Development ofSpider-Man 3 began immediately after the successful release ofSpider-Man 2 for a 2007 release. During preproduction, Raimi wanted two villains, Harry Osborn and Sandman. At the request of producerAvi Arad, he added Venom to the list, and the producers also requested the addition ofGwen Stacy.Principal photography for the film began in January 2006 and took place in Los Angeles andCleveland 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 900visual effects shots. ComposerDanny 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, soChristopher Young composed the score in Elfman's absence. With an estimated production budget of $258–350 million, the film was themost 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 andIMAX theaters on May 4. The film grossed $895.9 million worldwide, making it the highest-grossing film of the trilogy, thethird-highest-grossing film of 2007 and thetenth-highest-grossing film of all time[9] at the time of its release. It was also thehighest-grossing Spider-Man film until it was surpassed bySpider-Man: Far From Home in 2019, and Raimi's highest-grossing film untilDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022). 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 aVenom spin-off film along with a fifth and sixth installment, but all were canceled.
One year afterOtto Octavius's sacrifice,[b]Peter Parker plans to propose toMary Jane Watson, who has made herBroadway musical debut. InCentral Park, ameteorite lands nearby during their date, from which an extraterrestrialsymbiote 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.[c] UsingNorman's performance-enhancing gas andGreen Goblin technology, he battles Peter to an eventual stalemate, developing partial amnesia after falling from his glider. Meanwhile, police pursue escaped convictFlint Marko, who visits his wife and sick daughter before fleeing. He falls into an experimentalparticle accelerator that fuses his body with the surrounding sand, granting him the ability to control and reform his body into sand, becomingSandman.
During a festival honoring Spider-Man for savingGwen 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 captainGeorge Stacy, Gwen's father, informs Peter andAunt May that Marko isUncle 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 theDaily Bugle, Peter exposes rival photographerEddie Brock, whose fake photos incriminate Spider-Man. PublisherJ. 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 intoVenom.
Brock locates a still-living Marko and convinces him to join forces to kill Spider-Man. Brock abducts Mary Jane and holds her captive 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 pin Peter down, Harry arrives to help Peter and save Mary Jane. Brock attempts to impale Peter with Harry's glider, but Harry jumps in and is impaled instead. While 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.
Tobey Maguire asPeter Parker / Spider-Man: A superhero, a brilliantphysics student atColumbia University, and photographer for theDaily 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.[10]
Kirsten Dunst asMary 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 inSpider-Man 2, struggling in her career because of negative reviews and losing her boyfriend when the symbiote takes him over.[10] 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.[11]
James Franco asHarry 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.[10]
Thomas Haden Church asFlint 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 filmSideways,[12] and accepted the role despite the lack of a script at the time. The film's Sandman possesses sympathy similarly exhibited byLon Chaney Jr. in his portrayals of misunderstood creatures, as well asFrankenstein's monster, theGolem,[13] andAndy Serkis' portrayals ofGollum andKing Kong.[14] Church worked out for 16 months to improve his physique for the role,[15] gaining 28 pounds of muscle and losing 10 pounds of fat.[16] On his performance, Church expressed that "[villains] 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."[14]
Topher Grace asEdward "Eddie" Brock Jr. /Venom: Peter's rival at theDaily 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 filmIn Good Company. A bigcomic book fan who read the first Venom stories as a boy,[15] Grace spent six months working out to prepare for the role, gaining 25 pounds of muscle.[17] He approached the character as someone under the influence, similar to an alcoholic or drug addict,[18] and interpreted him as having a bad childhood, which is the key difference between him and Peter.[19] 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, andprosthetics took four hours to apply. Grace also wore fangs, which bruised his gums.[20]
Bryce Dallas Howard asGwen 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."[21]
Rosemary Harris asMay Parker: The aunt of Peter Parker and the widow of Ben Parker, Peter's uncle. She gives Peter herengagement ring so he can propose to Mary Jane and gives him lessons in forgiveness.
