12 Reasons Why Tobey Maguire Was The Best Spider-Man (12 Times Tom Holland Outshined Him)

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Spider-Man is regarded as one of the greatest and best-known comic book superheroes. He’s known for his quick wit, unique suit, and abilities. Spidey’s true identity is as Peter Parker. Parker is usually depicted as nerdy and helpless while Spidey is fearless and brave. However, there have been various depictions of Spider-Man throughout the years. Spider-Man is one of many superheroes that have received numerous movie adaptations. Spider-Man is one of the highest grossing superheroes in all of his film appearances. The franchise is one of the most popular yet has been rebooted several times.

The first actor to portray Spidey on the big screen was Tobey Maguire. He was universally praised for his performance in the films. Currently, Tom Holland portrays the web-slinger in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Holland was also praised for his outstanding performance. Both actors brought something different to the character and took it to the next level. To some fans, Maguire will always be the original and best Spidey. However, other fans believe that Holland was born to play Spider-Man. Both stars have been praised for their performances but also had their critics. Here is a look at 12 Reasons Why Tobey Maguire Was The Best Spider-Man (12 Times Tom Holland Outshined Him).

Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man Changed The Perception of Superhero Films

For years there had been several attempts to bring Spider-Man to the big screen. Spider-Man is one of the most popular comic book titles and seemed like a natural fit for a big budget blockbuster. The character had appeared in made for TV films in the 70’s but nothing ever came of them. A film version was stuck in developmental hell for 25 years before the movie finally got off the ground. Spider-Man was released to universal praise on May 3, 2002. Sam Raimi directed the film, which went on to be the third highest grossing film of the year.

However, the key to the movie was the casting of the friendly neighbourhood web-crawler. Tobey Maguire was praised for his performance as Peter Parker/Spider-Man. The film holds an 89% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which said,

“Not only does Spider-Man provide a good dose of web-swinging fun, it also has a heart, thanks to the combined charms of director Sam Raimi and star Tobey Maguire.” (Rotten Tomatoes)

The 2000 film X-Men is credited with reigniting the superhero genre but it was Spider-Man that blew it up. Maguire was praised for bringing the web-slinger to life on the big screen. Maguire reprised the role in Spider-Man 2 and Spider-Man 3.

Tom Holland's Spider-Man Is Inexperienced And Still Learning

Spider-Man: Homecoming was released on June 28, 2017, to universal praise. It stars Tom Holland as Peter Parker/Spider-Man and includes Michael Keaton, Marisa Tomei and Robert Downey Jr. Downey reprised his role as Tony Stark/Iron Man from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Homecoming is the 16^th film in the MCU. It's the second reboot of the Spider-Man franchise and had high expectations. The first reboot saw Andrew Garfield star in The Amazing Spider-Man and its sequel. However, once Marvel was able to include the character into the MCU they decided to recast.

Homecoming did well at the box office and was met with positive responses from critics. Rotten Tomatoes gave the film a 92% approval rating and said,

“Spider-Man: Homecoming does whatever a second reboot can, delivering a colorful, fun adventure that fits snugly in the sprawling MCU without getting bogged down in franchise-building.” (Rotten Tomatoes)

Tobey Maguire portrayed a more experienced and responsible Spider-Man. However, Tom Holland portrays the high school version of Spidey. This allows the character to grow into a more experienced crime fighter. In fact, Spider-Man is often depicted as starting his crime-fighting career as a teenager. Fans enjoy watching the inexperienced superhero learn to use his powers and abilities. It makes the emotional connection to the character stronger and more relatable.

Adult Spider-Man with Responsibilities

Tom Holland’s version of Spider-Man has only starred in one film so there is lots of room for character development. Additionally, they started the character so young that there is time for him to grow older. However, Tobey Maguire portrayed a more grown up and responsible Spidey. Maguire’s Spider-Man had many responsibilities including going to college and working a part-time job. In fact, Peter struggles to balance his crime fighting and his many responsibilities. It’s even more difficult for him to be in a relationship, which seems impossible with his busy schedule.

