Peter Parker (The Amazing Spider-Man film series)

Peter Parker, also known as Spider-Man, first appeared in the anthology comic book Amazing Fantasy #15 (Aug. 1962) in the Silver Age of Comic Books, later becoming one of Marvel Comics' most popular superhero characters and gaining his own comic series The Amazing Spider-Man. He was eventually adapted to film and television numerous times. Prior to the release of the 2012 Amazing Spider-Man film, the preceding big-budget film series based on the character saw Tobey Maguire take on the role of Peter Parker/Spider-Man, with three films released by Columbia Pictures: Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2, and Spider-Man 3, which were released between 2002 and 2007.

Following the release of Spider-Man 3, Sony Pictures Entertainment had announced a May 5, 2011, release date for Sam Raimi's next film in the series. By this time, screenwriters James Vanderbilt, David Lindsay-Abaire and Gary Ross had all written rejected versions of a script and Ziskin's husband Alvin Sargent, who wrote the second and third films, was working on yet another attempt.[1][2] Raimi wanted John Malkovich to play his next villain.[1] However, on January 11, 2010, Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios announced that rather than continue the earlier saga, they were rebooting the series with a new cast and crew. Industry reports claimed that Raimi had admitted that he could not meet the scheduled release date and retain creative integrity.[3] Avi Arad, Matt Tolmach and Ziskin continued as producers.[3]

Days after announcing Raimi's departure, the studio announced that Marc Webb, whose previous film 500 Days of Summer was his directorial debut, would direct the reboot.[4] Tolmach, now president of Columbia Pictures and Amy Pascal, co-chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment, said they looked for a director who could give sharp focus to Parker's life.[4] Webb said he "was a little sceptical at first—you feel the presence of those other movies. But then I was like, 'How could I walk away from this? What an opportunity!'"[5] Webb said in the press release announcing him that, "Sam Raimi's virtuoso rendering of Spider-Man is a humbling precedent to follow and build upon. The first three films are beloved for good reason. But I think the Spider-Man mythology transcends not only generations but directors as well. I am signing on not to 'take over' from Sam. That would be impossible. Not to mention arrogant. I'm here because there's an opportunity for ideas, stories, and histories that will add a new dimension, canvas, and creative voice to Spider-Man."[4] Webb felt Spider-Man is different from the Harry Potter franchise, which is based on a few novels and "more like James Bond" because "there's so much material in Spider-Man that there are so many stories to tell and so many characters."[6] He described the film as "not a remake" explaining that "we're not making Sam's movie again. It's a different universe and a different story with different characters."[7]

Andrew Garfield portrayed Peter Parker/Spider-Man in the Marc Web film series

British-American actor Andrew Garfield was cast as Peter Parker/Spider-Man for the 2012 film and its sequel over other actors such as Jamie Bell, Alden Ehrenreich, Frank Dillane, and Josh Hutcherson, with the announcement made on July 1, 2010.[8] Webb stated he knew Garfield was the right choice after filming him in a cutscene eating a cheeseburger while trying to calm Gwen Stacy down.[9] On accepting the role Garfield explained, "I see it as a massive challenge in many ways... To make it authentic. To make the character live and breathe in a new way. The audience already has a relationship with many different incarnations of the character. I do, as well. I'm probably going to be the guy in the movie theater shouting abuse at myself. But I have to let that go. No turning back. And I wouldn't want to."[10] Max Charles plays a young Peter Parker in the film, with Webb stating that a young Peter was needed to "explain the origins of Peter Parker" and not just Spider-Man.[11]

After taking the role, Garfield studied the movements of athletes and spiders and tried to incorporate them, saying Parker is "a boy/spider in terms of how he moves, and not just in the suit."[12][13] He did yoga and Pilates for the role in order to be as flexible as possible.[14] When first wearing his costume Garfield admitted to shedding tears and trying to imagine "a better actor in the suit",[15] which he described as "uncomfortable" and admitted to wearing nothing beneath it since it is skintight.[16] Garfield also performed some of his own stunts in the film.[17] When filming Garfield explained that he had four months of training and described his physical roles on stunts as terribly challenging and exhausting.[18] Film producer Avi Arad explained that "Andrew is not only a brilliant actor but he is a sportsman. This gave us the opportunity to try things with him that were it not so it would have been almost impossible."[19]

Following the release of The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Garfield was allegedly let go of the role after failing to appear for a crucial appearance, according to documents released in the aftermath of the Sony Pictures hack. Other reasons cited included creative differences with Sony Pictures management and a failure to adapt to Hollywood culture.[20] In addition, the second film saw mixed reviews and a franchise-low in box-office revenue. After leaked information indicated talks between Sony and Marvel Studios integrating Spider-Man into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a deal was reached in early 2015 between the two studios to make this official, effectively cancelling the Amazing Spider-Man franchise.[21]

Unlike the Spider-Man of the previous series, this iteration of the character is unable to shoot organic webs from his arms, but relies on mechanical web shooters attached to his suit that he designed himself. Webb explained that he felt that "the web-shooters were able to dramatize Peter's intellect".[22] However, like all other versions of the character, he still has superhuman physical abilities, reflexes, and senses, and is able to crawl on walls.

