Spider-Man 3

Spider-Man 3 is a 2007 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Spider-Man. Produced by Columbia Pictures, Marvel Entertainment, and Laura Ziskin Productions, and distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing, it was directed by Sam Raimi from a screenplay he co-wrote with his brother Ivan and Alvin Sargent. It is the third installment in Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy, and the sequel to Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2. The film stars Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker / Spider-Man, alongside Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Thomas Haden Church, Topher Grace, Bryce Dallas Howard, James Cromwell, Rosemary Harris, and J. K. Simmons. It also marks the final acting appearance of Cliff Robertson before his retirement from acting in the same year and his subsequent death in 2011. Set a year after the events of Spider-Man 2, the film follows Peter Parker as he prepares for his future with Mary Jane Watson, while facing multiple threats: Flint Marko, Uncle Ben's true killer who becomes the Sandman after a freak accident; Harry Osborn, his former best friend who is now aware of Peter's identity and seeks to avenge his father; an extraterrestrial symbiote that increases his abilities but amplifies his anger and other negative traits; and Eddie Brock, a rival photographer who becomes the symbiote's second host Venom.
Development of Spider-Man 3 began immediately after the successful release of Spider-Man 2 for a 2007 release. During preproduction, Raimi wanted two villains, Harry Osborn and Sandman. At the request of producer Avi Arad, he added Venom to the list, and the producers also requested the addition of Gwen Stacy. Principal photography for the film began in January 2006 and took place in Los Angeles and Cleveland before moving to New York City from May until July 2006. Additional pick-up shots were made after August and the film wrapped in October 2006. During post-production, Sony Pictures Imageworks created over 900 visual effects shots. Composer Danny Elfman, who had scored the previous installments, decided not to return due to creative differences and conflicts with Raimi during production of the previous film, so Christopher Young composed the score in Elfman's absence. With an estimated production budget of $258–350 million, the film was the most expensive film ever made at the time of its release.
Spider-Man 3 premiered on April 16, 2007, in Tokyo, and was released in the United States in both conventional and IMAX theaters on May 4. The film grossed $895.9 million worldwide, making it the highest-grossing film of the trilogy, the third-highest-grossing film of 2007 and the tenth-highest-grossing film of all time at the time of its release. It was also the highest-grossing Spider-Man film until it was surpassed by Spider-Man: Far From Home in 2019, and Raimi's highest-grossing film until Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Unlike the previous installments, Spider-Man 3 received mixed reviews from critics. A sequel, Spider-Man 4, was set to be released in 2011, followed by a Venom spin-off film along with a fifth and sixth installment, but all were canceled.