J. K. Simmons asJ. Jonah Jameson: Theeditor-in-chief of theDaily 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 portraysDr. Curt Connors, a college physics professor under whom Peter Parker studies, whileWillem Dafoe portraysNorman Osborn / Green Goblin, Harry's late father, who returns as a hallucination to encourage his son to destroy Spider-Man, andCliff Robertson appears asBen 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, andElizabeth Banks return asJoseph "Robbie" Robertson, a longtime employee at theDaily Bugle; Ted Hoffman, also a longtime employee of theDaily Bugle;Dennis "Spike" Carradine, the carjacker who was believed to have murdered Uncle Ben; Bernard Houseman, butler to the Osborn family; andBetty Brant, the receptionist at theDaily Bugle for J. Jonah Jameson, respectively.Elya Baskin additionally reprises his role as Mr. Ditkovitch, Peter's landlord whileMageina Tovah reprises her role as his daughter Ursula.Joe Manganiello reprises his role asFlash Thompson from the first film in a cameo appearance.[22]Becky Ann Baker appears as Mrs. Stacy.Theresa Russell andPerla Haney-Jardine appear as Emma and Penny Marko, Sandman's wife and daughter respectively.[23]
Spider-Man co-creatorStan Lee has a cameo inSpider-Man 3, as he did in the previous Spider-Man films, which he referred to as his "best cameo".[24] ActorBruce Campbell, who had cameo roles as awrestling ring announcer inSpider-Man and as a snootyusher inSpider-Man 2, returns inSpider-Man 3 with a new cameo as a Frenchmaître d'.[25] Originally his character, who helps Peter try to propose, was much more antagonistic. ComposerChristopher Young appears in the film as a pianist at Mary Jane's theater when she is fired, while producerGrant Curtis cameoed as the driver of an armored car that Sandman attacks.[26] ComedianDean Edwards played one of the newspaper readers who badmouth Spider-Man. 75-year-old newscasterHal Fishman appears as himself anchoring the saga of Mary Jane's kidnapping by Venom; he died just fourteen weeks after the movie opened. ActressLucy Gordon appeared as newscaster Jennifer Dugan.
"The most important thing Peter right now has to learn is that this whole concept of him as the avenger or him as the hero, he wears this red and blue outfit, with each criminal he brings to justice he's trying to pay down this debt of guilt he feels about the death of Uncle Ben. He considers himself a hero and a sinless person versus these villains that he nabs. We felt it would be a great thing for him to learn a little less black and white view of life and that he's not above these people."
—Sam Raimi, on how the character of Peter Parker developed in this film[27]
In March 2004, withSpider-Man 2 being released the coming June,Sony announced thatSpider-Man 3 was already in development for a release in summer 2007.[28] By the release ofSpider-Man 2, a release date forSpider-Man 3 had been set for May 2, 2007 before production on the third film had begun.[29] The date was later changed to May 4, 2007. In January 2005, Sony Pictures completed a seven-figure deal withscreenwriterAlvin Sargent, who had pennedSpider-Man 2, to scriptSpider-Man 3 with an option to script a fourth film.[30]
Immediately afterSpider-Man 2's release, director Sam Raimi's brotherIvan wrote a treatment over two months,[10] with Sam Raimi deciding to use the film to explore Peter learning that he is not a sinless vigilante, and that there also can be humanity in those he considers criminals.[27]Harry Osborn was brought back because Raimi wanted to conclude his story line.[27] Raimi felt that Harry would not follow his father's legacy, but would instead be "somewhere between."[31]Sandman was introduced as an antagonist, as Raimi found him a visually fascinating character.[27] While Sandman is a petty criminal in the comics, the screenwriters created a background of the character beingUncle Ben's killer to increase Peter's guilt over his death[32] and challenge his simplistic perception of the event.[27] Overall, Raimi described the film as being about Peter, Mary Jane, Harry, and the Sandman,[33] with Peter's journey being one offorgiveness.[18]
Raimi wanted another villain, andBen Kingsley was involved in negotiations to play theVulture before the character was cut.[10] Vulture was considered to be an accomplice of Flint Marko in the script.[34] ProducerAvi Arad convinced Raimi to includeVenom, a character whose perceived "lack of humanity" had initially been criticized by Raimi.[19][35] Venom's alter-ego,Eddie Brock, already had a minor role in the script.[36] Arad felt the series had relied too much on Raimi's personal favorite Spider-Man villains, not characters that modern fans were actually interested in, so Raimi included Venom to please them,[33][35] and even began to appreciate the character himself.[19] The film's version of the character is anamalgamation of Venom stories. Edward Brock Jr., the human part of Venom, serves as a mirror to Peter Parker, with both characters having similar jobs and romantic interests.[19] Brock's actions as a journalist inSpider-Man 3 also represent contemporary themes ofpaparazzi andtabloid journalism.[14] The producers also suggested adding rivallove interestGwen Stacy, filling in an "other girl" type that Raimi had already created.[33] With so many additions, Sargent soon found his script so complex that he considered splitting it into two films, but abandoned the idea when he could not create a successful intermediate climax.[10]
Camera crews spent 2 weeks from November 5–18, 2005 to film sequences that would involve intensevisual effects soSony Pictures Imageworks could begin work on the shots early in the project. The same steps had been taken forSpider-Man 2 to begin producing visual effects early for sequences involving the villainDoctor Octopus.[37]
Principal photography forSpider-Man 3 began on January 16, 2006, and wrapped in July 2006 after over 100 days of filming. The team filmed in Los Angeles until May 19, 2006.[37] In spring 2006, filmlocation manager Peter Martorano brought camera crews toCleveland, Ohio,[38] due to theGreater Cleveland Film Commission offering production space at the city'sconvention center at no cost.[39] In Cleveland, they shot the battle between Spider-Man and Sandman in the armored car.[10] Afterwards, the team moved to Manhattan, where filming took place at various locations, includingOne Chase Manhattan Plaza, from May 26, 2006, until July 1, 2006.[37] Shooting placed a strain on Raimi, who often had to move between several units to complete the picture.[10] Shooting was also difficult for cinematographer Bill Pope, as the symbiote Spider-Man, Venom, and the New Goblin were costumed in black duringfight scenes taking place at night.[40] For the breakdancing scene, Maguire at first did not want to dance, but relented after Pomerhn Derrick showed him someFred Astaire dance moves.[41]
After August,pick-ups were conducted as Raimi sought to film more action scenes.[42] The film then wrapped in October, although additionalspecial effects shots were taken to finalize the production a month later.[43] In early 2007, there were furtherpick-up shots regarding the resolution of Sandman's story, amounting to four different versions.[13]
Concept art of theVenom suit, which possesses a webbing motif, unlike the comics, in order to show the symbiote's control and represent the character as a twistedfoil to Spider-Man.
