Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man Star Reveals His Favorite Spider-Man Movie (And He’s Right)

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man star Hudson Thames has shared his pick for his favorite Spider-Man movie, praising Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 2. The actor, who voices Peter Parker on the animated show, sat down with ComicBook.com to discuss his work on the series, and the topic of Spider-Man’s big-screen exploits was raised. When asked if there’s one movie in particular he prefers over the others, Thames talked about his love for Tobey Maguire’s iteration. “It’s hard because I have different ones for different reasons,” Thames said. “I think Spider-Man 2 with Tobey Maguire, just because those ones have nostalgia for me.”

In his response, Thames also singled out 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home, saying it is “so well done, just as a movie.” However, Maguire’s films are the ones that have a special place in his heart. “But I think I got to go to the Maguire ones just because those are the ones I grew up going to the movie theater with my parents, like so excited for,” he said.

Released in 2004, Spider-Man 2 is widely considered one of the best sequels ever made. Upon its premiere, the film earned widespread critical praise, and it was even named one of the year’s best movies by the American Film Institute. Spider-Man 2 was also a massive box office hit, grossing $783.7 million globally. Worldwide, it ranks as the third-highest grossing film of 2004, behind only Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Shrek 2.

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More than two decades after its premiere, Spider-Man 2 has carved out a legacy for itself. Alfred Molina, who portrayed Otto Octavius, said that the project “changed my life” when he reflected on playing the role. Even though Spider-Man 2 is widely available on various home media formats, the film remains a box office draw, as audiences flocked to see it again on the big screen when Sony re-released it for its 20th anniversary.

Despite the plethora of comic book adaptations that have hit theaters since Spider-Man 2 came out, Raimi’s sequel still ranks among the best the genre has to offer. Not only does it offer exhilarating action set pieces like the now-iconic train sequence, the film is renowned for its heartfelt, emotional story. At the center of any great Spider-Man narrative is the trouble Peter has balancing his personal life with his superhero duties; this serves as the core of Spider-Man 2, brilliantly portraying that dichotomy. What makes Spider-Man 2 so special is that it’s more about Peter Parker than Spider-Man, allowing audiences to truly care about the person under the mask. Raimi understood that if his film was going to resonate with viewers, they needed to be invested in Peter’s plight as he struggles to live a “normal” life.

Spider-Man 2 does what any excellent film sequel is supposed to do, building on the already strong foundation established by its predecessor and taking it to greater heights. The original Spider-Man saw Peter transform into a hero, embracing the responsibility that came with that. Spider-Man 2 explores the consequences of that choice, illustrating that the “superhero fantasy” so many fans have isn’t all easy. It’s able to tell a very personal, human story within the framework of a big-budget summer blockbuster, and while there have been many other great comic book films in the years since, Spider-Man 2 continues to stand the test of time. Especially for those who grew up with it, there’s no topping it.