During the design process for the spandex Spider-Man suit used in The Amazing Spider-Man, an emphasis was made to make the suit look more like the handiwork of a high-school student. Webb paid attention to the question of "How would a kid make it?" and then took some license with it, such as utilizing the lenses from a pair of sunglasses as the eyes. Webb explained that he and the crew "wanted a design that would make the body longer and more lithe, more of an acrobat, someone incredibly agile and the legs of the spider [symbol on the chest] were something we used to emphasize that." He revealed that the film used varying suits for different lighting conditions. They made the webbing on the costume a little darker.[22] The suit was more streamlined in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, emphasizing updates supposedly made by Peter and Gwen. Changes included larger lenses in the mask and modified web shooters, in addition to some modifications allowing Garfield to use the restroom while in the suit.[23][24]

Peter is first seen in the film as a six-year-old boy, as his father Richard Parker drops him off at his Uncle Ben and Aunt May's house after discovering that his documents were ransacked. Richard tells his son that he and his mother will be back after going on a mission, but they both mysteriously disappear. Years later, Peter is now a high school student at Midtown Science High School in New York City. Though not one of the popular students, he excels in his studies while getting picked on by school athlete Flash Thompson. After Gwen Stacy breaks up a fight between Peter and Flash in which Flash attacks Peter for defending another student he was picking on, Peter and Gwen begin to flirt with one another.

After discovering a briefcase containing his father's work, and with encouragement from Uncle Ben, Peter seeks out his father's co-worker, Dr. Curtis Connors. Peter immediately searches the Internet for information about Richard and Connors' work, which leads him to discover his parents' death in a plane crash. Peter sneaks into Oscorp, posing as one of the interns, and locates the one-armed Dr. Connors after bumping into Gwen, who is an actual intern there. Connors is being pressed by his superior, Dr. Ratha, to devise a cure for the dying head of Oscorp, Norman Osborn, and wants the cure for himself to regenerate his own arm. After Peter manages to sneak inside the biocable lab, a moment of curiosity leads to him touching the webs, causing several genetically-modified spiders to fall on him, one of which bites him in the back. On the subway ride home, he discovers he has developed spider-like abilities, such as super-strength, sharp senses, reflexes, agility and speed.

Peter later visits Connors at his home, revealing he is Richard's son, and gives Connors his father's "decay rate algorithm", the missing piece in Connors' experiments on regenerating limbs. In school, Peter is put in detention after using his new abilities to humiliate Flash. His uncle changes work shifts to meet with the principal and asks Peter to walk Aunt May home for him that night. Peter forgets to do so, distracted while at Oscorp helping Connors regenerate the limb of a laboratory mouse with a new serum. At home, he and Ben argue, and Peter leaves. At a nearby deli, a cashier refuses to let Peter buy milk when Peter is two cents short. When a thief suddenly raids the store, Peter allows him to escape. While searching for Peter, Ben attempts to stop the thief and is killed. The thief escapes as Peter finds Ben dead on the sidewalk.

Flash and Gwen console a grieving Peter at school the following day. Afterward, Peter uses his new abilities to track down criminals matching the killer's description, later resolving to create a mask to hide his identity during his exploits. He adds a spandex suit and builds mechanical web-shooters out of wristwatches to attach to his wrists to shoot a biocable "web". Later, at dinner with Gwen's family, he has a tense conversation with her father, NYPD captain George Stacy, over the new masked vigilante's motives. After dinner, Peter reveals his identity to Gwen, and they kiss before he is alerted to a situation at the Williamsburg Bridge. Changing into his suit, Peter saves numerous cars and their occupants from being tossed into the river by The Lizard, who is actually Dr. Connors after he tests the serum on himself. Peter begins calling himself "Spider-Man" afterwards, becoming influenced to help others with his powers.

Peter suspects Connors is the Lizard, and later unsuccessfully confronts Connors' Lizard form in the sewers, leaving behind his camera. Connors learns Peter's identity via the name on the camera and pursues him to Midtown Science High School where they fight. In response, the police start a manhunt for both Spider-Man and Lizard. Connors heads to Oscorp, intending to disperse his serum across the city and make everyone into lizards, while Gwen develops an antidote in Oscorp's lab. The police corner Spider-Man and Captain Stacy discovers that he is Peter, but lets him escape to go save Gwen. Realizing Spider-Man is on their side, the police and several crane operators then coordinate to help a wounded Spider-Man reach Oscorp Tower in time. Spider-Man manages to replace Connors' serum with the antidote, reverting Connors to human form, but not before Connors mortally wounds Captain Stacy. Before his death, Captain Stacy makes Peter promise to stay away from Gwen for her safety. He initially keeps the promise, but later admits to Gwen that failed promises are "the best kind", hinting that he will continue to see her.

Two years later, Peter is in action as Spider-Man, assisting the NYPD with chasing down criminals stealing a truckload of plutonium while trying to make it to his high school graduation. He apprehends the criminals, led by mobster Aleksei Sytsevich, before making it to the ceremony, where Gwen is giving a speech as the school's valedictorian. The couple agrees to meet up afterwards for dinner before she is called by her mother for a family photo. Later in the evening, Peter tells Gwen about his visions of her father, and insists that he needs to keep his promise, resulting in the two breaking up again.

