Peter Parker (2002 film series character)

Peter Benjamin Parker, also known by his alter ego Spider-Man, is a superhero portrayed by Tobey Maguire, based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. He is the protagonist of Sam Raimi's Spider-Man (2002) as well as its sequels, Spider-Man 2 (2004) and Spider-Man 3 (2007). Maguire also voiced the character in the trilogy's tie-in video games. He reprised his role as a supporting character in the MCU film Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021), appearing as an older version of himself alongside his two successors' versions of the character. To distinguish himself from the two other versions of himself, he is nicknamed "Peter-Two" by them, referred to by Marvel's official website as the Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, and in the film's script as "Raimi-Verse Peter" and "Raimi-Verse Spider-Man" (in honor of Sam Raimi).

The narrative of Raimi's trilogy focuses on Peter's origins as Spider-Man. Adopting the mantle after the death of his uncle Ben Parker in a robbery, he becomes an icon to the people of New York City, but his duty as a superhero proves physically and emotionally taxing and often clashes with desires in his personal life; causing the decline of his college performance, a strained relationship with his childhood best friend Harry Osborn (due to Spider-Man inadvertently causing Harry's father's death) and a turbulent, often unfeasible relationship with Mary Jane Watson, Parker's childhood crush. Additionally, he struggles in his employment, particularly as a freelance photographer for the Daily Bugle where he is frequently libelled with defamatory articles by the snarky and abrasive editor-in-chief J. Jonah Jameson, who despises Spider-Man. Parker's secret life leads to encounters with various superhuman criminals such as Green Goblin and Doctor Octopus, whose actions threaten the peace and lives of civilians in New York City.

Maguire was cast as the character in 2000 following his screen test, being Raimi's first choice for the role after impressing in The Cider House Rules (1999). Maguire began his physical training for Spider-Man, and even sought to learn the typical movements of spiders in his spare time. Costume designer James Acheson began forming several concepts for Spider-Man's suit designs and claimed that the suit left Maguire feeling claustrophobic, preferring only to wear the suit if a scene did not require him to put on the mask. Maguire's portrayal of the character has received praise from critics and fans alike, including from Andrew Garfield and Tom Holland, his successors in the role. Raimi's trilogy and Maguire's portrayal of Spider-Man are credited with contributing to the rise of superhero films in the 2000s. A number of video game adaptations were attributed to the character from Raimi's trilogy, alongside an animated series that was designed to be set within the same continuity.