In Spider-Man 2, Peter has a great deal of difficulty protecting his city and making it to class on time. He’s often late and fails to hand in assignments when they're due. His grades and personal life suffer because of his duties. He also lives alone in an old New York City apartment and shares a bathroom with the other tenants. He struggles to pay his rent and is even two months behind. He doesn’t have the backing of a billionaire that also serves as his mentor. Parker is forced to learn how to balance school, family, work, relationships and being a superhero. It’s possible that the MCU Spidey will eventually encounter these issues as well.

Spidey's Sense of Humor

Spider-Man is known for his Spidey sense, web-slinging and agility. He’s also known for his quick wit and sense of humor. Each Spider-Man movie always featured a good amount of comedy. However, they never quite captured it like Tom Holland does in Spider-Man: Homecoming. The film’s co-writer Jonathan Goldstein said about the character,

“He’s a sharp kid and witty and kind of deals with the fact that he’s an outcast and a geek through humor. It is sort of the safety net for geeks like us, so I think we can totally relate to where he’s coming from. As well as the superpowers, which we also have.” (Superherohype)

The director, writers and Holland do an exceptional job bringing Spider-Man’s sense of humor to the big screen. Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man didn’t have the same level of comedy that Homecoming has. Holland has incredible comedic timing, which isn’t something that can be taught. Maguire wasn’t able to capture Spider-Man’s sense of humor and awkwardness like Holland does. Marvel President Kevin Feige noted the importance of Spider-Man’s sense of humor. He said, “When he puts that mask on in the comics, he has a nonstop wit that is almost as troublesome to the bad guys he’s fighting as his webs and agility.” (Slashflim)

Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man Had Organic Webbing

Spider-Man has many powers and abilities. He can crawl up large buildings, has super strength, quick healing powers, and Spidey sense. However, one of his most famous abilities is his web shooters. He swings across the city from web to web and can use them to stop criminals. In the comic book, Peter Parker makes his own artificial web fluid for his shooters. In different variations the web shooters either sit on the outside of his suit or on the inside. He usually has extra web fluid on him in case he runs out, which is crucial since he’s always running out.

Sam Raimi took a different approach with his version of Spider-Man. Sometimes a director makes choices that changes a comic book character. Often this angers loyal comic book fans of the superhero. However, Sam Raimi took a chance that paid off. Tobey Maguire's version of Spidey had organic web shooters to make the character more connected to his powers and the spider that gave them to him. The film was praised for the unique change to the powers. The organic web shooters showed up from time to time in the comics but became much more common following the film. Later, both The Amazing Spider-Man and Spider-Man: Homecoming would return to the artificial web shooters.

The New Kid In The Marvel Cinematic Universe

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a shared universe revolving around a series of superhero films, such as, Iron Man, Captain America and Black Panther. Each superhero has its own standalone film series that exists within the universe. The superheroes often join together and star in the crossover film series The Avengers. In the comic books, Spider-Man is central to the Marvel Universe but Marvel Studios didn’t have the rights to the character. It seemed that Spidey would never be in The Avengers but that all suddenly changed and Tom Holland came swinging into the MCU.

According to Variety,

“Marvel has long wanted to put Spider-Man in its movies, but since Sony Pictures controlled the rights to the character since 1999, the web-slinger has been off limits. Making a crossover could have been costly, since Disney would have been expected to shell out millions. But the actual deal turns out to be much cheaper — more like free.” (Variety)

In 2015, Sony and Disney reached a deal that would allow for their characters to crossover with the MCU. Sony is creating the Sony Marvel Universe and has plans for additional Spider-Man films. The universe will also include the upcoming Venom film and a possible Sinister Six movie. Once the deal was reached, Tom Holland was cast as the new Spider-Man.

