All 3 Tom Holland Spider-Man Movies Are Masterpieces, but 1 Is Untouchable

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This summer, Tom Holland is back as Spider-Man in the first film of a new trilogy. Fans are excited to see his popular version of Peter Parker return to theaters after a five-year break, and this movie kicks off a more grown-up storyline for the character.

Brand New Day is the fourth Spider-Man movie starring Tom Holland, following Jon Watts’s three previous films, often called the “Home Trilogy.” All three earlier Spider-Man movies were well-received by critics and are considered strong adaptations of the classic superhero. While each of Holland’s Spider-Man films is excellent, one is widely regarded as particularly exceptional.

Spider-Man: Far From Home Is a Fun Road Trip Comedy With a Superhero

While some fans aren’t thrilled with it, the second Spider-Man movie starring Tom Holland is actually quite good. Spider-Man: Far From Home, released in 2019, picks up after the events of Avengers: Endgame. Peter Parker is still grieving the loss of Tony Stark and tries to enjoy a school trip to Europe, but Nick Fury and Maria Hill pull him back into action to fight strange, elemental beings.

Jake Gyllenhaal’s portrayal of Mysterio is the highlight of Far From Home. He plays Quentin Beck as a convincing hero who is ultimately revealed to be the villain orchestrating the attacks, using impressive illusions created with drones. Gyllenhaal perfectly balances a maniacal edge with a sense of realism, making him a formidable opponent for Spider-Man. And despite the character’s outlandish costume – the classic fishbowl helmet and green suit – it looks surprisingly great on screen.

While some dedicated Spider-Man fans criticize Spider-Man: Far From Home for being different – it moves the action outside of New York City and focuses on Peter Parker’s school trip – it was actually a huge success with both critics and audiences. It boasts a 91% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 95% audience score, and earned a massive $1.1 billion worldwide, making it Sony’s highest-grossing film at the time. This shows that the negative opinions represent only a small fraction of the overall reception.

Even after nearly twenty years of Spider-Man movies, Far From Home offers a surprisingly new take on the character, and deserves recognition for that. Tom Holland continues to excel as Peter Parker, and the movie gives his supporting cast – including characters like Quentin Beck, MJ, and Ned – more opportunities to stand out. Though it might not quite reach the heights of the previous film, Far From Home is a solid sequel that successfully moves Spider-Man’s story forward.

Spider-Man: Homecoming Is the Perfect Coming-of-Age Story for a Teenage Hero

Following his debut in Captain America: Civil War, Tom Holland starred in his first solo Marvel movie, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017). The film shows Peter Parker trying to juggle the challenges of being a teenager with his responsibilities as Spider-Man. Tony Stark guides him as he learns the ropes, but their progress is threatened by a new enemy: Adrian Toomes, also known as the Vulture.

Like any good Spider-Man story, the villain is crucial, and Michael Keaton absolutely shines as the Vulture in Spider-Man: Homecoming. He portrays Adrian Toomes as a surprisingly relatable and even sympathetic character, helping audiences understand his motivations even if they don’t agree with them. His performance is as strong as the best villains from Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man films, but a key reveal—that he’s Liz Allen’s father—pushes him into the ranks of the greatest villains in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The resulting confrontation with Peter Parker remains one of the most gripping scenes in any superhero movie.

As a huge Spider-Man fan, I really enjoyed Spider-Man: Homecoming. It’s a really solid superhero film, and what I appreciated most was how it shifted gears a bit – it felt like a fresh take on the character after so many years of movies. Director Jon Watts clearly knows his way around a good coming-of-age story, and he really focused on Peter Parker’s life as a high schooler. Some might’ve wanted to see more of the classic, street-level Spider-Man, but I think Homecoming was a fantastic way to kick off Tom Holland’s trilogy. Plus, the critics seem to agree – it’s got a 92% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with audiences giving it an 87% score!

Even nine years later, Spider-Man: Homecoming remains a strong start to Tom Holland’s first three Spider-Man movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It features a great supporting cast, particularly Jacob Batalon as Ned Leeds and Marisa Tomei as Aunt May, and cleverly incorporates established MCU characters like Tony Stark and Happy Hogan. What sets it apart is its focus on the classic coming-of-age story, giving it a charm that many other Spider-Man films don’t have.

Spider-Man: No Way Home Is the Ultimate Spider-Man Film

Though all of Tom Holland’s Spider-Man films are excellent, Spider-Man: No Way Home from 2021 stands out as the best. It concludes the first three Spider-Man movies within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The story picks up after Mysterio exposes Peter Parker’s secret identity, causing chaos in his life. Peter seeks help from Doctor Strange to fix the situation, but a spell goes wrong, bringing five classic villains into his world.

Spider-Man: No Way Home features the return of classic villains – Willem Dafoe as Green Goblin, Alfred Molina as Doctor Octopus, Thomas Haden Church as Sandman, Rhys Ifans as Lizard, and Jamie Foxx as Electro – who all face off against Tom Holland’s Spider-Man. Willem Dafoe is particularly impressive, easily recapturing the intensity of his character, and proving to be even more terrifying when not wearing his Green Goblin mask.

The biggest draw of No Way Home is definitely the return of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield as Spider-Man, joining Tom Holland on screen. Seeing all three live-action Spider-Men team up is an unforgettable moment for Marvel fans. But their appearances aren’t just quick cameos – each Spider-Man has their own story arc that feels meaningful and satisfying. The film also sets the stage for an exciting future for Tom Holland’s Spider-Man, as he truly embraces the responsibility that comes with his powers.

No Way Home effectively concludes the ‘Home Trilogy’ while setting the stage for a fresh start with ‘Brand New Day.’ Even five years after its release, the film remains a peak achievement for Spider-Man movies in the last two decades, easily explaining its massive $1.9 billion earnings and overwhelmingly positive reception (93% on Rotten Tomatoes and 97% audience score). No Way Home raised the bar for what a Spider-Man movie could be.

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Spider-Man: Brand New Day opens in theaters on July 31, 2026.

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2026-04-22 07:38