Sam Raimi effectively delivered on bringing a memorable trilogy filled with delightfully over the top characters. From the iconic villains to the supporting cast, nearly everybody brought a smile to the faces of audience members. Perhaps Raimi didn't realize how much effort into characters.
This is where the background and smaller characters come in. The extras in the original Spider-Man trilogy are strangely the most over the top characters in the series. For whatever reason, Sam Raimi would focus on the most random extras who take full advantage of their fifteen seconds of fame.
The Train People
One of the best sequences in comic book movie history is Spider-Man's battle with Doc Ock on the train. Even in the middle of a giant action scene, Sam Raimi chooses to have fun with the extras.
There's the guy who decides to mock Spider-Man despite trying to save his life. The entire car of people who agree to keep Spider-Man's secret is awesome for that. However, they decide to put themselves between Spidey and Doc Ock. Shocker, Doc Ock plows right through them.
The CAGE! Guy
Bonesaw was already a pretty memorable foe for Spider-Man in the first movie. It's impossible not to enjoy Spider-Man taking on Randy Savage for three minutes. Three minutes of playtime. Bruce Campbell is also a delight to watch as the announcer.
Well, someone as crazy as Bonesaw has some crazy fans. This includes a random man who cheers the word "Cage!" as bombastically as he can for the camera. His reaction is so priceless, it resembles a Marvel fan that just witnessed the portals sequence from Avengers: Endgame.
Mr. Aziz
So technically Mr. Aziz is not an extra but his role is so small that it hardly counts as a supporting role. Mr. Aziz is Peter Parker's boss in the first ten minutes of Spider-Man 2 when Peter is a pizza delivery guy.
Apparently, Peter can't get a job without an eccentric boss; Mr. Aziz gives Peter one last chance to make things right or he is fired. Aziz is already an odd character but the kicker that earns him the spot on his list is how he tells Peter to hurry up. He yells out, "Goooooo" in a very hilarious fashion.
Is That Joel McHale?
The bank worker in Spider-Man 2 is already bizarro on his own. He has a tendency to say "Ow" in a very over the top manner. There's his irony line about Peter Parker being a "real hero" and pretty much every time he's on-screen, he's having a blast.
Age has a funny effect on movies; these days, the actor playing the bank worker is Joel McHale of Community fame in his first movie role. Joel recently became a superhero briefly as Starman on DC's Stargirl.
OMG Guy
Much like the Bonesaw fan, this is an extra one will miss if they blink. Literally. When Green Goblin attacks in Spider-Man (2002), Spidey jumps in to intervene and as he jumps, there is a man in the crowd.
Once someone notices this man, it is impossible to view the scene without laughing. This man, rather than looking terrified that a green-clad maniac and a spider-themed weirdo are fighting, mostly just looked offended.
The Screamer Lady
Doc Ock has captured Aunt May and is climbing up the building. Rather than focus on the villain, Sam Raimi decides to show the reaction of the people inside the building. One of them is a woman who, quite frankly, screams like she's witnessing murder take place before her eyes.
Really, it's just Doc Ock's arms breaking through the wall as he climbs. Then this lady makes it even funnier by running right up to the camera; this is where the audience can see the actress trying her hardest not to break down laughing.
He Stole That Guy's Pizza! Guy
Not much is needed to be said about this individual from Spider-Man 2. Peter is running late so he rushes into an alley to become Spider-Man and deliver the pizzas faster.
This is witnessed by a man and the audience might be worried that Peter's identity is about to be exposed. However, the man instead has a very different thought process and instead thinks, as he says, "He stole that guy's pizza!" The delivery of the line is too perfect.
The Grammy Worthy Spider-Fan
In a montage of New York's reactions to Spider-Man's arrival, there are several colorful characters shown. One of them being Lucy Lawless of Ash VS Evil Dead and Xena: Warrior Princess!
The oddest one of them all, however, is the guitarist in the subway. It's such a powerful song that it deserved a spot on the official soundtrack. Or at the very least, a higher spot than Nickelback.
The Elevator Guy
In what has to be one of the most strange yet hilarious scenes in comic book history, Spider-Man takes an elevator. Why? Because Sam Raimi decided to have Spidey chat with a random man with his dog.
Whether it's the theatrical cut or the alternate cut of Spider-Man 2, this scene cannot be described and be given justice. It's one to two minutes of pure hilarity that will put anyone into tears of laughter.
Mr. Ditkovich
Like Mr. Aziz, this character is not really an extra but too small to be a supporting role. Plus this character has such a legacy with the fanbase that's impossible to leave him off of this list. Peter Parker's strange landlord only appears a couple of times in the film but he always leaves his mark. He has ears like a cat, eyes like a rodent and he will get his rent money.
Ditkovich was such a delightfully strange characters that fans couldn't get enough with him. He even returned for a rather heartfelt role in the third film and over the years, there are countless memes of him. And the best bonus of all: he is named after Steve Ditko, Spider-Man's co-creator. If Doc Ock is returning for the MCU's Spider-Man 3, Ditkovich deserves a cameo.