The Spider-Man (2023 film)

The Spider-Man is a 2023 American superhero film, based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. Starring Nat Wolff as Peter Parker /Spider-Man, the film is a "dark and gritty" take on the titular protagonist, pulling inspiration from the comics' "Alien Costume Saga" arc including the "Kraven's Last Hunt" storyline. The film is produced and directed by Greg Berlanti, with a screenplay by Micah Fitzerman-Blue, Noah Harpster, and Evan Spiliotopoulos, from a story by Fitzerman-Blue and Harpster. The film co-stars Hunter Schafer, Keri Russell, Hamish Linklater, Jodie Turner-Smith, Bryan Cranston, Helena Bonham Carter, and Eric Bana.

The Spider-Man released in theaters on October 13, 2023, by Sony Pictures Releasing. The film grossed $560 million on an estimated $200 million budget, and received negative reviews from critics.

Premise
In 1963, one year after the death of his Uncle Ben, a 17-year old Peter Parker pushes through his depression and angst to remain a top student at Midtown High School, maintain a freelance photography job at The Daily Bugle newspaper company, and fight crime as the infamous Spider-Man. A new challenge appears when the appearance of human-animal hybrids invades New York, while an aging hunter, Kraven, seeks to exterminate them all. Meanwhile, an alien ooze attaches itself to Peter, giving him more power, but soon unleashes his inner troubles in destructive form that harms both his enemies and those around him.

Cast

 * Nat Wolff as Peter Parker / Spider-Man
 * Hunter Schafer as Gwendolyn "Gwen" Stacy
 * Keri Russell as Aunt May Parker
 * Hamish Linklater as Prof. Curtis "Curt" Connors / the Lizard
 * Jodie Turner-Smith as Betty Robertson
 * Bryan Cranston as John "J." Jonah Jameson
 * Helena Bonham Carter as Dr. Olivia "Liv" Octavius / the Octopus
 * Eric Bana as Sergi Kravenoff / Kraven the Hunter

Production
Prior to the release of the Marvel Cinematic Universe film, Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021), Sony Pictures Entertainment was fast-tracking a reboot of Spider-Man for Sony's Spider-Man Universe (SSU). However, after the release of Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021), which had post-credits scene tying into No Way Home, Sony CEO and chairman Tony Vinciquerra wanted "to leave the door open" for Tom Holland's MCU iteration of Peter Parker / Spider-Man to interact with the SSU. The decision let the reboot be standalone resulted in the film aiming for a more darker tone, akin to DC's The Batman (2022).

In January 2022, following the release of No Way Home, Greg Berlanti was announced to direct from a script by Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster, while Nat Wolff, Hunter Schafer, and Hamish Linklater were cast.

Release
The Spider-Man released theatrically in the United States by Sony Pictures Releasing, under their Columbia Pictures banner, on October 13, 2023, in 2D, 3D, and premium large formats.

Critical response
On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film received a 31% approval rating from 349 reviews with a 4.2/10 average; the site's consensus reads "Although The Spider-Man spins a uniquely darker tale in the franchise, its overly-serious tone and padded runtime result in a disappointing misfire for the titular hero." Metacritic assigned a weighted average of 39/100 based on 49 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".