In addition to the innovative visual effects for the film, Stokdyk created a miniature of a skyscraper section at 1:16 scale withNew Deal Studios'Ian Hunter and David Sanger. Stokdyk chose to design the miniature instead of usingcomputer-generated imagery (CGI) so damage done to the building could be portrayed realistically and timely without guesswork involvingcomputer models.[46] In addition to Sony Pictures Imageworks,Cafe FX provided visual effects for the crane disaster scene when Spider-Man rescues Gwen Stacy, as well as shots in the climactic battle.[47]To understand the effects of sand for the Sandman, experiments were done with twelve types of sand, such as splashing, launching it at stuntmen, and pouring it over ledges. The results were mimicked on the computer to create the visual effects for Sandman.[45] For scenes involving visual effects, Thomas Haden Church was super-imposed onto the screen, where computer-generated imagery was then applied.[48] With sand as a possible hazard in scenes that buried actors, ground-up corn-cobs were used as a substitute instead.[49] Because of its resemblance to the substance, sand fromArizona was used as the model for the CGI sand.[45] In a fight where Spider-Man punches through Sandman's chest,amputee martial arts expertBaxter Humby took Maguire's place in filming the scene. Humby, whose right hand was amputated at birth, helped deliver the intended effect of punching through Sandman's chest.[50] Producer Laura Ziskin said the visual effects budget alone was approximately 30% more than the previous film.[6]
Whereas the symbiote suit worn in the comics by Spider-Man was a plain black affair with a large white spider on the front and back, the design was changed for the film to become a black version of Spider-Man's traditional costume, complete with webbingmotif. As a consequence of this, the suit Topher Grace wore as Venom also bore the webbing motif; as producerGrant Curtis noted, "it's the Spider-Man suit, but twisted and mangled in its own right."[51] Additionally, the motif gave a sense of life to the symbiote, giving it the appearance of gripping onto the character's body.[52] When animating the symbiote, Raimi did not want it to resemble a spider or an octopus, and to give it a sense of character. The CGI model is made of many separate strands.[53] When animating Venom himself, animators observed footage ofbig cats such aslions andcheetahs for the character's agile movements.[54]
When interviewed at the film's Tokyo premiere on April 16, 2007, Grace said toAccess Hollywood that despite liking how the film turned out, he expressed interest in having the rest of his scenes as both Eddie Brock and Venom being restored someday; later adding, "You know what?Spider-Man 3.5, or however they release it. You know, with the extra scenes".[55] Following the release of the film, fan research compiled deleted scenes and archival footage, showingAdrian Lester in the role of Dr. Wallace, a molecular biologist working on a cure for Marko's daughter, and an alternate death scene for Venom attempting to reattach itself to Peter, who in turn would have destroyed the symbiote by pulling down a sling of steel rods and creating a sonic attack (although this was depicted in the film's novelization).[56]
Danny Elfman, the composer for the previous installments, chose not to return for the third installment ofSpider-Man because of difficulties with Raimi. Elfman said that he had a "miserable experience" working with Raimi onSpider-Man 2 and could not comfortably adapt his music.[57]Christopher Young was then announced to scoreSpider-Man 3 in Elfman's absence.[58] Instead, Elfman chose to work on the 2006 live-action remake ofCharlotte's Web.[59] He later reunited with Raimi to compose the score forOz the Great and Powerful (2013).[60]
According to Young, Sandman's theme uses "twocontrabass saxophones, twocontrabass clarinets, twocontrabass bassoons and eight very lowFrench horns" in order to sound "low, aggressive and heavy". Young described Venom's theme as "Vicious, my instructions on that one were that he's the devil personified. His theme is much more demonic sounding."[61] Venom's theme uses eight French horns.[62] Raimi approved the new themes during their first performance, but rejected the initial music to the birth of Sandman, finding it too monstrous and not tragic enough. Young had to recompose much of his score at a later stage, as the producers felt there were not enough themes from the previous films.[61] Ultimately, new themes for the love story, Aunt May, and Mary Jane were dropped.[62]
Promotional tie-in partners includeBurger King,7-Eleven,General Mills,Kraft Foods, andComcast.[69]Hasbro, which holds the license for Marvel characters, released several toys totie-in with the film. They include a deluxe spinning web blaster, along with several lines ofaction figures aimed at both children and collectors.[70] Toys of theGreen Goblin andDoctor Octopus from the first two films were rereleased to match the smaller scale of the new figures, as well as toys of theLizard, theScorpion,Kraven the Hunter, andRhino in a style reminiscent of the films.[71][72]Techno Source created interactive toys, including a "hand-held Battle Tronics device that straps to the inside of a player's wrist and mimics Spidey's web-slinging motions".[73] Japanese Medicom Toy Corporation producedcollectables, whichSideshow Collectibles distributed in the U.S.[74] A prequel comic was released in June 2007 and another comic calledSpider-Man 3: The Black, which expands the birth of Venom, was released in November 2007.