Tobey Maguire's Aunt May Is More Like The Comics

The story of Spider-Man is pretty much the same story despite the change of actor. As a child, Peter Parker’s parents die and he moves in with his Uncle Ben and Aunt May. After Parker gains his powers, his uncle tragically dies as well. Peter remains close with his Aunt for the rest of his life. She plays an important role in his life and the comic books. In Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man, Rosemary Harris portrayed Aunt May. She is similar to the characters depiction in the comic books. She's a sweet old lady that loves her nephew.

However, in Spider-Man: Homecoming the producers went in a different direction. Marisa Tomei portrays Aunt May in the MCU and received a significant backlash for the casting. Tomei is a very talented actress and brings something very new to the character. However, some fans feel that Spider-Man had a much more realistic approach to Aunt May. Tomei brings youth and name recognition although she’s nothing like the comic book character. Harris’s performance as the character is what most fans are most familiar with and is closer to the comic book version.

Ned: The Guy In The Chair

In previous Spider-Man films, Peter Parker is depicted as being a bit of a loner and socially awkward. He isn’t popular and doesn’t have many friends. However, Spider-Man: Homecoming took a different approach. Holland's version of Spider-Man is more like a “cool nerd” than previous incarnations of the character. Also, Peter has a friend he can confide in and rely on.

Jacob Batalon portrays Peter’s good friend Ned. Ned is an original character but is based on the Spider-Man character Ned Leeds. The chemistry between the two actors is undeniable and adds a quality to the film that previous ones lacked. Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man had only one friend in Harry Osborn. However, that friendship takes a turn for the worse when Spider-Man accidentally kills his father and Harry becomes the New Green Goblin. It’s safe to say that Ned is a much better friend to have than The Green Goblin. Ned is also Peter's “guy in the chair” and helps him on his missions. The two actors were praised for their scenes together and their performances. For many fans, Peter and Ned were one of the highlights of the film.

With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility

Every superhero has a unique origin story that explains how they came to have their powers and abilities. Spider-Man has one of the best-known origin stories in comic books. When Peter Parker first gained his powers he had the idea to use them for financial gain. He had the opportunity to stop a criminal but let him go. Later, that same criminal was responsible for his Uncle Ben’s death. This tragic event causes Peter to become Spider-Man and to help innocent people.

Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man follows the comic book storyline closely. Peter Parker competed against Bone Saw McGraw, portrayed by Randy Savage, in a steel cage match for money. Peter was victorious but the promoter cheats him out of his money. A crook robs that promoter and Peter chooses not to stop the guy. Later, that same criminal kills Uncle Ben and the guilt drives Peter to become Spider-Man. It’s a crucial part of Spidey’s origin story. It also deepens the emotional impact of the films story. Spider-Man: Homecoming skips Uncle Ben’s death, which lessens the emotional connection. However, it's clear that Ben's death troubles Tom Holland's Spider-Man. Spidey’s origin story has been told several times and can be saved for later. However, some fans missed the Uncle Ben plot line, which greatly added to Tobey Maguire’s performance.

Tom Holland And The Avengers

When there is a threat that is too big for one superhero they join forces and form the unstoppable group known as The Avengers. The Marvel Cinematic Universe features a series of crossover films that brings the superheroes together to battle a common enemy. The crossover films include The Avengers, The Avengers: Age of Ultron and Avengers: Infinity War. Marvel has done an exceptional job when it comes to casting the MCU. The films feature an impressive ensemble cast, including, Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson and Chadwick Boseman.

Marvel Studios knew that they had to cast the perfect Spider-Man. They knew there would be comparisons to past actors and high expectations. However, the studio has received universal praise for casting Tom Holland. However, Holland has also proven that he can give a stellar performance next to some of the biggest actors in Hollywood. Holland fits in perfectly with the cast and is easily slotted into The Avengers. Many fans feel that Tobey Maguire or Andrew Garfield wouldn’t have fit with The Avengers as well as Holland does. For many fans, the MCU and Avengers films felt incomplete without the web-slinger.

