers and then tries to deal with them. In the time of grimdark uber serious extreme reboots, it’s refreshing to see a film remember that this shit is supposed to be fun. It’s a film that reminds everyone why they tied capes around their necks when they were younger: because being a superhero is fun and everyone can be one. – Sailor Monsoon
- Gorgeous animation with a legitimately good storyline. We need more Miles Morales, please. – Romona Comet
- I was pleasantly surprised with this one. I wasn’t sure of the animation style going in, but by the end I was entirely loving it. Sony needs to stop making terrible Spider-Man spin-offs without Spider-Man in them and invest all their money into making more animated Spider-Man films. I’ll happily watch the continuing adventures of Miles Morales and Spider-Gwen until I’m old and grey. – Marmaduke Karlston
- It’s a damn great animated film, which allows you to get away with almost anything. Can’t wait for the sequels. – K. Alvarez
Into the Spider-Verse took the top spot potentially proving that the best thing Sony can do with the franchise—without Marvel Studios’ involvement—is to make it animated. (Ain’t no one looking forward to that Madame Web movie.) Otherwise, the love is strong for Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 2 and Tom Holland’s solo outings as Spidey.
Thank you to everyone who participated in SAW’s eighth community ranking!
How does your ranking of the Spider-Man / Venom franchise look? Share your ranking in the comments below!