Spider-Man 3 was commercially released in sixteen territories on May 1, 2007.[79] The film was released in Japan on May 1, 2007, three days prior to the American commercial release, to coincide with Japan'sGolden Week.[75]Spider-Man 3 was also released in China on May 3, 2007, to circumvent market growth ofunlicensed copies of the film. The studio's release of a film in China before its domestic release was a first for Sony Pictures Releasing International.[80] By May 6, 2007,Spider-Man 3 had opened in 107 countries around the world.[79]
The film was commercially released in the United States on May 4, 2007, in a North American record total of 4,253 theaters,[81] including fifty-threeIMAX theaters.[82] The record number of theaters was later beaten byPirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, which was released in 4,362 theaters in the United States—109 more thanSpider-Man 3.[83] It was the ninth film to play in more than 4,000 theaters upon opening, just afterShrek 2,Spider-Man 2,Shark Tale,Madagascar,Mission: Impossible III,Over the Hedge,Superman Returns andPirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest.[81] Tracking data a month before the U.S. release reflected over 90% awareness and over 20% first choice among moviegoers, statistics that estimated an opening weekend of over $100 million forSpider-Man 3.[84] Online tickets forSpider-Man 3 were reported on April 23, 2007, to have been purchased at a faster rate—three times at Movietickets.com and four times atFandango—than online ticket sales forSpider-Man 2.[85] On May 2, 2007, Fandango reported the sales rate as six times greater than the rate forSpider-Man 2. The strong ticket sales caused theaters to add 3:00 AM showings following the May 4, 2007 midnight showing to accommodate the demand.[86]
TheFX channel signed a five-year deal for the television rights toSpider-Man 3, which they began airing in 2009. The price was based on the film's box office performance, with an option for three opportunities for Sony to sell the rights to one or more other broadcast networks.[87]
In March 2024, Sony announced that all of their live-action Spider-Man films would be re-released in theaters as part of Columbia Pictures' 100th anniversary celebration.Spider-Man 3 was re-released on April 29, 2024.[88]
In June 2025, it was announced that Sony, in collaboration withFathom Events, would be re-releasing the Sam RaimiSpider-Man trilogy in theaters.Spider-Man3 was re-released on September 28, 2025, and was then followed by an encore screening on October 5, 2025.[89]
Spider-Man 3 was released onRegion 4 DVD (anamorphic widescreen) in Australia on September 18, 2007.[90] ForRegion 2 in the United Kingdom, the film was released on October 15, 2007.[91]Spider-Man 3 was released onDVD inRegion 1 territories on October 30, 2007. The film is available in one-disc and two-disc editions, on both standard andBlu-ray formats, as well as packages with the previous films and aUniversal Media Disc release.[92] Sam Raimi, Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Thomas Haden Church, Topher Grace, Bryce Dallas Howard, Laura Ziskin, Avi Arad, and Grant Curtis are among those who contributed to theaudio commentaries.