Spider-Man's Soundtrack

Many Spider-Man fans will never forget the image of Tobey Maguire swinging through the city to the classic soundtrack. In 1967, the animated TV series Spider-Man made its debut. It was popular amongst fans during that time. The cartoon is best remembered for the iconic theme song. The theme song is often associated with the character and has appeared in all Spider-Man film versions. However, when it comes to the soundtrack and music, the first Spider-Man film has all other’s beat. It featured an Aerosmith cover version of the theme song. Two soundtracks were released with the film, Music from and Inspired by Spider-Man and Spider-Man: Original Motion Picture Score.

Danny Elfman composed the film’s original score. The films soundtrack includes several popular bands and artists, such as, Sum 41, Macy Gray and Mos Def. The film also featured the hit single, “Hero”, by Chad Kroeger. The song was an instant hit and topped the charts all over the world. It was nominated for several awards at the 45^th Grammy Awards, including, Best Rock Song and Best Song Written for a Motion Picture. The Marvel Cinematic Universe has less emphasis on the music and is more about the larger universe. Spider-Man: Homecoming doesn’t have the same level of soundtrack but does feature a marching band performing the famous Spider-Man theme song.

Tom Holland Has Stan Lee’s Blessing

Stan Lee is the brilliant mind behind Marvel Comics and the unforgettable characters. Lee has co-created some of the greatest superheroes in comic book history, including, Spider-Man, the Hulk, Black Panther and the X-Men. Lee and his staff created a shared universe within the comics and created several popular crossovers. His brilliant vision would one day become one of the biggest money making franchises in cinema history. Additionally, Lee has made cameo appearances in each Marvel superhero film. In fact, these films and all future movies would feel incomplete without Lee’s brief appearance.

Every actor that takes on one of these Marvel characters hopes to have Lee’s blessing. It means a lot to many of the performers. Lee is known for being positive, encouraging and enthusiastic. However, getting his blessing is not easy to get and a pretty big deal to those that do. After seeing Holland’s performance, Lee gave his approval and blessing to the new Spider-Man. Lee said, “Oh, he’s wonderful. I was with him the other day. He is great. It’s as if we created a living being to be Spider-Man, and it turned out to be Tom.” (TheThings) Getting Lee’s blessing and praise only motivates Holland even more.

Spider-Man & Mary Jane

One of the biggest differences between Spider-Man and Spider-Man: Homecoming is the romance. In the comic books, Peter Parker struggles to follow his heart while battling bad guys. He can never manage to balance his love life and his crime fighting. Peter Parker has two main love interests. Gwen Stacey is one of his best-known love interests and is portrayed by Emma Stone in The Amazing Spider-Man. However, Peter’s greatest love is his next-door neighbor Mary Jane Watson.

Kirsten Dunst portrayed Mary Jane in all three films in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy. Peter is desperately in love with Mary Jane but is unable to balance his crime fighting, career and relationships. The romance between the two is central to all three films. In fact, the first time the two characters kissed became an iconic image from the first film. However, in the MCU, the romance in Spider-Man is downplayed but could play a larger role in the future. However, there are currently no plans to have a Mary Jane in the MCU. In Spider-Man: Homecoming, Parker has a crush on Liz Toomes (Laura Harrier). However, there is a character that is a throwback to Mary Jane but an original character. Actress Zendaya portrays Parker’s classmate and possible love interest, Michelle “MJ” Jones.

Teenager Spider-Man

As noted, in the comics Spider-Man ranges in age from a teenager to a grown up. For the most part, past movies rush through the origin story and get him to an older age faster. However, Spider-Man’s years as a teenager are crucial to his long-term story. Tom Holland is much more convincing as a teenager than Tobey Maguire. Maguire played an older Spider-Man with experience but it’s fun to watch Holland’s Spidey grow into the role. He’s young, inexperienced and not sure how to use his powers yet.

