Current Events > Who is the best Peter Parker?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Topic.

Andrew Garfield is the better Spider-Man but Tobey Maguire's movies are better (of course we're not counting the 3rd one.) Tom Holland's Peter Parker feels almost like a different character all together.

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I prefer Tom all in all. Maybe because the cartoons spoiled me on a shared universe, and the lack of it in Tobey's and Andrew's left a sour taste. I love how he was Tony's protege in the MCU.

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it would be fun if they had a muscly peter parker like in the 94 TAS.

like someone the size and look of thomas haden church/sandman in spidey 3 xd

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Penis Parker

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Tom feels most like Ultimate Peter Parker.

But as Spider-Man I liked Garfield. his movies had some problems. but his role as Spidy was the best. he acted just like in the comics. had the best banter

Maguire. Garfield plays a better Spidey but utterly fails to portray the awkward mix of guilt and hope that defines Peter Parker.

Holland just plays generic nerdy teenager #43298. Theres nothing about him that feels like Spider-Man or Peter Parker.

Toby Maguire, and it's not even close.

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I picked Tobey Maguire. He did the best job of portraying a very vulnerable and socially awkward teen who would be cautious about having super powers and tormented by the responsibilities they bring. Thats how I remember Comic book Peter Parker being, anyway.

As much as I really like Tom Holland, I can never shake the feeling that hed actually be popular in school and do well in adjusting as a super hero.

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Tom Holland and it's not even close.

Tobey is a 30 year old caricature of an awkward high school with awful dialog.

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Tobey for sure

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Bump.

Yuri Lowenthal

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Tobey was the best Peter, but Tom is better overall.

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Tobry outside SM3

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Holland actually suits the role of a high school teenager. Maguire and Garfield were, like, in their 30s when they had the role smh

I still Garfield in the role overall, though. Maguire is mad overrated; dude was simply too awkward, like the director forgot Parker became more confident after getting his powers in the comics

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Scotty_Rogers posted...

Maguire and Garfield were, like, in their 30s when they had the role smh

When I first watched Tobey's first movie as a child, I thought they were graduating from college at the start...but they were high schoolers lol

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Tobey is the best Peter Parker. Like I believe that he constantly struggles with the whole "with great responsibility" thing. Garfield was too cool. Holland is like someone else mentioned a different character. He actually makes more sense for his age, but I dont like it as much. Plus he never laid out Joe Magliano.

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Josh Keaton

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Will never got they Tobey love. Bad acting and the constant crying is cringey.

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I thought Tobey did a really great job. He nailed that role. Know what was the dumbest shit ever? That Topher kid from That 70s show as Venom. Whoever cast him should be slapped and fired.

The dude who played Peter with emma stone in the movie. Whatever his name was, he was actually quite good as well. Wasnt there some controversy that led to him being released from the role? That scene with emma was hardcore man, i felt that shit.

The new kid was ok, but the worst of the bunch. He wasnt that good in the Avengers movies although I did like his connection to Tony Stark. Best part of the Homecoming move was proly his Asian best friend imo. Whats his name.. The Donnie Darko guy. Gyllenhal. He fuckin sucked. But i loved that they made MJ a latina.

Shoutout to the old animated show, truly top tier cartoon. Just amazing when i was a kid. Same to Batman and the X Men, masterpieces.

Nall posted...

Tobey >>>>>> the rest

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GameGodOfAll posted...

Tom Holland and it's not even close.

Tobey is a 30 year old caricature of an awkward high school with awful dialog.

Ehh, Tom Holland was 21 and Tobey Maguire 26 when their Spider Man movies first released. Neither are teens, but they pulled off the look because theyre both short and slightly built.

Tom looks and sounds exactly like the kind of student who would not have had problems making friends in school, all while succeeding in soccer and theater or dance class. Tobey was the quiet nerdy kid without a girlfriend. If it wasnt for his shyness and possible depression, he would have been a member of the anime club and math team. Spider-Man, like Superman/Clark Kent and Batman/Bruce Wayne, is all about dichotomy and the turmoil it brings, but still making personal sacrifices for the greater good, thus making them heroes. To be fair, I havent read comics Spidey in a few years, so maybe he changed a lot.

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Andrew Garfield was too much of a "cool" kid to be Peter Parker, although he was a much better Spider Man than Toby.

Tom Holland is OK, but I'm personally not a fan of the whole "king of the nerds" thing he has going on in the new movies.

I guess that leaves Tobey MaGuire, although he wasn't enough of an ass as a Spiderman.

Andrew Garfield

I get that Spider-Man is supposed to be the relatable geek, but he actually does work best when he's the "beautiful loner."

I hate this fucking trope -- the edgy quiet loner who looks like he walked out of a Gap catalog -- but it actually works for Spider-Man. Both in terms of looks and personality, it just simply works.

Lorenzo_2003 posted...

Ehh, Tom Holland was 21 and Tobey Maguire 26 when their Spider Man movies first released. Neither are teens, but they pulled off the look because theyre both short and slightly built.

Yeah, but I mean Tom Holland and the rest of his classmates all look like they are in their teens. Meanwhile Peter, Mary Jane, Flash and Harry all look way too old.

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https://youtu.be/s_wAQQfzPpc
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Spider-Man is sort of a contradictory character to begin with.

A geek who gets superpowers and a hot girlfriend in exchange for having to take on the burden of responsibility without recognition? Yeah, this guy is you. You, the kid with the comic book in hand.

