Peter Parker is beset with troubles in his failing personal life as he battles a brilliant scientist named Doctor Otto Octavius.
Trivia
The elevator scene between Tobey Maguire in Spider-Man costume and Hal Sparks was improvised and allowed the two actors to just riff off each other. Approximately 25 takes were shot. What's used in the theatrical film is the first take, several of the others can be seen on the 2.1 Blu-ray edition.
Phil LaMarr auditioned to play the elevator passenger. Hal Sparks got the role and LaMarr settled for an uncredited appearance as a train passenger.
Hal Sparks: (at around 29 mins) The man who meets Spider-Man inside the elevator (and compliments him on his Spidey outfit) is "Michael Novotny" from Queer as Folk (1999), a gay man obsessed with comics and superheroes, who'd always dreamed of meeting one on the show. An alternative version of this scene was used in the Spider-Man 2.1 cut of the film (at around 32 mins).
Goofs
(at around 29 mins) In the elevator scene when Peter/Spider-man first loses his powers, we see a man standing outside the elevator holding a dog on a leash. However, after Spider-man delivers the line about the costume riding up on the crotch, we see the man use both hands to adjust his jacket, and the leash is nowhere to be found, nor is there any indication that the dog is on the elevator.
Director
Sam Raimi
Writer
Screenplay by
Alvin Sargent
Story by
Alfred Gough
Miles Millar
Michael Chabon
Based on Spider-Man by
Stan Lee
Steve Ditko
Cast
Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker / Spider-Man
Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane Watson
James Franco as Harry Osborn
Alfred Molina as Dr. Otto Octavius / Doctor Octopus
Rosemary Harris as May Parker: Ben Parker's widow and Peter's aunt
Donna Murphy as Rosie Octavius: Otto's wife and assistant