When Holland landed the role he was still a teenager. Maguire was in his late 20’s when he first took on the role. According to Vox,

“Holland’s youth — he’s currently 21, and was 19 when production wrapped on Civil War — immediately distinguishes him from the two actors who preceded him as Spider-Man, Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield, who were both in their late 20s when they were cast."

It continued with, "They didn’t read as teenagers the way Holland does; they were adult men with boyish qualities, requiring some suspension of disbelief to accept that they were playing someone in high school.” (VOX) Holland’s Spider-Man will likely grow up in front of our eyes giving a full and complete story.

Tobey Maguire's Spidey Made His Own Suit

Spider-Man has one of the most unique suits, which is unlike other superheroes. The distinctive suit covers his entire body and face. The suit is made up of red and blue colors with a bit of black. He has no cape and wears a distinctive mask. There are several different variations on the suit but for the most part, it’s pretty standard. The Spider-Man currently in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is given a high tech suit from Tony Stark.

However, Tobey Maguire's Peter Parker actually designs and makes his own suit. This not only shows that Spidey is both intelligent and artistic but also independent. He requires no help to draw the design or to build it.

It’s not nearly as high tech as Tom Holland’s Spidey. Tom Holland’s suit includes several different weapons as well as an artificial intelligence named Karen. Tobey Maguire has a much more simple suit that relied on his own skills and abilities. Maguire’s Spidey is shown to be smart by creating his design while Holland’s needs Tony Stark. That also has to do with the different depictions of the two characters. One is more independent than the other due to the age difference.

Spider-Man & Iron Man

The very first movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe was the 2008 film Iron Man. It starred Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man. Downey plays a crucial role in the MCU and Stark plays an important role in Spider-Man’s life. Tom Holland’s Spider-Man is lucky to have Iron Man as a friend and mentor. Tobey Maguire’s Spidey was on his own and didn’t have any guidance. As noted, He even had to design and make his suit himself.

In the MCU, Iron Man takes the inexperienced Spider-Man under his wing. He’s there for Spidey when he’s in trouble or over his head. Additionally, Tony Stark creates Spider-Man’s suit, which has cool gadgets and artificial intelligence. Iron Man and Spider-Man have a great deal of onscreen chemistry and that’s because the actors have it as well off screen. According to USA Today,

“It was the young star’s chemistry with Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr. that really won producers over, because it paralleled the relationship between their onscreen characters.”

Marvel President Kevin Feige recalled Holland meeting Downey for the first time. He said, “He (Tom) was nervous, but he was excited and he did a great job. That’s exactly what it need to be like when Peter Parker meets Tony Stark for the first time (onscreen).” (USAToday)

Peter Parker Struggles In Life

Despite being a world-famous superhero, Spider-Man often deals with very real problems and struggles in life. Most superhero movies nowadays focus on fighting the villains and creating a crossover universe. Tom Holland’s Spider-Man is still in high school and mostly deals with typical teenager problems except he also has to fight bad guys.

Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man focused on the character and his personal struggle. Tobey Maguire’s Spidey struggled in life as well as being a crime fighter. He struggled to find a balance between his responsibilities and being a hero. In Spider-Man 2, Peter has difficulty balancing his love life and crime fighting. He desperately tries to find a way to be with Mary Jane but fails. He's doing poorly in school and is in danger of getting kicked out. He loses a job and is later unable to pay his rent. The stress and anxiety from his life cause him to lose his powers. While all of this is going on, Dr. Octopus is becoming more and more powerful. In Spider-Man: Homecoming, Peter is much more focused on crime fighting and becoming an official member of The Avengers. He doesn’t seem to struggle in school and is newfound powers don’t seem to interfere with his life.

