3. SAM RAIMI’S SPIDER-MAN FILMS
Sam Rami’s Spider-Man movies are some of the most well known and iconic adaptations of the character. Love them or hate them, the series that began in 2002 shaped the film landscape. It saw the introduction of IMAX into mainstream theaters (with Spider-Man 3) and a more traditional take on the character that Marvel Studios would use in future incarnations. Gone was Peter Parker’s more “realistic” take on his abilities. Back was a spider-figure fans might recall more strongly from the Super Spidey Shorts. A reminder that Spider-Man is at heart a hero for kids.
Raimi also added recognizable villains from the comics with Willem Dafoe as Norman Osborn, James Franco as Harry Osborn, and Alfred Molina as Doctor Octopus. This was a marked difference from the series that focused on a more serious take. Raimi was also the first person to bring the iconic “Uncle Ben” story to the big screen. With special effects, it could be argued that Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy was among the first “big” blockbuster superhero films to define the genre we all now know and love. While not without their problems, the first three Spider-Man films gave us a more fully realized comic Spidey – and for that we will forever be grateful.
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