Spider-Man 3

**Spider-Man 3** is a 2012 superhero film set in the Marvel Media Franchise, the nineteenth film in the universe. It is also a sequel to *Spider-Man* and *Spider-Man 2*. The film stars Armie Hammer, Olivia Taylor Dudley, Paul Dano, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Adrianne Palicki, Rainn Wilson, Patrick Wilson, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Sela Ward, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Garret Dillahunt, and Sam Rockwell and was released worldwide on January 27, 2012. The film ran 136 minutes and grossed $757.9 million on a $230 million budget.

## Plot

3 years after defeating Doc Ock, Peter Parker, Gwen Stacey, Harry Osborn, Liz Allan, and Mary Jane Watson attend their final year at New York University. Peter prepares to propose to Gwen, while Harry and Mary Jane have admitted their feelings toward one another. Liz has first audition for a broadway show, which she hopes will lead her to a Hollywood career. Peter also works at the Daily Bugle, where everyone is biased against Spider-Man. However, in the prison that Otto Octavius is being held in, he manages to escape and takes with him, Adrian Toomes/Vulture and Norman Osborn/Green Goblin, the first two villains Spider-Man ever faced. Peter learns of the escape and gets into Spider-Man to find them. However, he is attacked first and almost killed by Green Goblin, before Doc Ock tells him they want Spider-Man alive. Peter manages to escape.

Peter tells his Aunt May about what happened. She reveals that ever since he first put on the Spider-Man suit over six years ago, she was always worried he would get hurt, or worse. Peter promises he won't die out there and she worries that if anybody finds out his true identity, his loved ones will get hurt. Peter also promises not to let anyone know his identity. The three villains take hideout in the lower levels of OsCorp. Osborn reveals Peter's identity and Octavius comes up with a plan, though they will need help. On the streets, Quentin Beck/Mysterio uses his special powers of creating illusions to try to rob a bank, though the police apprehend him. However, Doc Ock, Green Goblin, and Vulture arrive and recruit Mysterio, who escapes with them. They also visit Max Dillan, who was electrocuted and put into a coma three years ago. Mysterio uses his mind powers to awaken Dillan though it turns him into an electrokinetic, calling himself Electro.

Peter, Gwen, Harry, Liz, and Mary Jane discover they have recruited Beck and Dillan and realize they are putting together a team. Gwen tells Peter he can't stop them alone, he needs to contact the Avengers or the X-Men. However, Peter realizes that's what they want him to do, he needs to stop them alone. Spider-Man appears at their hideout and tries to stop them. He manages to stop Mysterio and Vulture, though Green Goblin injures him, allowing Doc Ock to imprison him. Electro recruits Kraven the Hunter, an immortal assassin who uses cavemen-techniques to kill people. The six villains decide to call themselves the Sinister Six. However, Peter manages to escape and accidentally stabs Osborn in the process. Peter returns and Gwen and Harry get him to a hospital. Liz's audition goes well and she learns her first show will be the next night. Gwen tells Peter she plans to go to Los Angeles after she graduates, which Peter realizes means they will on opposite sides of the country.

Norman tries to tell the others he will be fine but when they begin to initiate his plan, he collapses. Octavius tries to help him, but he dies of injuries. Adrian freaks out due to him loving Norman, while Electro realizes they can't call themselves the Sinister Six anymore. Adrian attacks him, though Electro almost kills Adrian. Doc Ock breaks up the fight and they realize that they can tell Norman's son, Harry, about how Spider-Man killed him. Harry is studying for finals in a coffee shop when the Sinister Six draw him out. They reveal to Harry about his father's death, which drives Harry over the edge. Harry finds his father's Green Goblin suit and fits into it, calling himself the New Goblin. Peter learns of what happened to Harry and tells Gwen to stay where she is, in the middle of the street. Liz's first show begins and Liz realizes none of her friends are in the audience except Mary Jane.