Tom Holland Went Undercover To A High School For Research

Marvel didn’t want to take any chances with their version of Spider-Man. Tom Holland and the studio knew that his performance was going to be under a magnifying glass. Since Holland grew up in England he had a different experience in high school. The studio sent Holland undercover to an American high school to have a better understanding of the character. For three days, Holland shadowed senior student Arun Bishop at The Bronx High School of Science. Only Bishop and a few faculty members were aware of Holland’s true identity.

Holland used an American accent and claimed to be Bishop’s cousin, Ben. According to the Business Insider,

“The actor sat in on Advanced Placement physics; linear algebra and differential equations; experimental engineering; AP Calculus AB; AP English literature; and AP microeconomics.”

Soon Holland became bored with hiding his identity and tried to convince people he was Spider-Man. However, nobody believed him. During lunch, Bishop would film Holland asking students various questions about the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Bishop said, “He'd ask them: ‘Do you watch Marvel Movies? Who's your favorite superhero? What do you think of the new Spider-Man actor?’ It was crazy; nobody recognized him.” (BusinessInsider) Clearly, Holland’s research paid off.

Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man Is More Experienced

There have been many different versions of Spider-Man over the years. There’s the inexperienced high school Spidey, the college Spidey that can’t have it all and an older Spider-Man in his 30's. Maguire portrayed a more experienced Spider-Man that battled many of his greatest enemies. In the first film, Spidey faces one of his greatest foes in The Green Goblin, portrayed by Willem Dafoe. Spider-Man 2 was released on June 30, 2004, to critical acclaim. It holds a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which said,

“Boasting an entertaining villain and deeper emotional focus, this is a nimble sequel that improves upon the original.” (RottenTomatoes)

In the sequel, Spider-Man goes up against the brilliant and mad scientist Doctor Octopus, portrayed by Alfred Molina. The third and final film in the trilogy, Spider-Man 3, was met with mostly mixed reviews. The final film featured a plethora of villains for Spidey to face including The New Green Goblin (James Franco), The Sandman (Thomas Haden Church) and Venom (Topher Grace). The film was heavily criticized for its use of the villains, in particular, Venom. To be fair, Tom Holland’s Spider-Man went up against Vulture, portrayed by Michael Keaton. Keaton was universally praised for his stellar performance.

Tom Holland Did A Flip During The Audition

As noted, Spider-Man is known for having one of the most unique suits. It covers his entire body and face completely. Therefore, Spider-Man uses body language to express certain emotions. He’s one of the most physical superheroes and is always jumping, swinging and flipping. When it comes to the physicality, Tom Holland has Tobey Maguire beat. Holland has an extensive gymnastics background and at one time was really into parkour.

He often shows off his ability to do impressive backflips on Instagram. In fact, he even did a flip during his audition for the role. Marvel President Kevin Feige said,

“The best part was when he was doing a reading with (Captain America) Chris Evans. (Tom) goes, ‘it says here ‘Spider-Man leaps in,’ should I do that?’ and Chris was like, ‘No, you just walk in.’ He, of course, flipped in, and Chris couldn’t believe it.” (USAToday)

Holland also has a very extensive background in dance and ballet that has proved useful in his new role. Holland had his first big break at the age of 12 when he landed the starring role in Billy Elliot: The Musical. He spent two years training for the role before he debuted. His previous training has certainly helped him as Spidey. He even got to do a backflip in the film.

Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man Changed The Superhero Genre

Superhero films were never a priority for studios and they had very little faith in them. In fact, studios were reluctant to get behind a superhero film. The first superhero feature film that got the genre going was the 1978 movie Richard Donner’s Superman. Three sequels followed but they all failed to reach the level of the first film. The fourth sequel was a major disappointment and studios wanted nothing to do with superhero films. By the end of the 80’s, the superhero genre was making a comeback with Tim Burton’s classic film Batman. Three sequels followed and all failed to meet the success of the first film. Once again, the sequels left a bad impression on studios and the superhero genre began to fade away.