Plot

One year after Otto Octavius's sacrifice, Peter Parker plans to propose to Mary Jane Watson, who has made her Broadway musical debut. In Central Park, a meteorite lands nearby during their date, from which an extraterrestrial symbiote oozes out and follows Peter to his apartment by attaching to his motorbike. Harry Osborn, knowing Peter is Spider-Man, seeks to avenge his father's death. Using Norman's performance-enhancing gas and Green Goblin technology, he battles Peter to an eventual stalemate, developing partial amnesia after falling from his glider. Meanwhile, police pursue escaped convict Flint Marko, who visits his wife and sick daughter before fleeing. He falls into an experimental particle accelerator that fuses his body with the surrounding sand, granting him the ability to control and reform his body into sand, becoming Sandman.
During a festival honoring Spider-Man for saving Gwen Stacy's life, Peter kisses her to please the crowd, angering Mary Jane. Marko then robs an armored truck and escapes after a duel with Spider-Man. Police captain George Stacy, Gwen's father, informs Peter and Aunt May that Marko is Uncle Ben's true killer; the initial suspect was simply Marko's accomplice. While waiting for Marko to emerge from hiding, the symbiote assimilates Peter's suit as he sleeps in it. Peter awakens atop a building, discovering that the symbiote has turned his suit black, enhanced his powers, and heightened his aggression.
Peter battles Marko in a subway. Finding that water weakens him, Peter opens a pipe, turning Marko into mud and washing him away. Peter's new attitude alienates Mary Jane, who kisses Harry and departs regretfully. A hallucination of his father prompts Harry to recover from amnesia and force Mary Jane to break up with Peter. Later, Harry tells Peter that Mary Jane is dating him. Under the symbiote's influence, Peter fights Harry, spitefully claiming his father never loved him. As Peter leaves, Harry throws a pumpkin bomb, which Peter deflects, disfiguring Harry's face.
At the Daily Bugle, Peter exposes rival photographer Eddie Brock, whose fake photos incriminate Spider-Man. Publisher J. Jonah Jameson, outraged at Brock's false photo and having to print a retraction, fires Brock and promotes Peter to staff photographer. Later, Peter brings Gwen to a jazz club where Mary Jane now works, hoping to make her jealous. Upon realizing Peter's true intentions, Gwen apologizes to Mary Jane and leaves. After assaulting the bouncers and accidentally hitting Mary Jane, Peter realizes that the symbiote is corrupting him. Retreating to a church bell tower and discovering that the sound of clanging metal weakens the creature, Peter removes the symbiote. Seeing the event from the pews below, Brock becomes the symbiote's new host and turns into Venom.
Brock locates a still-living Marko and convinces him to join forces to kill Spider-Man. Brock kidnaps Mary Jane and holds her hostage from a web at a construction site, intending to kill her in revenge for Peter ruining him, while Marko keeps the police at bay. After a now-scarred Harry declines to help Peter, Harry's butler reveals that Norman's death was not Spider-Man's fault. While Brock and Marko nearly kill Peter, Harry arrives to help Peter and rescue Mary Jane. Peter and Harry subdue Marko, but Brock overpowers both. Brock attempts to impale Peter with Harry's glider, but Harry jumps in and is impaled instead. Remembering the symbiote's weakness, Peter assembles a perimeter of metal pipes to create a sonic attack, weakening it and allowing Peter to separate Brock from the symbiote.
Peter activates a pumpkin bomb and throws it at the hostless symbiote. Having become addicted to its influence, Brock tries to save the symbiote, but both are killed. Marko explains that Ben's death was an accident that has haunted him and that everything he has done was to help his daughter. Peter forgives Marko, allowing him to escape. Harry reconciles with Peter before he dies from his injuries. After Harry's funeral, Peter visits Mary Jane at the jazz club, where they reconcile and share a dance.

Cast

Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker / Spider-Man:

A superhero, a brilliant physics student at Columbia University, and photographer for the Daily Bugle. As he grows arrogant with the city starting to embrace him for the first time in his career, an alien symbiote attaches itself to Peter's costume and influences his behavior for the worse. Maguire said he relished the opportunity to play a less timid Peter in this film.

Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane Watson:

Peter Parker's girlfriend and a Broadway actress, whom he has loved since childhood. Mary Jane has a string of bad luck in the film, reminiscent of Peter's misfortune in Spider-Man 2, struggling in her career because of negative reviews and losing her boyfriend when the symbiote takes him over. Mary Jane was not originally planned to be kidnapped during the climax by the villains as Raimi initially felt this would become repetitive throughout the entire trilogy; this decision was changed late in production.

James Franco as Harry Osborn / New Goblin:

The son of Norman Osborn, and Peter Parker's best friend, who believes Spider-Man killed his father. After learning Peter is Spider-Man and that Norman was the Green Goblin, Harry picks up where his father left and becomes the New Goblin to battle his former friend.

Thomas Haden Church as Flint Marko / Sandman:

A small-time thug with an ex-wife and sick daughter, for whom he steals money to help get the treatment to cure her. He transforms into the Sandman following a freak accident and incurs Peter's wrath when Peter learns he was his Uncle Ben's killer. Church was approached for Sandman because of his award-winning performance in the film Sideways, and accepted the role despite the lack of a script at the time. The film's Sandman possesses sympathy similarly exhibited by Lon Chaney Jr. in his portrayals of misunderstood creatures, as well as Frankenstein's monster, the Golem, and Andy Serkis' portrayals of Gollum and King Kong. Church worked out for 16 months to improve his physique for the role, gaining 28 pounds of muscle and losing 10 pounds of fat. On his performance, Church expressed that " with a conscience have this sad realization of who they are, and the monster they've become — there's a sense of regret. So, at the end of these movies there's a dramatic resonance that really stays with the audience."