The Sinister Six begin their plan by knocking over a building, which lands near Gwen. The city begins evacuating and Liz realizes something is wrong. However, the damage has trapped everyone inside the broadway building. Spider-Man finds Gwen is gone and Aunt May has been kidnapped. He gets a call from Mary Jane that Liz found a way out but was taken by Electro. Spider-Man finds Gwen, May, and Liz on the roof of a clocktower, with New Goblin, Doc Ock, and Electro holding each of the respective women. Mysterio, Vulture, and Kraven attack the city. They reveal he can either save Gwen, May, or Liz, but not all three. Spider-Man makes the first move and Electro drops Liz, who Spider-Man manages to catch. However, just as Liz gets to safety, May is dropped. Spider-Man gets to the floor of the tower just in time to catch her and get her to safety. However, Gwen is dropped through the shafts of the tower and Spider-Man catches her, but the string is cut by the gears. Gwen is several feet above the ground when Peter catches her with a web, though either whiplash or the concrete floor killed her.

Peter mourns Gwen as Spider-Man has disappeared from the city. New Goblin was arrested, while Doc Ock was found murdered, presumably by Vulture. Vulture, Mysterio, Electro, and Kraven have been taken to a S.H.I.E.L.D. facility known as the Raft, where they will have no way to escape. May, Liz, and Mary Jane try to get Peter out of his funk, though he refuses to go out as Spider-Man anymore. However, six months later, on the six year anniversary of Spider-Man, a new villain known as Rhino appears and attacks the city. Spider-Man appears and stops the villain as Peter's friends look on and smile. In a mid-credits scene, Peter is seen injured and hurt in an abandoned house. However, Hawkeye appears and rescues him as they walk out into the burned down and ruined city.

## Cast

* Armie Hammer as Peter Parker/Spider-Man
* Olivia Taylor Dudley as Gwen Stacey
* Paul Dano as Harry Osborn/New Goblin
* Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Liz Allan
* Adrianne Palicki as Mary Jane Watson
* Rainn Wilson as Otto Octavius/Doctor Octopus
* Patrick Wilson as Max Dillon/Electro
* Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Kraven the Hunter
* Sela Ward as Aunt May
* Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Quentin Beck/Mysterio
* Garret Dillahunt as Adrian Toomes/Vulture
* Sam Rockwell as Norman Osborn/Green Goblin

## Production

A sequel to *Spider-Man 2* was announced in May 2009, along with a sequel to *Iron Man: Rise of the Patriots*, a sequel to *Thor*, and a sequel to *The Avengers*. Armie Hammer's contract had him signed on for a third *Spider-Man* film, with three other films in the universe. Dudley, Dano, Winstead, and Ward had also signed on for this film, with their contract ending, though Dano was in talks to renew his contract for more films. Rainn Wilson and Adrianne Palicki signed on for this film after appearing in *Spider-Man 2*, while Patrick Wilson, Ewan McGregor, Garret Dillahunt, and Sam Rockwell had all signed three-film contracts, *Spider-Man 3* being their second. A release date of January 27, 2012 was announced in November 2009, while filming was scheduled to begin in March 2011. The plot of the Sinister Six was announced, while Nikolaj Coster-Waldau was cast as Kraven the Hunter in February 2010. Sam Raimi returned as director, writing a screenplay alongside Ivan Raimi and Alvin Sargent. Filming concluded on July 2, 2011.

## Reception

### **Box office**

*Spider-Man 3* earned $262 million in North America and $495.9 million in other countries, for a worldwide total of $757.9 million.

### **Critical reception**

*Spider-Man 3* received generally favorable reviews by critics upon release with critics praising the performance of Armie Hammer. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 73% based on 310 reviews, with an average rating of 6.7/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "An ensemble cast and sure-handed direction allows *Spider-Man 3* to thrill despite revisiting many of the same plot points from *Spider-Man*." On Metacritic, the film has an average score of 66 out of 100, based on 42 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". According to Rotten Tomatoes' yearly lists (by using a weighted formula of the critics review in the site), it was placed number 32 on its list of the all-time best comic book films in 2012 and had fallen to 36th in 2013. CinemaScore's audience graded it an "A-" on an A+ to F scale.