Film guide · 2002
The parts that are hard to follow from the film alone, explained with a story summary, a character map and key terms.
This is a different world from Tom Holland's MCU Spider-Man. This Peter later appears in No Way Home.
It's followed by Spider-Man 2 and Spider-Man 3.
You don't need to have seen anything else.
There's nothing after the credits.
Who's who in Spider-Man (2002), with Peter at the center. His family is on the left, the Osborns on the right, and the newspaper below.
Because of copyright, we can't use stills, posters or any other images of the characters as they appear in the film. All face photos are freely licensed photos of the actors themselves (non-human characters are original illustrations made for this site; people without a photo are shown with initials).
Drag to move, pinch (or scroll on a computer) to zoom. Tap a person to read about them.
Peter Parker (Spider-Man)Center ・ Tobey MaguireHigh schooler
Ben ParkerMain ・ Cliff RobertsonPeter's uncle
May ParkerMain ・ Rosemary HarrisPeter's aunt
Mary Jane Watson (MJ)Main ・ Kirsten DunstThe girl next door
Harry OsbornMain ・ James FrancoPeter's best friend
Norman OsbornMain ・ Willem DafoeHead of OscorpFace photos are freely licensed photos of the actors from Wikimedia Commons, cropped to a square and resized. Non-human characters are original illustrations made for this site, and people without a photo are shown with a placeholder (initials).
On a class trip, Peter is bitten by a special spider.
He wakes up with amazing new abilities.
A small choice leads to tragedy.
Peter becomes New York's protector.
A green-masked villain terrorizes the city and closes in on the people Peter loves.
Contains spoilers about the ending.
Norman Osborn, Harry's father. He tested a strength-enhancing formula on himself, and it created a terrifying second personality.
The thief Peter deliberately let go later carjacks Ben and shoots him. It's what drives Peter to become a hero.
He believes being close to him would keep putting her in danger.
Spider-Man hanging upside down in the rain as MJ pulls up his mask for a kiss is one of the most famous movie scenes ever.
During the bridge fight, ordinary New Yorkers pelt the Goblin to help Spider-Man.
The ring announcer at the wrestling match is the one who calls him Spider-Man.
No post-credits scene.