Spider-Man 2

***Spider-Man 2*** is a 2004 American superhero film directed by Sam Raimi and written by Alvin Sargent from a story by Alfred Gough, Miles Millar, andMichael Chabon. The sequel to the 2002 film *Spider-Man*, it is the second film in Raimi's *Spider-Man* film trilogy based on the fictional Marvel Comicscharacter of the same name. Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, and James Franco reprise their respective roles as Peter Parker/Spider-Man, Mary Jane Watson, and Harry Osborn.

Set two years after the events of *Spider-Man*, the film focuses on Peter Parker struggling to manage both his personal life and his duties as Spider-Man, while Dr. Otto Octavius (Doctor Octopus) becomes diabolical following a failed experiment and his wife's death. He uses his mechanical tentacles to threaten and endanger the lives of New York City's residents. Spider-Man must stop him from annihilating the city.

*Spider-Man 2* was released in both conventional and IMAX theaters on June 30, 2004, to positive reviews. It grossed over $783 million worldwide and won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. It also received five awards at the Saturn Awards ceremony including Best Fantasy Film and Best Director for Raimi. The film's success led to the release of *Spider-Man 3*, in 2007.

## Plot

Peter Parker struggles to balance his crime-fighting duties as Spider-Man with the demands of his normal life. Estranged from both love interest Mary Jane Watson and best friend Harry Osborn, who intends to seek revenge on Spider-Man for his father Norman's death, Peter additionally discovers hisAunt May is facing foreclosure.

Harry, now head of Oscorp's research division, sponsors the brilliant nuclear scientist Otto Octavius, who, dreams of perfecting sustained fusion power, and wears a harness of powerful robotic tentacle arms with artificial intelligence while conducting his research. When a power spike causes an experiment to quickly destabilize, Octavius stubbornly refuses to shut the experiment down, leading to disastrous consequences: his wife is killed, the neural inhibitor chip which keeps the arms from influencing his mind is destroyed and the arms are fused to his spine. Spider-Man arrives and shuts down the experiment before it can do any further damage.

At a hospital, doctors prepare to surgically remove Octavius' arms and harness, but the arms, having developed sentience from the inhibitor chip's destruction, spring to life and attack the medical crew, killing most of them. Upon regaining consciousness and seeing the carnage, Octavius escapes and hides at a harbor. The arms convince him to retry the experiment. To fund it, Octavius — now called Doctor Octopus by the *Daily Bugle* — robs a bank.

After Peter misses Mary Jane's debut play, she becomes engaged to astronaut John Jameson, son of *Bugle* chief J. Jonah Jameson. Peter suffers an emotional breakdown causing him to believe he's lost his powers. He abandons his Spider-Man identity and returns to his normal life while trying to reconcile with Mary Jane.

A garbageman brings Spider-Man's costume to J. Jonah Jameson, who takes credit for Spider-Man's disappearance. Peter tells Aunt May that his Uncle Ben's death some time ago was his fault. May forgives him, but when his 9-year-old neighbor learns of Spider-Man's disappearance and the subsequent rising crime rate in New York City, Peter becomes concerned.

Octavius needs tritium to fuel his reactor and goes to Harry to demand it. Harry initially refuses because the experiment threatens to level the city, but he eventually agrees in exchange for Spider-Man and tells him that Peter, who is supposedly good friends with Spider-Man, is the key to finding him. However, Harry tells Octavius not to harm Peter. Octavius finds Peter, tells him to find Spider-Man, and abducts Mary Jane. Peter realizes his powers are restored due to the trauma of seeing Mary Jane kidnapped, and dons his costume again after stealing it from the *Bugle*.

As Spider-Man battles Octavius, they fall onto a rapid transit R train. Octavius disables the controls and jumps off, but Spider-Man stops the train before the tracks end. When he faints from exhaustion, the passengers carry him into one of the cars. He comes to and realizes his mask is off, but the passengers are so grateful they vow not to reveal what he looks like. Octavius returns, demanding Spider-Man, and subdues the passengers. After knocking out Spider-Man, Octavius delivers him to Harry.

After giving Octavius the tritium, Harry prepares to kill Spider-Man, but is shocked to see it is really Peter. Peter convinces him greater things are at stake, and Harry reveals Octavius' location. Spider-Man arrives at the doctor's waterfront laboratory and tries to rescue Mary Jane discreetly. One of Octavius' tentacles senses him, and they fight. Spider-Man ultimately subdues Octavius, reveals his identity, and convinces Octavius to let go of his dream for the greater good. Octavius finally commands the tentacles to obey him and drowns the fusion reactor, along with himself, in the Hudson River. Mary Jane discovers Spider-Man's true identity, as well as why they cannot be together. Spider-Man returns Mary Jane to John and leaves.