However, in 2000, the genre would make another comeback and would become the most dominant genre in the industry. It began with Bryan Singer’s X-Men in 2000 but it was the first Spider-Man that completely redefined the genre. It essentially created the comic book film origin story that is now common. According to Collider, “all superhero movies owe a debt to Spider-Man for not only breaking through at the box office, but by showing that there was a space for superheroes to carry a blockbuster identity that was still big, bold, and distinctive.” (Collider)

The Marvel Spider-Man Franchise

Tom Holland first appeared as Spider-Man in the 2016 film Captain America: Civil War. Holland knew it was just the beginning of portraying Spidey. When Tobey Maguire took on the role of Spider-Man he didn’t know what the future would hold. Tom Holland as the advantage of knowing that there will be several Spider-Man standalone films as well as crossover films. This gives Holland room to grow as an actor but also allows Spider-Man to grow on screen.

Starting the character at a young age will allow them to grow the character organically without rushing it. Holland said,

“We definitely focus on a younger superhero. From the vast amount of superhero movies that we’ve seen, we’ve seen the soldier, the scientist, the billionaire, and now it’s time to see the kid. There’s something interesting in giving a 15-year-old incredible powers and seeing what he would do with it.”

It also helped that he was a fan of Spider-Man growing up although he describes it differently. He said, “Fan is an understatement. I had the Spider-Man costume, I had bed sheets, toys, you name it. I’ve always had an argument with my best friend that Spider-Man was way better than Batman. I was a massive fan growing up.” (Variety)

Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man is a Believable Dork

Peter Parker is Spider-Man’s alter ego and he does an excellent job convincing everyone he's just a harmless nerd. He keeps his identity secret, which isn’t hard considering he’s a huge dork. Peter Parker and Spider-Man are vastly different people despite being the same person. Spidey is witty, confident and fearless while Peter is timid and shy. In fact, Peter is at the bottom of the social circle. He’s regarded as being uncool and not popular at all.

Tobey Maguire did an excellent job capturing those aspects of the character. Maguire’s Peter is a total social outcast who is routinely picked on and bullied. He has no friends with the exception of the much cooler Harry Osborn. He is the target of the school’s biggest bully Flash Thompson and is pretty much invisible to women. The perception of a “nerd” has greatly changed since the release of the film. In Spider-Man: Homecoming, Peter is more of a cool nerd who is well liked by his peers. He’s not the most popular guy in school but he certainly isn’t at the bottom of the social circle. Holland is a much more convincing teenager while Maguire is a much more convincing dork.

Tom Holland Looks The Comic Book Spider-Man

Peter Parker’s origin story is one of the most famous in comic book history. It’s right up there with the origin stories of Batman and Superman. Parker is usually depicted as being into science and photography. While on a class trip to the science museum, Parker is bitten by a radioactive spider. He soon begins to develop his powers and abilities. The first two Spider-Man franchises received positive feedback but in both cases were criticized for the casting of Spidey. Most fans complained that neither Tobey Maguire nor Andrew Garfield looked anything like the comic book version. In fact, many fans complained that they were far too old looking for the roles.

Marvel Studios has been universally praised for casting Tom Holland for several reasons. Most Spidey fans agree that Holland looks exactly like his comic book counterpart.

Holland landed the role when he was still a teenager. USA Today noted, “Weeks after the first Spider-Man movie opened in 2002, star Tobey Maguire turned 27. Andrew Garfield neared 29 as The Amazing Spider-Man premiered in 2012. Holland, whose 15-year-old Parker balances saving the world and passing his Spanish class, celebrated his 21st birthday in June. Wearing hoodies and sneakers and assuming a higher-pitched American accent, the agile British actor believably pulls off the role of a pubescent teen.” (USAToday) Most fans considered Tom Holland to be the best casting of Spider-Man.

Sources: Screenrant, thethings