Spider-Man 3 (2007)

A strange black entity from another world bonds with Peter Parker and causes inner turmoil as he contends with new villains, temptations, and revenge.

Director:

Sam Raimi

Writers:

Sam Raimi (screenplay), Ivan Raimi (screenplay)

Stars:

Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, Topher Grace

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 3 wins & 32 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tobey Maguire	...	Spider-Man / Peter Parker
Kirsten Dunst	...	Mary Jane Watson
James Franco	...	New Goblin / Harry Osborn
Thomas Haden Church	...	Sandman / Flint Marko
Topher Grace	...	Venom / Eddie Brock
Bryce Dallas Howard	...	Gwen Stacy
Rosemary Harris	...	May Parker
J.K. Simmons	...	J. Jonah Jameson
James Cromwell	...	Captain Stacy
Theresa Russell	...	Emma Marko
Dylan Baker	...	Dr. Curt Connors
Bill Nunn	...	Joseph 'Robbie' Robertson
Bruce Campbell	...	Maître d'
Elizabeth Banks	...	Miss Brant
Ted Raimi	...	Hoffman

Storyline

Peter Parker has finally managed to piece together the once-broken parts of his life, maintaining a balance between his relationship with Mary-Jane and his responsibility as Spider-Man. But more challenges arise for our young hero. Peter's old friend Harry Obsourne has set out for revenge against Peter; taking up the mantle of his late father's persona as The New Goblin, and Peter must also capture Uncle Ben's real killer, Flint Marko, who has been transformed into his toughest foe yet, the Sandman. All hope seems lost when suddenly Peter's suit turns jet-black and greatly amplifies his powers. But it also begins to greatly amplify the much darker qualities of Peter's personality that he begins to lose himself to. Peter has to reach deep inside himself to free the compassionate hero he used to be if he is to ever conquer the darkness within and face not only his greatest enemies, but also...himself.

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Plot Keywords:

spider man | villain | peter parker character | coffeeshop | sandman | 

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Taglines:

Next summer, the greatest battle lies... within.

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense action violence

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

4 May 2007 (USA)

Also Known As:

3

Filming Locations:

Greystone Park & Mansion - 905 Loma Vista Drive, Beverly Hills, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$258,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$151,116,516, 6 May 2007, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$336,530,303, 19 August 2007

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$554,341,323

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation, Marvel Studios, Laura Ziskin Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

139 min 137 min (editor's cut)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital Sonics-DDP (IMAX version) SDDS (8 channels) DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

While Spider-Man (2002) and Spider-Man 2 (2004) were released on DVD in separate widescreen and full screen editions, Spider-Man 3 was released on DVD in widescreen only.

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Goofs

Peter has a engagement ring put in a glass of champagne to propose to Mary Jane. However, when he retrieves the ring from the glass, there are no bubbles.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Peter Parker: [Narrating] It's me! Peter Parker! Your friendly neighborhood... You know. I've come a long way from becoming the boy who was bitten by a spider. Back then, nothing seemed to go right for me, and now...
Kid in Times Square: [pointing at a giant screen in Times Square] Hey look, it's Spider-Man!
Peter Parker: [Narrating] People really like me.

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Crazy Credits

During the opening credits, snippets from the first two films can be seen. Also, some of the filmmaker's names appear and then blow away, as if made of sand. The black symbiote also makes a brief appearance.

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Alternate Versions

In 2017, in anticipation for Spider-Man: Homecoming, Sony released an "Editor's Cut" of Spider-Man 3. This cut mostly utilizes an unused score, alternate edits of scenes, a restructured story, and scenes both added and removed throughout. With all of these changes, this version runs 2 minutes shorter than the theatrical version.

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Connections

Featured in The Stan Lee Legacy: From Comic Book to Homecoming (2017)

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Soundtracks

People Get Up and Drive Your Funky Soul
Written by James Brown, Fred Wesley and St. Clair Pickney
Performed by James Brown
Courtesy of Universal Records
Under license from Universal Music Enterprises

User Reviews

Big-Budget Special-Effects Extravaganza, Out Of Focus

"Spider-Man 3" comes really close to being as difficult to follow as an "X-Men" movie. Well, maybe not that close since an "X-Men" movie requires the viewer to try to follow the lives of at least a dozen different characters. But I think it was a mistake for the makers to have Spidey contend with three different villains in one film. Unlike the two superior predecessors, it felt like they were trying to cram three movies into one with "Spider-Man 3".

I was most disappointed with the use, or misuse, of the Harry Osborne/Green Goblin character. We know that Harry must become the Green Goblin if he is going to have the ability to take on his super hero nemesis Peter Parker/Spider-Man. The makers of "Spider-Man 3" waste no time in picking up where "Spider-Man 2" left off. Not only does the movie not allow the viewer to observe Harry's transformation into the Green Goblin, but Harry doesn't even dress appropriately for his role. He wears a black uniform and never becomes the public menace his father did. I was looking forward to the Daily Bugle covers about the return of the menace of the Green Goblin. Instead Harry's campaign of revenge against Peter is quickly side tracked by a bout with amnesia after suffering a blow to the head in a fall during his first fight with Peter. After all, the film needs to introduce two more villains, Sandman and Venom, before it ends.

Whereas, in the first two films the viewer really gets to know the Norman Osborn and Otto Octavius characters, in "Spider-Man 3" the length of time devoted to the villains amounts to a movie short. Along the way Peter Parker must also contend with his dark side and his troubles in his relationship with his love Mary Jane Watson. Meanwhile, the landlord's daughter, Ursula, is back to amuse viewers once again with her adolescent crush on Pete. Add to all this the time needed to develop the Sandman and Venom villains, plus Gwen Stacy, and I was left wondering exactly what the movie is about.

"Spider-Man 3" is big budget extravaganza that is out of focus in the areas of character and plot development. While it has its laugh inducing comic moments and the best special effects sequences money can buy, it has little else to offer. While I really wanted to see the first two movies again, because I enjoyed the transformation of the main characters into super heroes and villains, it feels like the only reason to see "Spider-Man 3" is to check out the special effects again. If there are more Spider-Man films made, and there is no reason to believe there won't be given the money involved in releasing another film, then I would hope that the makers would simplify the story once again and do what made the first two films so enjoyable to watch.