Tobey Maguire vs Andrew Garfield vs Tom Holland as Spider-Man

Spider-Man Showdown: Tobey Maguire vs. Andrew Garfield vs. Tom Holland

Over the last twenty years, three live-action versions of Spider-Man have swung onto the big screen. Which one of these webheads had the best run? Welcome to WatchMojo and in this installment of Versus, we’re determining whether Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, or Tom Holland had the strongest Spider-Man career.

For this showdown, we’ll be looking at their performances, fight scenes, and more to see which webhead stands above the rest. If you haven’t seen all the “Spider-Man” films, a spoiler warning is in effect.

Round 1: Best Suit

In 2002, Maguire’s Peter Parker debuted the first modern Spider-Man costume. The suit featured a textured web design, bright red and blue color scheme, and a cool spider logo. This crowd-pleasing design didn't go through any major changes until “Spider-Man 3.” After running into an alien parasite, the suit became a badass shade of black with a slick silver spider logo. While that costume change looked great, the trilogy ended with Peter back in the classic blue and red suit that fans had grown to love.

When the franchise was rebooted in 2012, the suit went through significant changes. Garfield’s costume leaned more on the color blue, made the eyes yellow, and featured web-shooters. Although some fans liked the radical design, his suit was updated to a more traditional look in “Amazing Spider-Man 2.” This time around, the costume big eyes, vivid color scheme, and simplified design had more than a few critics declaring it as the most faithful live-action Spider-Man outfit ever.

No live-action Spidey has more suits than Tom Holland. His debut costume had black accents, underarm webbing, and extremely expressive eyes. Holland followed that up with an Iron Spider costume complete with metal arms, a black stealth suit, and a recolored version of his first outfit. All of these suits were equipped with customizable web-shooters and half had an AI program built into them. This technological advantage made all of Holland’s stylish suits even more memorable.

If we were judging by variety or comic book accuracy, Holland or Garfield would run away with this one. However, there's something to be said about creating a suit so good that it essentially stays the same throughout a hero’s entire career. The longevity of Maguire's original costume beats out its stylish competition.

WINNER: Tobey Maguire 1/ Andrew Garfield 0 / Tom Holland 0

Round 2: Cultural Impact

After the failure of ’90s superhero flicks like “Batman & Robin,” Sam Raimi’s “Spider-Man” films helped save the genre. The trilogy had enough dramatic material to make Spidey’s world feel realistic. At the same time, the series wasn't afraid to embrace bright colors and campy scenes. This delicate balancing act of seriousness and silliness resulted in huge box office earnings and critical praise. The trilogy showed that superhero movies could be complex without losing their colorful identities.

Five years after Raimi’s trilogy ended, Marc Webb’s “Amazing Spider-Man” films aimed to put a fresh spin on a familiar character. While both movies had a darker tone than Maguire’s trilogy, Garfield's charm and romantic subplot helped keep the stories lighthearted. The series also promised to launch a cinematic universe. Unfortunately, the second movie was so focused on building a Spider-Verse that it lost sight of its main character. Despite both movies being financially successful, the mostly negative reception to “Amazing Spider-Man 2” ended the franchise before it truly began.

It only took Sony two years to reboot Spider-Man with an appearance in “Captain America: Civil War.” After Holland’s well-received debut, he appeared in two “Avengers” stories and starred in two movies. Although his solo films didn’t stray too far from the MCU’s typical story structure or tone, they were massive critical successes that grossed over 2 billion dollars worldwide. When Holland’s stellar MCU run was endangered by studio disputes, fans were extremely vocal about wanting to keep him in the universe. Fortunately, everything was resolved and Holland was clear to explore what’s next for Spider-Man.

Garfield's Spider-Man series didn't last long enough to leave a significant impact. And while Holland is beloved, his movies haven’t reshaped the modern superhero movie format… yet. The Raimi trilogy walked a new kind of superhero story back into cinemas so that Holland and Garfield could run.

WINNER: Tobey Maguire 2/ Andrew Garfield 0/ Tom Holland 0

Round 3: Funniest

Although Maguire’s Spider-Man occasionally cracked a few jokes and puns, he tended to take crime-fighting seriously. His funny side really came out when he stepped out of the costume. Maguire's Peter Parker was a master of physical humor. He could make even the most painful injury look hilarious. Maguire also knew how to play up Peter's awkwardness so that we couldn't help but laugh at him. By leaning into Peter’s flaws, Maguire kept us laughing in between action scenes.

Andrew Garfield could not stop cracking jokes when he played Spider-Man. Whether he was facing off against a common mugger or supervillain, this Spidey couldn't resist roasting his enemies. Garfield's fantastic comedic timing and sarcastic delivery made his burns even better. The only downside was that his jokes could get in the way of his heroics. He sometimes seemed more interested in roasting his enemies than saving the day. However, Garfield made up for it by bringing his sharp sense of humor to his portrayal of Peter as well.

Holland excels at making funny observations during battle. While Holland’s Spidey makes fun of lower-level enemies, he doesn’t spend too much time directly insulting supervillains. But Holland brings more than quips to the table. The way he reacts to everything is hilarious. His voice, facial expressions, and awkward body movements keep us in stitches. So if Holland’s words weren’t making us laugh, his physical bits would do the trick.

While all three of these Spider-Men are hilarious, Garfield is the strongest comedian. His excellent delivery and volume of jokes are unmatched by his competitors. If there was a supervillain comedy roast, we'd pick Garfield to host in a heartbeat.

