There’s a reason that Spider-Man is the most profitable superhero on the planet and one of the most popular fictional characters of all time.The character traits he exudesmake him an incredibly relatable and lovable hero. Thus, movie studios and filmmakers have produced some absolutely wonderful films starring the arachnid that are not only compelling but super-thrilling.
Over the years and across many franchises—live-action and animation—Spider-Man has brought scenes to audiences that are very thrilling, keeping them on the edge of their seats both in theaters and at home. To make a thrilling scene, it needs to exude a feeling ofexcitement, exhilaration, fear, and anticipation; in short, it needs to be heart-pounding. With how the character of Spider-Man is typically brought to life on screen, he brings some thrilling sequences to life that people continue to remember to this day.This list will rank the most thrilling Spider-Man scenesacross his cinematic appearances based on the qualities already mentioned.
10Spider-Man & Harry Osborn vs. Sandman & Venom
‘Spider-Man 3’ (2007)
As much flak asSpider-Man 3gets and continues to get—mostly due to the plot—it’s not without its positives. In fact, the fight scenes that are depicted in the film are quite impressive. Indeed, the final, four-way fight scene between Spider-Man (Tobey Maguire), Harry Osborn (James Franco), Sandman (Thomas Haden Church), and Venom (Topher Grace) is a great example.
This fight is exhilarating, beginning with a totally unfair two-on-one between Sandman, Venom, and Spider-Man.Things get terribly tense when it seems like the two are going to kill Peter in front of the entire city. Thankfully, at the last moment, Harry comes in to save his best friend in a total redemption moment. The fight that follows is action-packed and filled with some great moments that keep viewers engaged while successfullykeeping the stakes incredibly high.
Spider-Man 3
9The Washington Monument Save
‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ (2017)
While there are some amazing fights inSpider-Man: Homecoming, the most thrilling scene in the movie comes in Act 2 whenPeter Parker (Tom Holland) has to suit upand climb the Washington Monument tosave his classmates from dying in a falling elevator. However, he is quickly losing time, and when he gets to the top, he realizes there’s no feasible way inside due to the already tiny window being bulletproof.
Things worsen when the police show up, and Spidey is forced to leap over their helicopter blades and launch himself in the perfect position to break through the tiny window and save his classmates right as they begin to plummet to their deaths. The sequence isincredibly tense and heart-pounding, showing how much dedication he has to saving the innocent.
Spider-Man: Homecoming
8Vs. Green Goblin/Gwen’s End
‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2’ (2014)
The final fight scene ofThe Amazing Spider-Man 2is nail-biting and heart-pounding in every way. With Gwen Stacy’s (Emma Stone) life on the line, the battle between Spider-Man (Andrew Garfield) and Green Goblin (Dane DeHaan) isbrutal, fast-paced, and tense. Things hit their climax, though, when the love interest is quite literally hanging on by a thread and Peter is barely holding on while fending off his friend-turned-foe.
Paired withthe incredible score byHans Zimmer, this entire battle and the scene that follows, in which Gwen falls to her death, are gut-wrenching.The seconds that feel like minutesin which the Wall-Crawler is stuck on the clock gear, trying to keep Gwen in the air, are toe-curling as they make viewers wait in agony to see whether the young woman will make it to the end. Sadly, she doesn’t, giving this scene a harrowing vibe.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2
7Saving the City of Mumbattan
‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ (2023)
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verseups the antein so many different ways. It’s especially true when it comes to big action set-pieces that are non-villain-related.In the big save sequence in Mumbattanafter the explosion of the collider, thanks to Spot (Jason Schwartzman), the city begins to collapse, and the four Spider-People on the scene have to both stop whole buildings from falling and save the people on the ground and within them.
The end of the scene also features a huge moment for Miles Morales (Shameik Moore), in which he almost dies trying to save someone and unknowingly stops a “canon event.“The scene is super tense but also very excitingas the four spiders team up and genuinely stop entire buildings from collapsing—things that have yet to be seen in a Spider-Man film.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
6The Apartment Battle
‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ (2021)
Just when things seem to be going right at the top ofSpider-Man: No Way Home’s third act, Pete’s Spider-Senses go off and the Goblin (Willem Dafoe) emerges withinNorman Osborn and the badass villainsgo wild. As Spider-Man goes toe-to-toe with Green Goblin and the others who haven’t been turned good, the battle gets brutal, and the two throw themselves through the floors and give each other some ofthe toughest beatdowns in any Spider-Man movie.