Sony announced plans to create "one of the largest" marketing campaigns in Hollywood for the October 30, 2007 release of the DVD. Beginning with a partnership withPapa John's, Sony printed close to 8.5 billion impressions for pizza boxes, television, radio, and online ads. Sony also worked withPringles Potato Crisp,Blu Tack, Jolly Time Pop Corn, andNutella. Sony's Vice President of Marketing, Jennifer Anderson, stated the studio spent approximately 15% to 25% of its marketing budget on digital ad campaigns; from this, Papa John's sent text messages to mobile phones with ads. Anderson stated that there would be three sweepstakes held for consumers, where they would be able to win prizes from Sony and its promotional partners.[93]
In the United States, the film grossed more than$125 million in DVD sales.[94] It also grossed more than $43.76 million on DVD/Home Video Rentals in 11 weeks.[95] However, the DVD sales' results of this film did not meet industry expectations.[96] It was ranked in third place on the sales chart, behindI Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry andRatatouille.[97] The film's DVD sales were limited due to Sony's decision to bundle the Blu-ray version of the film with its newPlayStation 3 game console and Blu-ray player.[98] Nevertheless, it sold 130,000 Blu-ray units within its first week of release, surpassingCasino Royale for not only being Sony's best-selling Blu-ray title, but also having the highest first week sales on that format.[99]Spider-Man 3 was included inThe Spider-Man Legacy Collection which includes five majorSpider-Man films in a 4K UHD Blu-Ray collection which was released on October 17, 2017.[100]
In April 2021, Disney and Sony Pictures reached a multi-year deal to let Sony's titles, including pastSpider-Man franchises andSony's Spider-Man Universe content to stream onHulu andDisney+. A significant number of Sony titles began streaming on Hulu starting in June 2021.[101] It includes films from 2022 onwards. While the deal only concerns the United States, titles from Sony Pictures begun to also be added to Disney+ in regions outside of the United States, as early as June 2022, starting with the majority of theSpider-Man films.[102] Raimi'sSpider-Man trilogy was released on Disney+ on April 21, 2023.[103]
In 2017, Sony released an "editor's cut" ofSpider-Man 3 that coincided with the film's 10th anniversary, which was included in theSpider-Man Limited Edition Blu-ray collection released on June 13, 2017. The film features unused music from Christopher Young and is two minutes shorter than the theatrical cut. Some scenes are shifted around or have been completely removed, and the film includes 3 new scenes, 3 alternate climax sequences, and 1 extended scene.Spider-Man 3: Editor's Cut was later re-released with theSpider-Man Legacy Collection 4K Blu-ray Box Set.[104]
Spider-Man 3 earned $336.5 million in North America and $554.3 million in other countries for a worldwide total of $890.9 million.[7] Worldwide, it is thethird-highest-grossing film of 2007, the highest-grossing film ofSam Raimi'sSpider-Man trilogy, and was the highest-grossing film distributed bySony/Columbia until 2012'sSkyfall.[105] The film set a worldwide single-day record ($104 million) on its first Friday and broke its own record again on Saturday ($117.6 million).[106][107] It also set a worldwide opening-weekend record with $381.7 million, beatingStar Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005).[107][108]Spider-Man 3 would hold that record untilHarry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince took it in 2009.[109] The film's IMAX screenings reached $20 million in 30 days, faster than any other 2D film remastered in the format.[110]
In North America,Spider-Man 3 is the81st-highest-grossing film in North America, the third-highest-grossing film of theSpider-Man series, the third-highest-grossing film distributed by Sony/Columbia, and the highest-grossing 2007 film.[7][111][112] The film sold an estimated 48,914,300 tickets.[113] It was released in 4,252 theaters (about 10,300 screens) on Friday, May 4, 2007.[114] This broke the previous record held byShrek 2 (2004) for having the largest number of screenings.[115] It set an opening- and single-day record with $59.8 million[106] (both were first surpassed byThe Dark Knight in 2008). This included $10 million from midnight showings.[116]Spider-Man 3 then set an opening-weekend record with $151.1 million (first surpassed byThe Dark Knight), a record for the weekend per-theater average with $35,540 per theater (first surpassed byHannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert),[117] and an IMAX opening-weekend record with $4.8 million (first surpassed byThe Dark Knight).[118][119]
Spider-Man 3 would hold the record for having the highest opening weekend for any film featuring Spider-Man until it was surpassed byCaptain America: Civil War less than a decade later in 2016.[120] Then in 2022,Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness dethronedSpider-Man 3 for having the largest opening weekend for a Sam Raimi film.[121] The film set record Friday[122] and Sunday grosses[123] and achieved the largest cumulative gross through its second, third, and fourth day of release (all were first surpassed byThe Dark Knight).[124] It also set a record Saturday gross (surpassed byMarvel's The Avengers).[125] When the film was released, it was ranked in first place at the box office, just ahead ofDisturbia andLucky You. It would also dominate films that were released during the 2007 spring season, such asMeet the Robinsons,Fracture andBlades of Glory.[126] WhenShrek the Third opened on its third weekend,Spider-Man 3 dropped into second place.[127]
