Not to be confused with Spider-Man: Far From Home, which is the second MCU Spider-Man film.
Spider-Man 2 is the second film in the Spider-Man series of films directed by Sam Raimi. It stars Tobey Macguire as the masked hero, and also stars Kirsten Dunst, Alfred Molina, James Franco, and Rosemary Harris. The film was released on June 30, 2004 by Columbia Pictures.
This time, the stress of being Spider-Man, attending college, and working two jobs as a delivery boy and a photographer for the Daily Bugle begins to eat at Peter, and after his powers decide to "glitch", he decides he is Spider-Man no more. In a sick turn of events, Peter's idol, Doctor Otto Octavius's lab experiment, funded by OsCorp., goes haywire, and turns him into the evil Doc Ock. Now, Peter must stop him before he destroys the city, or worse, even the world.
Actress Peyton List had an uncredited role in the film.
Plot[]
Two years after becoming Spider-Man, Peter Parker is estranged from both his love interest Mary Jane Watson and his best friend, Harry Osborn, and discovers that his Aunt May is facing eviction. He finds himself suffering temporary but recurring losses of his powers, often in life-threatening situations.
Harry, who is now head of Oscorp's genetic and scientific research division, is sponsoring a fusion powerproject by nuclear scientist Otto Octavius, who befriends and mentors Peter. While handling hazardous materials, Octavius wears a harness of powerful mechanical tentacles with artificial intelligence. During a public demonstration that Peter and Harry attend, a power spike causes the fusion reactor to destabilize. Octavius refuses to shut down the reactor, which goes critical, killing his wife and burning the inhibitor chip blocking the arms from his nervous system. As Spider-Man, Peter manages to shut the experiment down. At a hospital, doctors prepare to surgically remove Octavius' harness. Without the inhibitor chip, the tentacles have become sentient and defend themselves by killing the doctors. Afterward, Octavius takes refuge at a harbor. Now corrupted by the arms' AI, he decides to re-try his experiment and robs a bank to fund it. The Daily Bugle dubs the scientist "Doctor Octopus".
Mary Jane becomes engaged to astronaut John Jameson, the son of Bugle editor J. Jonah Jameson. Peter suffers an emotional breakdown over his inability to balance his life, with the stress stripping him of his powers as a result. He quits being Spider-Man, returns to his normal life, and attempts to reconcile with Mary Jane. He also finally confesses to Aunt May the truth about Uncle Ben's death. Aunt May forgives him, but the rise in the city's crime rates worries Peter.
Requiring the isotope tritium to fuel his reactor, Octavius visits Harry to demand it, threatening to kill him if he does not comply. Harry agrees in exchange for Spider-Man, whom he still believes is responsible for his father's death. He tells Octavius to seek Peter, whom Harry believes is friends with Spider-Man, but tells him to not hurt Peter. While at a cafe, Mary asks Peter if he really loves her, not wanting her to get hurt he says no but before they kiss Octavius locates Peter, tells him to find Spider-Man, and captures Mary Jane. Her endangerment leads to Peter's powers returning, and he goes after Octavius as Spider-Man. As they battle, they fall onto a New York City Subway train. Octavius sabotages it and leaves Peter to save the runaway train. After multiple attempts, he does so just before the train plunges into New York Harbor, but at a great physical toll. After many passengers see Peter without his mask on, they promise not to reveal who he is and are glad he's back. Octavius captures the now-weakened Peter and delivers him to Harry.
Harry prepares to kill Spider-Man, only to be shocked to see Peter under the mask. Peter convinces Harry to put their conflict aside for Mary Jane's sake, and direct him to Octavius' lair. They battle again as the nuclear reaction starts threatening the city. Peter reveals his identity and persuades Octavius to let his dream go for the greater good. Octavius commands the tentacles to obey him and sacrifices himself to destroy the experiment. Mary Jane sees Peter's true identity, which he says is why they cannot be together.
Meanwhile, Harry is visited by a vision of his father in a mirror, pleading for Harry to avenge his death, but Harry refuses to hurt Peter. Enraged, Harry shatters the mirror, inadvertently revealing a secret room containing his father's Green Goblin equipment. On her wedding day, Mary Jane abandons John at the altar and runs to Peter's apartment in her wedding dress. After they kiss, they hear police sirens, and Mary Jane encourages him to go help as Spider-Man.
Extended Cut Trailer[]