Peter visits Harry Osborn, his childhood friend, following his father Norman's death. Later that night, Peter meets Gwen in attempt to maintain a friendship, and Gwen tells Peter that she may have to move to England if she gets a scholarship from Oxford University. Before the two can discuss it, Max Dillon, an electrical engineer whom Spider-Man saved earlier, accidentally shuts off the power to Times Square whilst looking for electricity to power himself, as he had mutated into a living electric generator after an incident with electric eels. Dillon is stopped by Spider-Man after a battle that also sees police involvement, and is taken to the Ravencroft Institute, where he is studied and tortured by German scientist Dr. Kafka.

Harry begins to show symptoms of his father's illness and uses the device Norman gave him to deduce that Spider-Man's blood could help save him. He asks Peter for help finding him but Peter refuses, unsure of what effects the transfusion would have, fearing another incident like with Dr. Connors. Parker visits Harry again, this time as Spider-Man, but again refuses. He confides in Gwen about the situation and also gives her luck. Peter uses information left behind by his father to locate a video message Richard left. In it, Richard explains that he had to leave New York because he refused to let Norman Osborn use what they had created with his research for biological warfare, and that the spiders that ultimately bit Peter were created with Richard's own DNA, thereby explaining why Peter is the only successful 'cross-species' to be created.

As a vengeful Harry begins to conspire with Dillon, who now calls himself "Electro", Peter receives a voicemail message from Gwen, telling him that she was offered the job in England and is heading to the airport to fly there earlier than expected. Peter manages to catch her and professes his love for her, and the two agree to go to England together. They are interrupted by a blackout caused by Electro. Peter takes Gwen down where the police are and Gwen helps him adjust his web-shooters to counter Electro. Peter heads off to fight with Electro having the upper-hand. As Electro begins electrocuting Spider-Man, Gwen comes in a police car and hits Electro, against Peter's demands. The two defeat and kill Electro by overloading his electricity supply.

Just after they do so, Harry arrives, now as the Green Goblin, having figured out Spider-Man's identity and wanting revenge for being refused the blood transfusion. Goblin takes Gwen and drops her where Spider-Man catches her. The two fight at the top of a clock tower, and Spider-Man manages to subdue the Goblin. However, during the fight, Gwen falls and is supported by a web connected to one of the gears. Harry is then defeated but Gwen falls again, and Peter tries to save Gwen using his web. Though Peter successfully catches her, she dies nonetheless due to whiplash snapping her neck. Devastated by his failure to save his girlfriend, Peter ends his career as Spider-Man.

Five months pass and Spider-Man is nowhere to be seen in New York, as Peter spends every day at Gwen's grave. Later, an unknown team of men break Sytsevich out of prison. Equipped with an electromechanical suit of armor, Sytsevich dubs himself the "Rhino" and rampages through the streets. Peter, inspired by re-watching Gwen's graduation speech, resumes his role as Spider-Man, and confronts him.

An alternate ending of this film shows Peter encountering his father Richard at Gwen's grave, with Richard having apparently faked his death.[35]

The comics take place in between the events of both films and explore Peter taking on an assignment from J. Jonah Jameson of The Daily Bugle to take pictures of Spider-Man and maintaining a friendship with Gwen after their initial breakup and redesigning his costume with her after the first costume was damaged by a turbine.

Though he does not appear, this version of Peter Parker is mentioned in the Marvel Comics storyline "Spider-Verse", which features many iterations of the character from multiple universes. Andrew Garfield's Spider-Man is mentioned as "the guy from The Social Network".[36]

• Thanks to negotiations, Garfield was open to appearing as Spider-Man in the spin-off films The Sinister Six and Venom had they been developed. Although initially uncertain, he'd also considered starring in a fourth main installment before fully retiring the role prior to the Sony and Marvel Studios agreement in 2015.
• An unused scene involving a cameo consisting of Andrew Garfield's version of Spider-Man, alongside Tobey Maguire's and Tom Holland's versions in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse was scrapped from the final version of the film.[37]

• This version of Peter Parker/Spider-Man appears in The Amazing Spider-Man voiced by Sam Riegel. In this alternate continuation of the film, the story follows Peter in conflict with newly escaped Cross-Species and Alistair Smythe, Dr. Connors' replacement at Oscorp, all while housesitting in the city for an old friend named Stan.
• The Amazing Spider-Man 2 features the same version of the character from its predecessor, once again voiced by Sam Riegel. The game's plot is loosely based on the film and includes a variety of other characters and adversaries such as Shocker, Black Cat, Kraven the Hunter, Kingpin, and Carnage.
• In a PlayStation Blog promoting the PlayStation 5, Insomniac Games confirmed that suits from The Amazing Spider-Man films would appear in Marvel's Spider-Man through a free update on PS4, and they would also be included in the Remastered Edition as a PS5 launch title on November 12, 2020, which can be purchased separately, or through the Ultimate Edition of the game Spider-Man: Miles Morales, also released as a launch title.[38]