WINNER: Tobey Maguire 2 / Andrew Garfield 1 / Tom Holland 0

Round 4: Action Scenes/Stunts

Action sequences always felt epic during the Raimi trilogy. Although they all occurred in New York City, the excellent cinematography made every fight scene feel distinct. While some of the CGI looks dated today, creative choreography and practical stunts help balance out any visual shortcomings. The best action scene is arguably the runaway train sequence. Audiences were blown away by Spider-Man’s desperate efforts to save the passengers of a sabotaged train. The sequence was so memorable that it was referenced in “Spider-Man” media as recently as 2018.

Marc Webb shook up the webhead’s action scenes by exploring more of New York City. Garfield’s Spider-Man faced off against Electro in Times Square, battled the Lizard in the sewers, and fought Green Goblin in a clock tower. These scenes also presented the advantages and limitations of the web-shooters in interesting ways. Although the stunt work is solid across the board, the CGI used to create the supervillains occasionally fell short. The effects used to render Electro are particularly shaky. Fortunately, the stunning CGI used in the spider-sense scenes helped make up for the lackluster villains.

Every one of Holland’s Spider-Man appearances has taken the hero to a new place. He leaped off the Washington Monument, fought the Vulture atop a moving plane, and dismantled Mysterio’s drones on London’s Tower Bridge. The new settings were not only visual treats for the eyes but gave us opportunities to see how Spider-Man faces new environments and seemingly impossible odds. A seamless blend of CGI and stunt work also helps the action stand out. Knowing the naturally acrobatic Holland performed a few stunts was the icing on the cake.

The inconsistent CGI in “The Amazing Spider-Man” series could be distracting. And while the original trilogy train scene is iconic, it's one of many New York City set pieces. Holland’s Spider-Man has repeatedly left the Manhattan skyline to give us inventive and compelling action scenes with stunning visuals.

WINNER: Tobey Maguire 2 / Andrew Garfield 1 / Tom Holland 1

Round 5: Character Portrayal

Tobey Maguire was Peter Parker. He played the awkward and intelligent hero with a good heart to perfection. But Maguire also convinced us there was a confident person underneath Peter’s nerdy exterior. Throughout the trilogy, we saw Spidey grapple with his responsibilities in moving and complex ways. Although the character took an embarrassing misstep with a sudden emo phase, he never stopped being endearing. Maguire’s portrayal made us sympathize with the character at his worst and cheer for him at his best.

On the surface, Garfield’s Peter Parker seems pretty cool. He's a scientific genius, sticks up for people, and knows how to skateboard. Unfortunately, his past trauma and feelings of guilt cause him to put walls in between himself and his loved ones. Garfield beautifully conveyed the angst and loneliness the character felt. He also knew when to dial the darkness back and let the wisecracking Spider-Man take the spotlight. Garfield's brilliant performance helped his Peter grow from a bitter loner into an inspiring hero.

The most convincing teenage Peter Parker is Tom Holland. He’s hyperenergetic, awkward, and unsure of himself. Holland carries all those personality traits into his Spider-Man persona as well. His realistic approach to playing a teenager makes heroes and villains alike treat Peter like a little kid. But when push comes to shove, he finds the confidence within himself to be a mature hero. Throughout his various movie appearances, Holland’s Peter has grown tremendously. At the same time, he never loses the youthful energy that made fans love him in the first place.

Although Garfield’s performance is great overall, his cool portrayal of Peter Parker feels less authentic than his counterparts. Both Holland and Maguire gave us awkward and sympathetic versions of the beloved webhead. But Holland's seemingly limitless energy and the way Peter’s awkward personality blends into his Spider-Man persona makes the character feel like the most realistic teenage superhero ever put on screen.

WINNER: Tobey Maguire 2 / Andrew Garfield 1 /Tom Holland 2

Sorry, Mr. Garfield, but our tiebreaker round will be between Maguire and Holland.

Round 6: Best Movies

Raimi’s “Spider-Man” contained enough sharp humor, compelling drama, and thrilling action to elevate an origin story into a record-breaking superhero film. “Spider-Man 2” upped the ante by adding the menacing and sympathetic Doctor Octopus. At the same time, the sequel presented a compelling story about Peter deciding whether to embrace his powers or live a normal life. “Spider-Man 2” is still widely considered to be one of the best superhero films ever. Unfortunately, it was followed by the heavily criticized “Spider-Man 3.” After the third movie crammed too many villains, ridiculous dancing, and unnecessary plotlines into its runtime, it received a 63 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. While the trilogy certainly didn't stick the landing, there’s plenty to love about the series.

Holland's Spider-Man appeared in three of the most critically and financially successful MCU crossovers of all time. But that's not to say Holland's solo work isn't impressive. “Spider-Man Homecoming” felt like a fresh teen comedy that happened to have superheroes. The well-received premise gave us more time with Peter and deepened his relationship with Iron Man. In the sequel, we focused on Peter trying to live up to the deceased Tony Stark’s legacy while coming into his own as a hero. As fans made “Far From Home” the most financially successful Spider-Man film of all time, they couldn't help but notice something about the series’ villains. Both Vulture and Mysterio were created from Tony Stark's mistakes instead of Spider-Man's. While Holland gave great performances in both films, it felt like his stories were stuck in the shadow of Iron Man.

Both Maguire and Holland’s Spidey resumes contain triumphs and shortcomings. And if we put the “Avengers” films aside, both actors have two certified fresh “Spider-Man” movies under their belts. But with the virtually untouchable MCU backing Holland’s third “Spider-Man” film, it’s incredibly unlikely it'll turn out as disappointing as “Spider-Man 3.” Although Maguire has starred in two spectacular superhero films, his Spider-Man run will never be as financially or critically strong as Holland’s amazing resume.

WINNER: Tobey Maguire 2 / Andrew Garfield 1 /Tom Holland 3

It was a close battle, but Holland ultimately swings past Maguire to victory with a score of 3 to 2.