Outside North America, it is the 23rd-highest-grossing film, the highest-grossing film of Sam Raimi'sSpider-Man trilogy, and the third-highest-grossing film distributed by Sony/Columbia.[128] On its opening day (Tuesday, May 1, 2007),Spider-Man 3 grossed $29.2 million from 16 territories, an 86% increase from the intake ofSpider-Man 2 on its first day of release. In 10 of the 16 territories,Spider-Man 3 set new opening-day records.[79] In Germany, the film surpassed the opening day gross ofSpider-Man 2.[129] It also surpassedHarry Potter and the Goblet of Fire's record for scoring the biggest opening day in France, earning $6.8 million.Spider-Man 3 had the third-highest opening of any film in Austria, afterThe Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers andThe Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Its Japanese opening generated a total of $3.7 million, making it the country's highest Tuesday gross of any film, breaking the former record held byHarry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.[130] Meanwhile, in the UK, the film had the third-highest opening of any film in the country, trailing only behindHarry Potter and the Goblet of Fire andPirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest.[131]
During its six-day opening weekend (through its first Sunday), the film earned $230.5 million from 107 markets, finishing #1 in all of them.[107]Spider-Man 3 set opening-weekend records in 29 markets[107] however, many of these records were achieved thanks to its six-day opening, while previous record-holders in some countries opened over the traditional three-day weekend (traditional two-, four-, or five-day weekend in other countries). In India, it grossed $16.4 million and was the seventh-highest-grossing film of 2007 there.[132][133] Russia and Ukraine both earned $7.4 million from 671 screens, dethroningThe Da Vinci Code (2006). Moreover, five Asian countries had overturned a ten-year record that was held byThe Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997). As for South Korea,Spider-Man 3 crossed overThe Matrix Reloaded (2003) for a local currency mark for a Hollywood release, as well as surpassingThe Host (2006). In Japan, it earned a total of $26.5 million, taking the previous record held byThe Matrix Reloaded.[134] It was ranked in first place at the box office outside North America for three consecutive weekends.[135][136]
Onreview aggregatorRotten Tomatoes,Spider-Man 3 holds a 63% approval rating based on 263 reviews, with an average rating of 6.2/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Though there are more characters and plotlines, and the action sequences still dazzle,Spider-Man 3 nonetheless isn't quite as refined as the first two."[137]Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 59 out of 100 based on 40 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[138] Audiences polled byCinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale.[139]
Manohla Dargis ofThe New York Times deplored the film's pacing as "mostly just plods" and said it lacked humor.[140]Richard Roeper of theChicago Sun-Times gave the film a two out of four stars, feeling, "for every slam-bang action sequence, there are far too many sluggish scenes".[141]David Edelstein ofNew York magazine misses the "centrifugal threat" ofAlfred Molina's character, adding that "the three villains here don't add up to oneDoc Ock"[142]James Berardinelli felt Raimi "overreached his grasp" by allowing so many villains, specifically saying, "Venom is one bad guy too many".[143]Roger Ebert, who gaveSpider-Man 2 a positive review,[144] gave the third film two out of four stars and thought Church never expressed how Sandman felt about his new powers, something Molina, as Doctor Octopus inSpider-Man 2, did "with a vengeance"; he said the film was "a mess," with too many villains, subplots, romantic misunderstandings, conversations and "street crowds looking high into the air and shouting 'oooh!' this way, then swiveling and shouting 'aaah!' that way".[145]The New Yorker'sAnthony Lane, who gaveSpider-Man 2 a favorable review,[146] gave the film a negative review, characterizing the film as a "shambles" which "makes the rules up as it goes along".[147]Robert Wilonsky ofDallas Observer described the film as "overstuffed (three villains), overlong (at more than two hours and 20 minutes) and undercooked (plot points include amnesia and alien goo)."[148]
Roger Friedman ofFox News called the film a "4-star opera", noting that while long, there was plenty of humor and action.[149] Andy Khouri ofComic Book Resources praised the film as "easily the most complex and deftly orchestrated superhero epic ever filmed... despite the enormous amount of characters, action andsci-fi superhero plot going on in this film,Spider-Man 3 never feels weighted down, tedious or boring".[150]Jonathan Ross, a big fan of the comic books, felt the film was the best of the trilogy.[151]Richard Corliss ofTime commended the filmmakers for their ability to "dramatize feelings of angst and personal betrayal worthy of anIngmar Bergman film, and then to dress them up in gaudy comic-book colors".[152]Wesley Morris ofThe Boston Globe, who gave the film 4 out of 5 stars, wrote that it was a well-made, fresh film, but would leave the viewer "overfulfilled".[153] Jonathan Dean ofTotal Film felt the film's complex plot helped the film's pacing, in that, "it rarely feels disjointed or loose... Spider-Man cements its shelf-life".[154]IGN critic Todd Gilchrist felt that the film served as a satisfying conclusion to the series, and ultimately rated it with eight stars out of ten.[155]Entertainment Weekly named the Sandman as the eighth best computer-generated film character.[156]
