FILM · 2012 · USA
The Amazing Spider-Man
- Directed by
- Marc Webb
- Runtime
- 136 min
- Studio
- Marvel Entertainment, Laura Ziskin Productions, Columbia Pictures
98 archived facts 8 topics 1 source Last reviewed Sep 2026
A teenage Peter Parker grapples with both high school and amazing super-human crises as his alter-ego Spider-Man.
Summary: TMDB
The Amazing Spider-Man: 17 Facts About the Characters and Cast
- #015
Originally conceived as "Spider-Man 4", a direct continuation of the original film trilogy, the project had actually entered pre-production before Sony Pictures chose to make this film as a reboot. Sony re-signed director Sam Raimi and stars Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst (each reportedly paid 30 million dollars) to a three-film deal with the aim of starting a new trilogy in the series. Scripts were commissioned from writers James Vanderbilt, Alvin Sargent, David Koepp and Gary Ross, each earning 1 million dollars or more for their services. The story was to introduce the Vulture as a new villain: Raimi first approached Ben Kingsley for the role before choosing John Malkovich. Malkovich had actually been planned to play Norman Osborn in the original film series but had to withdraw due to scheduling conflicts. Alongside the Vulture, the film was to introduce the villain Felicia Hardy, a character to be played by Anne Hathaway. In the first story Hardy was to be her comic-book alter ego Black Cat, but when the script was later rewritten Hardy was recreated as an original character named Vulturess (after leaving, Hathaway would take on a similar role in The Dark Knight Rises (2012)). Raimi also expressed interest in bringing back Dylan Baker as Dr. Curt Connors, who would transform into the villain The Lizard, but Executive Producer Avi Arad vetoed the idea. With development costs rising at a rate exceeding 100 million dollars, and with Raimi unhappy with the repeated versions of the script and tension growing between Raimi, Maguire and the studio, Sony chose (in January 2010) to cancel the film and reboot the series instead. Raimi said this was for the best, noting that he had been unhappy with Spider-Man 3 (2007) because of studio interference and that he "hated" the story concocted for the proposed fourth film.
- #016
Announcing Andrew Garfield's casting as Peter Parker/Spider-Man, director Marc Webb said: "Although his name is new to many people, those who know this young actor's work understand his extraordinary talents. He has a rare combination of intelligence, wit and humanity. Mark my words, you will love Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker."
- #017
Ben Parker's line "With great power comes great responsibility", prominent in Sam Raimi's films, is never spoken even once in this film. Ben's voicemail message refers to it but never quotes it directly. This is actually more consistent with Amazing Fantasy #15, the story's first telling, where it was only a text box reading "With great power, there must also come great responsibility." Later retellings of the story, through flashbacks and reboots, gave the world the more famous line.
- #022
Irrfan Khan said he was not initially interested in the project, but his sons were excited about it and insisted he take the role.
- #025
A photograph of actor/comedian Donald Glover can be seen in Peter's bedroom. In 2010, when the film was first announced and the first casting for the role of Spider-Man was underway, Glover used Twitter to mount a joking campaign for an audition. Donald Glover is also part of the cast of Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017).
- #035
Contains a major spoiler — show
This is the first film in which Dr. Curt Connors (Rhys Ifans) transforms into the Lizard. Although Curt Connors appeared in Spider-Man 2 (2004) and Spider-Man 3 (2007), played by Dylan Baker, the character never became the Lizard despite some strong hints, and was prepared to become the Lizard in some script drafts that never got the green light. (This was later reconciled by the Doctor Strange multiverse craze, as learned about multiversal doppelgängers; Tobey Maguire's stern Connors is different from Andrew Garfield's, just as Peter's father's past is not expressed in Tobey Maguire's version, because that version never worked at Oscorp and never secretly developed the decay rate algorithm.)
- #047
John Slattery, Sam Elliott and R. Lee Ermey were said to be in line for the role of J. Jonah Jameson. However, this character, a legendary part of the Spider-Man mythos, does not appear in this film. Ermey had been James Cameron's choice to play Jameson in the canceled Spider-Man film of the early 1990s.
- #048
Michael Fassbender was initially considered for the role of Dr. Curt Connors; he ended up going on to play Magneto in X-Men: First Class (2011). It was said that Christoph Waltz, the star of Inglourious Basterds (2009), would later be added to the role.
- #050
Joe Jonas revealed that he auditioned for Spider-Man and lost the role to Andrew Garfield, saying: "In that moment you either crash and burn or you're defeated. But you realize this person is amazing. I remember years ago I was up for Spider-Man and I was so, so excited and the year before Andrew Garfield got it. Obviously, he was the right one. But I remember at the time it was a big thing, going back for callbacks and the director was a music video director, so I was like, 'I have an in here.' But you know what? I love the process of auditioning and putting yourself out there and proving yourself."
- #053
Teresa Palmer was considered for the role of Gwen Stacy. She would later play the love interest of Andrew Garfield's character in Hacksaw Ridge (2016).
- #055
Andrew Garfield was already 26 years old when he auditioned for Spider-Man and was therefore uncomfortable playing a high schooler. He recalled some useful advice his acting coach Greta Seacat gave him: "You have to act like you're making a short film with all your high school friends for this screen test. That got me to fucking open the channel. Be free. It doesn't matter. Act like it doesn't matter at all. That's when whatever talent you have can be there. You're a kid again. You're emotionally available, you're not tight, and you're trying to do everything right."
- #058
Andrew Garfield was announced as the lead in early July 2010.
- #061
Connors's son Billy, played by Miles Elliot, appears only in a deleted scene.
- #066
Ashley Greene, Mia Wasikowska, Scout Taylor-Compton, Teresa Palmer, Amber Heard, Dianna Agron, Brooklyn Decker, Imogen Poots, Lindsay Lohan, Skyler Shaye, Emma Roberts, Melise Jow, Emily Browning, Lily Collins, Nicole Gale Anderson, Anna Kendrick, Ophelia Lovibond, Nathalia Ramos, Sara Paxton, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Georgina Haig, Hilary Duff and Dominique McElligott were considered for the role of Gwen Stacy but lost out to Emma Stone. It is interesting to note that Winstead played Gwen Grayson (named after Gwen Stacy) in the superhero spoof Sky High (2005).
- #067
Julianne Nicholson had taken on the role of Peter's mother before being replaced by Embeth Davidtz.
- #071
Actress Elena Satine campaigned for the role of Mary Jane Watson before the producers chose Gwen Stacy instead of Mary Jane.
- #079
In 2010, shortly after the film was announced, many fans on the website's forums discussed their dream cast and ideas such as the film being titled "Peter Parker: Spider-Man," featuring Mysterio, and introducing Black Cat as a villain; among the biggest fan casts at the time were Logan Lerman as Spider-Man, Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Mary Jane Watson, Evan Rachel Wood as Gwen Stacy and R. Lee Ermey as J. Jonah Jamison.
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