Because he's you, he looks average like you do.
Because he's you, he experiences things like acne and classroom assholes like you do or your did back in the day.
Because he's you, he's misunderstood and acts awkwardly because of a general failure to connect like you do or like your did.

But because he's who you want to be, you'd also like to be a little bit taller and more handsome. Even if you're still guaranteed a Gwen or an MJ, you'd still like to be better looking for the sake of your own self-confidence and for her benefit as well. She has eyes too.

And then we turn to that tricky not fitting in thing. Are you any different from anyone else? Do you fail to pick up on social cues or connect with your peers? No! You're just as cool as they are and, for whatever reason, it's they who fail to see it. You're James Dean. You're smooth, you're good-looking, you're unwanted and unloved by everyone because the world has made a mistake -- not you.

If you're gonna jerk the audience off, you might as well go all the way with it.

But when he becomes who you wish you were instead of who you are, then he's just like any other character. He's no longer the stand-in for the audience. So then they have to reset the character while forever searching for that nonexistent boundary between who the character is and who he's supposed to be (i.e. You).

JosephRogan posted...

https://youtu.be/s_wAQQfzPpc

SUCH a fucking great scene.

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GameGodOfAll posted...

Yeah, but I mean Tom Holland and the rest of his classmates all look like they are in their teens. Meanwhile Peter, Mary Jane, Flash and Harry all look way too old.

Yeah, thats fair. Tom Holland and his cast mates do look much younger.

I guess Tobe Maguire worked for me because, as you said, there was consistency with everyone in the 2002 film. If Tobe was still 26 and cast in the current Spider-Man with the new cast, like Zendaya, then he would definitely be too old for them.

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Also, each movie had a few things that they did right.

Like Flash trying to console Garfield-Parker was legit a great scene.

Garfield-Parker clowning on him with a slam dunk, not so much.

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Until we see Tom as Adult Peter, I'm going with Tobey

Maguire easily. As other's have said he did the best portrayal of the unpopular nerd that Parker is in the (early) comics. His scenes with Roberston (Uncle Ben) were fantastically done.

Garfield was a popular kid who tells people he's a nerd and effortlessly got the hot girl.

Holland was okay at being awkward but he's just too handsome to believe that girls wouldn't be all over him anyway.

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Tom Holland. I think he strikes that perfect balance between youthful enthusiasm while still having moments of extreme guilt. He feels like the "realest" Spider-Man to me.

Tobey Maguire was good, but never caught the energy of the character so much for me.

Garfield wasn't bad, but his Peter Parker was kind of an asshole.

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jackgunney posted...

Holland was okay at being awkward but he's just too handsome to believe that girls wouldn't be all over him anyway.

Eh....Peter Parker is a pretty conventionally handsome dude

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Skye Reynolds posted...

Spider-Man is sort of a contradictory character to begin with.

A geek who gets superpowers and a hot girlfriend in exchange for having to take on the burden of responsibility without recognition? Yeah, this guy is you. You, the kid with the comic book in hand.

Because he's you, he looks average like you do.
Because he's you, he experiences things like acne and classroom assholes like you do or your did back in the day.
Because he's you, he's misunderstood and acts awkwardly because of a general failure to connect like you do or like your did.

But because he's who you want to be, you'd also like to be a little bit taller and more handsome. Even if you're still guaranteed a Gwen or an MJ, you'd still like to be better looking for the sake of your own self-confidence and for her benefit as well. She has eyes too.

And then we turn to that tricky not fitting in thing. Are you any different from anyone else? Do you fail to pick up on social cues or connect with your peers? No! You're just as cool as they are and, for whatever reason, it's they who fail to see it. You're James Dean. You're smooth, you're good-looking, you're unwanted and unloved by everyone because the world has made a mistake -- not you.

If you're gonna jerk the audience off, you might as well go all the way with it.

But when he becomes who you wish you were instead of who you are, then he's just like any other character. He's no longer the stand-in for the audience. So then they have to reset the character while forever searching for that nonexistent boundary between who the character is and who he's supposed to be (i.e. You).

This is one of the best posts you've ever made (at least until about halfway through). Spidey is part audience surrogate character, but he's also part escapist power fantasy. It's most apparent when you compare the Peter Parker persona to the Spider-Man persona. Yes, his role as Spider-Man is a big responsibility, but it's also occasionally fun for him. After all, it's through Spider-Man he gains a sense of purpose and confidence that ultimately results in him dating the hottest chicks and gaining recognition from groups like The Avengers and just a general sense of thrill.

It's also why I love him so much in the context of the larger Marvel Universe, which is something Holland benefits greatly from as part of the MCU.

For me, Tom Holland NAILS these aspects with a certain nuance that we don't see in the other portrayals.

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I completely ignored the anonymity aspect of Spider-Man.

Superheroes were essentially internet personas before the internet.

Tom Holland because his movies are the only ones worth a damn.

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ClunkerSlim posted...

Tobey is horrible. Thats got to be nostalgia glasses from kids who grew up on those movies.

I wouldn't call him horrible, but he was miscast. I felt that way when Spider-Man first came out. The surrounding film was so great that it just worked. Plus, he is a good actor even if he's not "Peter."

"I missed the part where that's my problem."

Looking back, I don't think any of the Spidey actors were awful.

Garfield gets a bad rap more than the other two, but there's some parts he absolutely nails. Peter COULD be kind of petty and spiteful in the early comics after getting his powers.

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