John Hartl ofMSNBC gaveSpider-Man 3 a positive review, but stated that it has some flaws such as having "too many storylines".[157] His opinion is echoed byHouston Chronicle's Amy Biancolli who complained that "the script is busy with so many supporting characters and plot detours that the series' charming idiosyncrasy is sometimes lost in the noise".[158] Jack Matthews ofDaily News thought the film was too devoted to the "quiet conversations" of Peter and Mary Jane, but that fans would not be disappointed by the action.[159] In a mixed review, Scott Foundas ofLA Weekly stated that "the satirical jabs at celebrity culture smell like rotted leftovers fromThe Fantastic Four. The token ruminations on the tension between a superhero's public and private lives seem flown in fromBryan Singer'sSuperman Returns (to say nothing of Raimi's own, superiorDarkman). Most egregious, though, is the way Raimi and the writers reduceSpider-Man 3 to the very sort of abject distinctions between virtue and sin that the series has heretofore studiously avoided."[160] Finally, Sean Burns ofPhiladelphia Weekly felt that the director "substituted scope and scale for the warmth and wit that made those two previous pictures so memorable".[161]
Raimi himself would later call the film "awful" during a 2014 interview.[162][163] In 2018, Arad accepted responsibility for pushing Raimi to include Venom in the film, and how the result had disappointed many fans of the character, saying "I think we learned that Venom is not a sideshow. In all fairness, I'll take the guilt because of what Sam Raimi used to say in all of these interviews feeling guilty that I forced him into it".[164] In 2021, Raimi acknowledged that the negative internet reaction toSpider-Man 3 at the time felt "awful" and had been difficult for him to take, but when his agent told him that he was being considered byMarvel Studios to directDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022), although initially hesitant about doing another superhero film, he ultimately decided to take the role.[165]
Following its initial mixed reception,Spider-Man 3 gained widespreadmeme popularity on social media,[166][167] becoming the subject of some fan reappraisal as well.[168] Peter Parker's corrupted personality under the Venom symbiote has been nicknamed "Bully Maguire" or "Emo Peter Parker" and has helped increase the popularity of the film.[169] During aRedditAMA when promotingBabylon (2022), Maguire acknowledged the memes, finding it a "funny discovery."[170][171]
Several media outlets have re-evaluatedSpider-Man 3 over the years since its 2007 release.[172] Em Casalena ofScreen Rant reassessed it as the fifth most underrated superhero film ever made.[173]MovieWeb called it the best film that Raimi directed,[174] whilePaste ranked it the 63rd best superhero movie of all time.[175] The character of Sandman has been particularly praised.[176][177]
Both the35th Annie Awards and61st British Academy Film Awards gave this movie one nomination, the former for Best Animated Effects and the latter forBest Special Visual Effects.Spider-Man 3 did not win any of the four Visual Effects Society Awards nominations it received. Dunst's and Maguire's performances earned them each one nomination from the National Movie Awards. Dunst also received another nomination for Favorite Movie Actress from the2008 Kids' Choice Awards ceremony. The movie fared better at theTeen Choice Awards, amounting a total of seven nominations, varying from Choice Movie Villain (for Grace) to Choice Movie Dance (for Maguire) and Choice Movie Liplock (shared between Maguire and Dunst).
In 2007,Spider-Man 4 entered development for release on May 6, 2011, with Raimi attached to direct with Maguire, Dunst and other cast members set to reprise their roles. Both a fourth and a fifth film were planned, and at one time, the idea of shooting the two sequels concurrently was under consideration. Raimi said in March 2009 that only the fourth film was in development at that time and that if there were fifth and sixth films, they would be a continuation of each other.[188][189][190][191] Raimi said that he was unhappy withSpider-Man 3 and wantedSpider-Man 4 to be "the best of all of them and end on a very high note".[192]James Vanderbilt was hired in October 2007 to pen the screenplay after initial reports in January 2007 that Sony Pictures was in contact withDavid Koepp, who wrote the firstSpider-Man film.[193][194] The script was subsequently rewritten byPulitzer-winning playwrightDavid Lindsay-Abaire in November 2008 and rewritten again byGary Ross in October 2009.[195] Sony also engaged Vanderbilt to write scripts forSpider-Man 5 andSpider-Man 6.[194] A spin-off featuringSpider-Man 3's version of the Venom character was also planned;[196] this never materialized, though aVenom film featuring a different version of the character was eventually produced and released in 2018.[197][198]
