Who played Spider-Man in the 2002 film?

Tobey Maguire played Spider-Man in the 2002 film Spider-Man. He portrayed Peter Parker, the shy teenager who becomes a masked superhero after being bitten by a genetically engineered spider.

Directed by Sam Raimi, the film was the first entry in Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy. Maguire was cast after Raimi saw his performance in The Cider House Rules. The production initially faced studio hesitation, but Maguire’s audition convinced executives that he could convey Peter’s vulnerability as well as his courage.

The film also starred Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane Watson, James Franco as Harry Osborn, and Willem Dafoe as Norman Osborn and the Green Goblin. Released in the United States on May 3, 2002, Spider-Man became a major commercial success and helped establish modern superhero films as blockbuster entertainment. Maguire returned in Spider-Man 2 and Spider-Man 3.