
After its success, the film spawned two sequels, Spider-Man 2 and Spider-Man 3, released in 20 respectively. Spider-Man is credited for redefining the modern superhero genre, as well as the summer blockbuster. With a box office gross of over $825 million worldwide, it was the third highest-grossing film of 2002, the highest-grossing superhero film and the sixth highest-grossing film overall at the time of its release. It was the first film to reach $100 million in a single weekend as well as the most successful film based on a comic book at the time. The film received positive reviews from audiences and critics who praised Raimi's direction, the performances, CGI visual effects, live-action sequences, and musical score. Spider-Man premiered at the Mann Village Theater on April 29, 2002, and was released in the United States on May 3. Sony Pictures Imageworks handled the film's visual effects. Filming took place in Los Angeles and New York City from January to June 2001. The Koepp script was rewritten by Scott Rosenberg during pre-production and received a dialogue polish from Alvin Sargent during production. Night Shyamalan, Tony Scott, and David Fincher were considered to direct the project before Raimi was hired as director in 2000. Directors Roland Emmerich, Ang Lee, Chris Columbus, Barry Sonnenfeld, Tim Burton, Michael Bay, Jan de Bont, M. Exercising its option on just two elements from the multi-script acquisition (a different screenplay was written by James Cameron, Ted Newsom, John Brancato, Barney Cohen, and Joseph Goldman), Sony hired Koepp to create a working screenplay (credited as Cameron's), and Koepp received sole credit in final billing. After progress on the film stalled for nearly 25 years, it was licensed for a worldwide release by Columbia Pictures in 1999 after it acquired options from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer on all previous scripts developed by Cannon Films, Carolco, and New Cannon. However, the project would languish in development hell due to licensing and financial issues. Filmmakers Tobe Hooper, James Cameron, and Joseph Zito were all attached to direct the film at one point. After being bitten by a genetically-altered spider, outcast teenager Peter Parker develops spider-like superhuman abilities and adopts a masked identity to fight crime and injustice in New York City, facing the sinister Green Goblin (Dafoe) in the process.ĭevelopment on a live-action Spider-Man film began in the 1980s. The film chronicles Spider-Man's origin story and early superhero career. Directed by Sam Raimi from a screenplay by David Koepp, it is the first installment in Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy, and stars Tobey Maguire as the titular character, alongside Willem Dafoe, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Cliff Robertson, and Rosemary Harris.

Spider-Man is a 2002 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name.