In 2007, Raimi expressed interest in portraying the transformation of Dr. Curt Connors into his villainous alter ego, theLizard, a villain who had been teased sinceSpider-Man 2; the character's actorDylan Baker and producer Grant Curtis were also enthusiastic about the idea.[199][200][201] By December 2009,John Malkovich was in negotiations to playVulture andAnne Hathaway would playFelicia Hardy, though she would not have transformed into the Black Cat as in the comics but a new superpowered figure, the Vulturess.[202] Raimi later clarified in a 2013 interview that Hathaway would have portrayed Black Cat ifSpider-Man 4 had been made.[203][192]
Sony Pictures announced in January 2010 that plans forSpider-Man 4 had been canceled due to Raimi's withdrawal from the project. Raimi reportedly ended his participation due to his doubt that he could meet the planned May 6, 2011 release date, while upholding the film creatively. Raimi purportedly went through four iterations of the script with different screenwriters and still "hated it".[204] Raimi would later say that he couldn't get the script in time and that due to his fallings, he told Sony to go ahead with its reboot.[192]
Following the appearance of Tobey Maguire's Peter Parker inSpider-Man: No Way Home, a fan campaign started trending onTwitter under the name #MakeRaimiSpiderMan4, calling for Sony to make a fourth film in theSpider-Man series directed bySam Raimi withTobey Maguire andKirsten Dunst.[205] Raimi later expressed interest in doing so in April 2022, noting that another sequel to hisSpider-Man trilogy was possible after the introduction of theMultiverse inSpider-Man: No Way Home and his MCU filmDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022).[206][207] He stated the next month that he had no plans to directSpider-Man 4 but would do so if offered the opportunity to direct a story he approved of.[208][209]
Following the 2014Sony Pictures hack,[212] leaked information from the hack indicated that prior to the cancellation of futureThe Amazing Spider-Man films, Sony was in talks withSam Raimi about having him directSpider-Man vs. The Amazing Spider-Man, amultiversalcrossover film featuring Garfield's Spider-Man encounter Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man (with Maguire reprising his role), as well as a new film trilogy starring Maguire (following Garfield's firing) as a middle-aged Spider-Man years after the events ofSpider-Man 3;[213][214] these plans were ultimately scrapped in favor of aMarvel Studios-producedreboot set in theMarvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), beginning withCaptain America: Civil War (2016), withTom Holland cast asSpider-Man.[215][216]
Following the underwhelming critical and commercial reception ofThe Amazing Spider-Man 2, Sony andMarvel Studios announced in February 2015 that a new iteration of Spider-Man would appear in theMarvel Cinematic Universe, with the character debuting inCaptain America: Civil War.[218] As part of the agreement, Sony Pictures continued to finance, distribute, own and have final creative control of theSpider-Man films. Marvel Studios and Sony will explore opportunities to integrate other characters of the MCU into futureSpider-Man films.[219][220][221] Sony released a standalone film titledSpider-Man: Homecoming, produced byKevin Feige andAmy Pascal, on July 7, 2017, withTom Holland starring as the new Spider-Man.[222]
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) continues the story arc of the MCU's iteration of Spider-Man in addition to using themultiverse to link the Marvel Studios films with Sony Pictures' precedingSpider-Man film franchises fromSam Raimi andMarc Webb. Maguire, Dafoe and Church all reprised their respective roles as Peter Parker / Spider-Man, Norman Osborn / Green Goblin and Flint Marko / Sandman fromSpider-Man 3, appearing in supporting roles alongside other actors from previous films based on the characters outside the MCU's cast, including the Raimi trilogy's version ofOtto Octavius / Doctor Octopus fromSpider-Man 2, reprised byAlfred Molina. They are joined byAndrew Garfield,Jamie Foxx andRhys Ifans, who reprise their respective roles as Peter Parker / Spider-Man,Maxwell Dillon / Electro andCurt Connors / Lizard from Webb'sThe Amazing Spider-Man films.[223]
^The company is credited as Marvel Studios, despiteSpider-Man 3 not being a part of theMarvel Cinematic Universe. Both Sony and the actualMarvel Studios would later collaborate making Spider-Man movies in 2015.
^Edward Douglas (August 1, 2006)."Exclusive: Enter Sandman!". SuperHeroHype.com.Archived from the original on November 18, 2006. RetrievedAugust 25, 2006.
^Edward Douglas (August 1, 2006)."Exclusive: Enter Sandman!". SuperHeroHype.com.Archived from the original on August 7, 2011. RetrievedAugust 25, 2006.
Schertzer, Richard (January 20, 2022)."The Best Sam Raimi Films, Ranked".MovieWeb. RetrievedJanuary 15, 2023.Spider-Man 3 is better than its predecessors and finds the director at the top of his game.
^Iacobucci, Jordan (November 17, 2021)."10 Facts About The Canceled Amazing Spider-Man 3 Film".Screen Rant. Archived fromthe original on November 23, 2021. RetrievedNovember 17, 2021.there were at one point considerations for the Raimi and Webb versions of the character, played by Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield respectively, to meet on the big screen as far back as 2014.
