Spider-Man 3 is a 2007 superhero film written and directed by Sam Raimi, with screenplay composed also by Ivan Raimi and Alvin Sargent. It is the third film in the Spider-Man film franchise based on the fictional Marvel Comics character Spider-Man. The film stars Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Thomas Haden Church, and Topher Grace.
The film begins with Peter Parker basking in his success as Spider-Man, while Mary Jane begins her Broadway career. Harry Osborn still seeks vengeance for his father's death, and an escaped convict, Flint Marko, falls into a particle accelerator and is transformed into a shape shifting sand monster. An alien symbiote crashes to Earth and bonds with Peter, influencing his behavior for the worse. When the symbiote is abandoned, it finds refuge in Eddie Brock Jr., a rival photographer, causing Peter to face his greatest challenge.
Spider-Man 3 was commercially released in multiple countries on May 1, 2007, and released in the United States in both conventional and IMAX theaters on May 4, 2007. The film received generally mixed reviews from critics, in stark contrast to Spider-Man 2's ecstatic reviews, yet the film broke most of the opening weekend records, both in the United States, and in foreign markets, including records held in IMAX theaters.
Peter has begun to feel secure in his life and plans to propose to Mary Jane. One night in a park, while Peter and Mary Jane are on a date, a small meteorite crashes nearby, and an alien symbiote oozes out, attaching itself to Peter's moped. Meanwhile, escaped convict Flint Marko falls into a particle accelerator which transforms him into a shape shifting sand monster. Peter's best friend, Harry Osborn, who seeks vengeance for his father's death, which he believes Peter caused, attacks him. The battle leaves Harry with short-term amnesia, making him forget his vendetta.
Harry Osborn chases Peter
Later, during a festival honoring Spider-Man for saving Gwen Stacy’s life, Marko attempts to rob an armored car, and overpowers Spider-Man. Captain Stacy later informs Peter and Aunt May that Marko is the one who killed Ben Parker, and a vengeful Peter waits for Marko to strike again. The symbiote bonds with his costume while he is asleep, and Peter discovers that not only has his costume changed, but his powers have been enhanced as well. The black suit also alters Peter's personality, making him more violent, exemplified by a near lethal attack on Marko during a battle underground.
Affected by the suit, Peter exposes and humiliates Eddie Brock Jr., a rival photographer at the Daily Bugle, who sells fake pictures of Spider-Man. The shift in Peter's personality alienates Mary Jane, whose stage career is floundering, and she finds solace in Harry. Harry then recovers from his amnesia and threatens to kill Peter unless MJ breaks up with him. After Mary Jane leaves Peter, stating she is in love with another man, Harry meets him at a restaurant and claims to be the other man. Harry speeds off before Peter can confront him, but Peter finds him at the Osborn mansion. With the help of the black suit, Peter is victorious in a brutal fight which leaves Harry's face disfigured.
In an effort to make MJ jealous, Peter brings Gwen to the nightclub where Mary Jane works and gets into a fight. In the scuffle, he accidentally throws MJ to the floor. Peter realizes the symbiote-suit is changing him for the worse. He runs out of the nightclub and goes to a church bell tower to be rid of it. Initially he is unable to pull the suit off, but the sound waves from the church bells weaken the symbiote, freeing Peter. Eddie Brock is at the same church, praying for Peter’s death, and the symbiote falls from the tower and takes over his body. The newly powered Eddie finds Marko and suggests that they join forces to destroy Spider-Man.
Eddie reveals himself to Spider-Man
The pair use Mary Jane as bait to lure Spider-Man to confront them. Peter approaches Harry for help, but is turned down and leaves. However, Harry learns the truth about his father's death and arrives in time to rescue Peter, teaming up against Brock and Marko. As the fight progresses, Brock attempts to impale Peter with the glider, but Harry sacrifices himself and is fatally wounded. Peter recalls how the church bell's toll weakened the symbiote, and frees Eddie from it by clanging several pipes together. Peter throws a pumpkin bomb at the symbiote just as Eddie, who has grown attached to its power, attempts to re-bond with it; Eddie and the symbiote are destroyed.
After the battle, Marko tells Peter that he had no intention of killing Ben Parker, and that it was an accident born out of a desperate attempt to save his daughter's life. Peter forgives Flint, who dissipates and floats away. Peter and Harry forgive each other as Harry dies with Mary Jane and Peter by his side. Afterward, Peter and Mary Jane begin to mend their relationship.
Cast and characters
Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker / Spider-Man: A physics graduate student and photographer for the Daily Bugle who leads a double life as the superhero Spider-Man, protecting New York City from crime. As he grows arrogant with the city starting to embrace him for the first time in his career, an alien symbiote attaches itself to Peter's costume and influences his behavior for the worse.
Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane Watson: Peter Parker's girlfriend and a Broadway actress, whom he has loved since childhood. Mary Jane loses her job after bad reviews regarding her singing voice, but does not tell Peter, feeling his success has gone to his head.
James Franco as Harry Osborn / New Goblin: The son of Norman Osborn and Peter Parker's former best friend who believes that Spider-Man murdered his father. After learning Peter Parker is Spider-Man, Harry becomes the New Goblin to battle his former friend directly.
Thomas Haden Church as Flint Marko / The Sandman: A small-time thug who has a wife and sick daughter, whom he steals money to help get the treatment to cure her. He transforms into the Sandman following an accident, and incurs Peter's wrath when Peter learns he was his uncle Ben's true killer.
Topher Grace as Eddie Brock, Jr. / Venom: A photographer at the Daily Bugle who becomes Peter's rival in getting photos of Spider-Man. He creates a fake image in the process, but an angry Peter exposes his photo as a fake, and he is fired. Having lost his job and his would-be girlfriend to Peter, Eddie leaps at the opportunity to exact his vengeance when he becomes Venom.
Bryce Dallas Howard as Gwen Stacy: The daughter of a police captain, a model, and Peter Parker's lab partner. When Spider-Man rescues her from a construction accident and then kisses her at the following award ceremony, Mary Jane grows suspicious of whether Peter is cheating on her. Eddie is attracted to her, but Peter asks her out to spite Mary Jane. Horrified, she leaves him.
J. K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson: The aggressive chief of the Daily Bugle. He carries a personal vendetta against Spider-Man, whom he considers a criminal, and fires Eddie Brock as he is forced to apologize for fake incriminating photos of Spider-Man Eddie made.
Rosemary Harris as May Parker: The aunt of Peter Parker and the widow of Ben Parker, Peter's uncle. She gives Peter her engagement ring so he can propose to Mary Jane, and gives him lessons of forgiveness.
James Cromwell as Captain George Stacy: A police captain and father of Gwen Stacy, George Stacy holds a ceremony in honor of Spider-Man after he rescues his daughter.
Dylan Baker as Dr. Curt Connors: A college physics professor under whom Peter Parker studies. He examines a piece of the symbiote and tells Peter it increases aggression.
Spider-Man co-creator Stan Lee has a cameo in Spider-Man 3, as he did in the previous Spider-Man films, which he referred to as his "best cameo".[1] Actor Bruce Campbell, who has had cameo roles as a wrestling ring announcer in Spider-Man and as a rude usher in Spider-Man 2, returns in Spider-Man 3 with a new cameo as a French maître d'.[2] Producer Grant Curtis also has a cameo as the driver of an armored car that Sandman attacks.[3]