Harry is visited by a vision of his father in a mirror, pleading for Harry to avenge his death. Refusing to hurt Peter, Harry shatters the mirror, revealing a secret room containing the Green Goblin's equipment. On her wedding day, Mary Jane abandons John at the altar and runs to Peter's apartment. After they kiss, they hear a police chase, and she encourages him to respond as Spider-Man.

## Cast

* Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker / Spider-Man

A superhero, a Columbia University physics student and photographer for the *Daily Bugle*. Juggling these separate lives means he briefly gives up his responsibilities as a superhero in a moment of adversity. When Maguire signed on to portray Spider-Man in 2000, he was given a three-film contract.[3] While filming *Seabiscuit* in late 2002, Maguire suffered injuries to his back and Sony was faced with the possibility of recasting their lead.[4] Negotiations arose to replace Maguire with Jake Gyllenhaal, who at the time was dating Kirsten Dunst, who portrayed Mary Jane Watson. However, Maguire recovered and was able to reprise his role, with a salary of $17 million.[5] Maguire and Gyllenhaal would later play brothers in the 2009 film *Brothers*.
* Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane Watson

A friend Peter Parker has loved since he was a child, yet he gave up the chance of being with her due to his obligations as a superhero.
* James Franco as Harry Osborn

Oscorp's leader and Norman Osborn's son who holds a resentment against Spider-Man over his father's death.
* Alfred Molina as Dr. Otto Octavius / Doctor Octopus

A scientist and Peter's role model who goes insane after his failure to create a self-sustaining fusion reaction. Octavius is bonded with his handling equipment, four artificially intelligent mechanical tentacles. Molina was cast as Octavius in February 2003 and immediately began physical training for the role.[6] Raimi had been impressed by his performance in *Frida* and also felt he had the physicality.[7] Molina only briefly discussed the role and was not aware that he was a strong contender,[8] and was excited, being a big fan of Marvel Comics.[9] Although he wasn't familiar with Doc Ock, Molina found one element of the comics that he wanted to maintain, and that was the character's cruel, sardonic sense of humor.[10]
* Rosemary Harris as May Parker

Ben Parker's widow and Peter's aunt.
* J.K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson

The miserly chief of the *Daily Bugle* who carries a personal vendetta against Spider-Man, whom he considers a criminal.
* Donna Murphy as Rosalie Octavius

Otto Octavius' wife and assistant
* Daniel Gillies as John Jameson

J. Jonah Jameson's son, Mary Jane's fiancé and a national hero.
* Dylan Baker as Dr. Curt Connors

One of Peter's college physics professors. He is a colleague of Octavius.
* Willem Dafoe as Norman Osborn / Green Goblin

Harry Osborn's deceased father who appears as a hallucination. Dafoe came up with the idea during promotion for*Spider-Man*, which he compared to King Hamlet haunting his son to avenge him.[11]
* Mageina Tovah as Ursula Ditkovich

The daughter of the landlord of Peter's apartment.
As with the previous film, Bruce Campbell has a cameo appearance, this time as an usher who refuses to let Peter enter the theater for arriving late to Mary Jane's play, causing a rift in their relationship. *Spider-Man* co-creator Stan Lee portrays a man on the street who saves a woman from falling debris during a battle between Spider-Man and Doctor Octopus. Scott Spiegel portrays a man who attempts to eat some pizza Spider-Man is delivering, only to have it webbed from his hands.Joel McHale portrays the teller in the bank who refuses Aunt May's loan. Hal Sparks portrays an elevator passenger who has a conversation with Spider-Man. Donnell Rawlings portrays the New Yorker who exclaims that Spider-Man "stole that guy's pizzas". Emily Deschanel portrays the receptionist who tells Parker she is not paying for the late pizza. Elizabeth Banks portrays Betty Brant, one of the Bugle staff and J. Jonah Jameson's secretary. Daniel Dae Kim plays an assistant of Doctor Octavius working in his laboratory. Aasif Mandvi portrays Mr. Aziz, the pizza store owner who later dismisses Parker.Joey Diaz portrays a similar passenger. Vanessa Ferlito portrays one of Mary Jane's co-stars. Joy Bryant has a cameo appearance as a spectator that witnesses Spider-Man in action. John Landis plays one of the doctors who operates on Doctor Octopus. Phil LaMarr portrays a train passenger who is most easily seen to the left of Spider-Man (the viewer's right) while the hero uses webbing to slow the train down. Greg Edelman portrays Dr. Davis, the doctor at the University, that Peter Parker sees to talk about the loss of his superpowers.