What makes the fight even tenser is that when they make it to the bottom of the apartment complex, Aunt May (Marisa Tomei) gets involved and, unfortunately, dies at the hands of the wicked Green Goblin. It’s easilythe most taught scene in the Tom Holland trilogyand perfectly pushes Peter into the third act.
5The Nueva York Train Face-Off
After the massive chase scene depicting Miles running from the entire Spider-Society to go home and save his father, he finds himself cornered on a train in Nueva York and face-to-face with the menacing Spider-Man 2099 (Oscar Isaac). In the anxiety-inducing fight between the two, the hero from the future goes way harder on Miles than anyone ever wanted.It even became hard to watchas he not only beat on the young man but verbally berated him, as well.
It’s exciting, though, when Miles comes into his own and fights back, defining himself to them as Spider-Man regardless of his origin. The scene isa perfect meld of heart-tightening action and heartwarming character development, making it one of the most memorable and important inAcross the Spider-Verse.
4Vs. Doc Ock On the Train
‘Spider-Man 2’ (2004)
One of the most beloved fight scenes in superhero cinema is the train fight inSpider-Man 2, and for very good reason.The battle is high-stakes and fast-paced, the perfect way to end Act 2 and set up the film’s climax. With an entire train’s worth of innocent civilians speeding towards their deaths and Spider-Man having to fend off Doc Ock (Alfred Molina) at the same time, it’s nail-biting in every way.
The Wall-Crawler must avoid getting hit by other trains, save civilians thrown out of their train cars, and stop the locomotive from flying off of the unfinished tracks at the end of the rails. It’s genuinelyone of the most thrilling fights in superhero moviesas a whole. This spectacular action sequence is also the perfect example of whySpider-Man 2is so loved by audiences to this day and isconsidered an essential Marvel film.
Spider-Man 2
3The Spider-Men Fight Together
The absolute highlight ofSpider-Man: No Way Homeis the fact that the other two Spider-Men of the multiverse, Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire, enter the film to help Peter in his time of need. The best part about their inclusion is thatthey’re not cameos for the sake of nostalgia but because they genuinely add to the young hero’s character arc. Thus, when they come together to team up and face the villains from the multiverse, it’s as thrilling as ever.
Whether it’s watching the three Spideys swing as one, face such classic villains, and have some dynamic interactions, audiences are stillthrilled at this once-in-a-lifetime crossover. They get to see match-ups they haven’t seen in years, including the conclusion of character arcs—likethe rewatchable scene of Andrew’s Spider-Mansaving Michelle Jones-Watson (Zendaya), by far the most impactful—and some genuinely well-choreographed action. It’s one of the best team-ups in superhero cinema and exciting all the way through.
2Miles' Leap of Faith
‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ (2018)
The greatest moment in one of the greatest superhero films of all time isthe completion of Miles Morales' character arc inSpider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse—also known asthe “What’s Up Danger” momentdue to the song of the same name playing. At this moment in the movie, Miles has yet to actually and confidently swing as a Spider-Man should and is still incredibly unsure about whether he can live up to Peter Parker’s (Chris Pine) wishes.
But when he gets onto the top floor of a building, ready to take the leap of faith that Peter B. Parker (Jake Johnson) told him he’d need to take, Miles jumps and—with the inspirational words said to him throughout the story playing over the moment—the young hero swings for the first time.This chill-inducing scene will bring smilesto people’s faces. It’s one ofthe greatest coming-of-age scenes in superheromedia anda true encapsulation of who Spider-Man is.
Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse
1Vs. The Green Goblin
‘Spider-Man’ (2002)
Of all the Spider-Man movies made over the years, no fight has ever reached theheights of thrills that the final battleofSam Raimi’sSpider-Mandoes. The completelybrutal, hard-hitting, tangible, bloody, and heart-clenchingbattle between the hero and villain remains one of the hardest non-R-rated superhero fights ever put on screen.
The sound design makes every hit sound bone-cracking: a bomb explodes in Peter’s face, he pulls a brick wall down onto Green Goblin, and the villain gets impaled by his glider.There’s a visceral element to this scenethat has never been replicated in any subsequent Spider-Man movie. It is still looked back on as one of the best Spider-Man fight scenes ever made, and clearly, the proof is in the pudding.
Spider-Man
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