The release of the MCU's Spider-Man 3 is promising to be one of the biggest box office events of the year. Tom Holland is back to reprise his role as Peter Parker and, what's more, is rumors are rife that past webheads Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield will be returning as well. There have been eight solo movies involving the character so far, giving fans many memorable moments over the years.
Here's a look at some of the scenes that stand out.
Spider-Man (2002): Upside Down Kiss
Spider-Man was a huge hit upon releasing in movie theatres around the globe in 2002. It saw Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man battle against the Green Goblin but, while both Maguire and Willem Dafoe's performances were electrifying, their epic showdowns aren't the biggest highlight.
Instead, that accolade goes to the upside-down kiss shared between Peter and love interest Mary Jane Watson. It became instantly iconic, especially given it takes place shortly after Spider-Man had swooped in to save her from being mugged outside in the pouring rain. The two characters do eventually couple up - but not until the sequel.
Spider-Man 2 (2004): The Train Fight
Even today, in a day and age where comic book movies are becoming increasingly popular, Spider-Man 2 still ranks up there with the very best the genre has to offer. It follows Peter two years after the first movie and takes the character, and the franchise, in an intriguing direction. Fans get to see plenty of the webhead but they also get to see more of the person behind the mask, with Peter losing his powers.
And the train fight scene epitomizes everything that's good about the movie. Spider-Man and Doctor Octavius battle it out and, at one point, it seems as though innocent people are going to get hurt. Fortunately, Peter is able to save the day and the grateful passengers promise to keep his identity a secret after he's forced to remove his mask. This, coupled with the excellent score from Danny Elfman, means it's lived long in the memory.
Spider-Man 3 (2007): Shredding The Symbiote
When fans think of Spider-Man 3, the symbiote suit instantly springs to mind. That movie is considerably darker than its two predecessors, perfectly reflecting the darkness within Peter as he changes over the course of the story. With villains such as Harry Osborn and Sandman involved and his relationship with Mary Jane on the rocks, he allows the strange entity to transform his behavior.
So that's why the scene of him shredding the symbiote inside a New York City church is so memorable. It's him finally reverting back to his old self, while also giving birth to another villain in Venom. Venom doesn't get much screen time, however, and dies before the credits roll.
The Amazing Spider-Man (2012): The School Fight
While The Amazing Spider-Man isn't universally popular, especially given how it came out nearly five years after the last movie involving the character of Peter Parker, it still produces some fine moments. There's the heartbreaking death of Captain Stacy at the end, the scene where bully Flash Thompson gets his due, and also one when Peter awkwardly asks Gwen Stacy out on a date, all of which fans love.
But the fight scene ranks up there with the very best. Set in the school, it's refreshing seeing the danger brought to Peter so close to home. It also involves a brilliant cameo from Stan Lee, who plays a librarian oblivious to the chaos that's going on around him. Which is probably for the best, too, otherwise things would be pretty scary.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014): The Death Of Gwen Stacy
Hans Zimmer signed on to do the score for The Amazing Spider-Man 2, which hit theatres back in the summer of 2014. And he did a particularly beautiful number for the haunting death of Gwen Stacy, which happens as a consequence of Peter's battle with Harry Osborn, who has transformed into the Green Goblin.
The way Peter's desperate web turns into a hand as he desperately tries to stop Gwen falling to her doom is majestic and the scene is definitely a tear-jerker. It's straight out of the comics, too. However, it may not have necessarily been the end of the character. It was once claimed The Amazing Spider-Man 3 would have seen her character brought back from the dead, as well as her father. How that would have gone down, though, is something fans will never get to know.
Spider-Man Homecoming (2017): The Ferry Rescue
While Tom Holland's Spider-Man first appears in 2016's Captain America: Civil War, 2017's Spider-Man: Homecoming really hammers home just how raw and inexperienced he is. With Michael Keaton's Vulture stealing dangerous tech from Tony Stark as revenge for being priced out of a business deal years previously, he struggles to stop criminal activity from going down. And one scene that symbolizes how Peter is at this moment in time is when he needs rescuing from Tony Stark.
Spidey follows Vulture onto a ferry but, when things go south, everybody on board is in danger. Tony is on hand to save the day and lays down the law to his young pupil, taking his suit off him in the process. This gives the protagonist a real point to prove and, from this moment on, he changes for the better - eventually stopping Vulture and putting him behind bars.
Spider-Man Into The Spider-Verse (2018): A Leap Of Faith
While past Spider-Man movies saw Peter Parker don the famous red and blue outfit, 2018's Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse decided to up the ante. Peter was involved, with Nicholas Cage voicing the character, but Miles Morales was the central character, going on quite the ride after seeing another Peter die early on. He goes through the wringer in order to stop Wilson Fisk and one moment that stands out is when he jumps off a skyscraper for the very first time.
With Blackway and Black Caviar booming, the visuals sensational, and the atmosphere bang on, it's the moment where a hero is truly born. It gives Miles the confidence to go after Fisk and he's successful in stopping the villain, ensuring he's locked up by the end. The sequel to this film is greatly anticipated and scheduled to release in 2022.
Spider-Man Far From Home (2019): The Post Credits
Spider-Man: Far From Home has some stellar moments, even if it considerably lower stakes than Avengers: Endgame, which released the same year. Jake Gyllenhaal is excellent as Mysterio, manipulating Peter and exploiting his good heart. And there are big revelations as well, such as that Talos is posing as Nick Fury and that the real Fury is spending his days in outer space.
The first post-credits scene is, however, perhaps the finest in MCU history. Firstly, it was well and truly shocking to see J.K. Simmons reprise his role as J. Jonah Jameson a whole 12 years on from his last appearance in Spider-Man 3. And it was also spectacular to see Peter's identity outed to the world. It'll be fascinating to see how he responds to that when the next movie comes out later in 2021.