Topher Grace as Edward "Eddie" Brock Jr. / Venom:

Peter's rival at the Daily Bugle. He is exposed by Peter for creating a fake incriminating image of Spider-Man, and leaps at the opportunity to exact his revenge when he bonds with an extraterrestrial symbiote. Grace had impressed the producers with his performance in the film In Good Company. A big comic book fan who read the first Venom stories as a boy, Grace spent six months working out to prepare for the role, gaining 25 pounds of muscle. He approached the character as someone under the influence, similar to an alcoholic or drug addict, and interpreted him as having a bad childhood, which is the key difference between him and Peter. Grace found his costume unpleasant, as it had to be constantly smeared to give a liquid-like look and feel. The costume took an hour to put on, and prosthetics took four hours to apply. Grace also wore fangs, which bruised his gums.

Bryce Dallas Howard as Gwen Stacy:

A model and Peter's lab partner, to whom Brock is attracted. Peter asks her out to embarrass Mary Jane while possessed by the symbiote. Howard said the challenge of playing the role was in reminding many fans of the good-natured character who was Peter's first love in the comics yet was "the other woman" in the film. Howard strove to create a sense that Gwen could potentially be a future girlfriend for him and that she "was not acting like some kind of man-stealing tart."

James Cromwell as Captain George Stacy: Gwen's father and a New York City Police Department captain.
Rosemary Harris as May Parker: The aunt of Peter Parker and the widow of Ben Parker, Peter's uncle. She gives Peter her engagement ring so he can propose to Mary Jane and gives him lessons in forgiveness.
J. K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson: The editor-in-chief of the Daily Bugle. He has a particular dislike towards Spider-Man, whom he considers a criminal and tries in every way to discredit.

Several actors reprise their roles from the previous films. Dylan Baker portrays Dr. Curt Connors, a college physics professor under whom Peter Parker studies, while Willem Dafoe portrays Norman Osborn / Green Goblin, Harry's late father, who returns as a hallucination to encourage his son to destroy Spider-Man, and Cliff Robertson appears as Ben Parker, Peter's deceased uncle in his final acting appearance before his retirement and death in 2011. Bill Nunn, Ted Raimi, Michael Papajohn, John Paxton, and Elizabeth Banks return as Joseph "Robbie" Robertson, a longtime employee at the Daily Bugle; Ted Hoffman, also a longtime employee of the Daily Bugle; Dennis "Spike" Carradine, the carjacker who was believed to have murdered Uncle Ben; Bernard Houseman, butler to the Osborn family; and Betty Brant, the receptionist at the Daily Bugle for J. Jonah Jameson, respectively. Elya Baskin additionally reprises his role as Mr. Ditkovitch, Peter's landlord while Mageina Tovah reprises her role as his daughter Ursula. Joe Manganiello reprises his role as Flash Thompson from the first film in a cameo appearance. Becky Ann Baker appears as Mrs. Stacy. Theresa Russell and Perla Haney-Jardine appear as Emma and Penny Marko, Sandman's wife and daughter respectively.
Spider-Man co-creator Stan Lee has a cameo in Spider-Man 3, as he did in the previous Spider-Man films, which he referred to as his "best cameo". Actor Bruce Campbell, who had cameo roles as a wrestling ring announcer in Spider-Man and as a snooty usher in Spider-Man 2, returns in Spider-Man 3 with a new cameo as a French maître d'. Originally his character, who helps Peter try to propose, was much more antagonistic. Composer Christopher Young appears in the film as a pianist at Mary Jane's theater when she is fired, while producer Grant Curtis cameoed as the driver of an armored car that Sandman attacks. Comedian Dean Edwards played one of the newspaper readers who badmouth Spider-Man. 75-year-old newscaster Hal Fishman appears as himself anchoring the saga of Mary Jane's kidnapping by Venom; he died just fourteen weeks after the movie opened. Actress Lucy Gordon appeared as newscaster Jennifer Dugan.