Since Spider-Man debuted back in 1962, fans have seen many people portray or voice the character on film and television. All these Spider-Men have had varying degrees of success, but each iteration of the web-slinger brought something unique to the franchise, showing that just about anyone can wear the mask.
To that end, this list will chronicle all the actors who have played this legendary hero in movies and TV. Note: This list will only cover actors who have played traditional versions of Peter Parker, so Miles Morales and Takuya Yamashiro will not be included.
Paul Soles (1967-1970)
In the ’60s, actor Paul Soles was the first one to play Spider-Man in the hero’s unintentionally hilarious cartoon. With the show’s awkward dialogue and subpar animation, Soles’ character has lived on for almost 60 years, becoming the source of several Internet memes, particularly the now-iconic “Spider-Man Pointing Meme.”
Actor Jorma Taccone was even brought in to replicate Soles’s voice for Spider-Man-67’s cameos in the Spider-Verse films.
Nicholas Hammond (1977-1981)
Even though Hammond was the first actor to play Spider-Man in live-action (not counting the one from The Electric Company), his version of the character wasn’t that memorable.
The films and the TV show he starred in didn’t adapt much from the comic books, and his character didn’t look, move, or fight like the iconic hero does in the source material. He just didn’t feel like Spider-Man.
Ted Schwartz (1981-1982)
In terms of acting, Ted Schwartz was a breath of fresh air as the voice of Spider-Man in the series named after the character. Unlike Soles, who basically did his best Superman impression into the microphone, Schwartz actually makes Spider-Man sound like an adolescent man.
This performance made his character, a college student living a double life, more believable to the audience. This Spidey also benefitted from having many new characters from the source material appearing in his adventures.
Dan Gilvezan (1981-1983)
While Schwartz was voicing Spider-Man in one show, Dan Gilvezan voiced the character in Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, in which he fought crime alongside his pals Iceman and Firestar (the latter of whom was created for the series). Both shows used the same character designs and premiered on the same day.
However, Gilvezan’s Spider-Man ended up being more popular, as his series depicted the web-slinger with many other heroes and villains from the greater Marvel Universe, particularly the X-Men.
Christopher Daniel Barnes (1994-1998)
For many years, Christopher Daniel Barnes was Spider-Man to kids growing up in the ’90s. Though the dialogue and animation of this classic show may not hold up today, Barnes’s character faced many of the adventures and characters fans have seen in the comics, serving as a proper gateway to the web-head’s world.
If Marvel Studios brought back this series as it did with X-Men ’97, Barnes’s return to the character would be a welcome surprise.
Rino Romano (1999-2001)
In this reboot of Spider-Man: The Animated Series, Rino Romano’s web-slinger was given a whole new look while sounding similar to Christopher Daniel Barnes. However, Spidey’s character and the world that he inhabits seemed more like they should’ve been part of Spider-Man 2099.
This can be forgiven because Saban Entertainment couldn’t get the rights to use Spidey’s traditional costume and his early source material. Though Romano’s series may have been short-lived, his version of Spidey does appear in Across the Spider-Verse.
Tobey Maguire (2002-2007, 2021)
Tobey Maguire helped usher in a new age of superhero movies by playing the Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man in director Sam Raimi’s films.
While the actor didn’t quite convey the comic book quippy nature of the web-slinger, he did capture the awkward, but tender nature of his civilian persona. Even today, after many more actors have portrayed Spider-Man, a lot of fans still consider his performance the gold standard.
Neil Patrick Harris (2003)
While Tobey Maguire was swinging through cinemas as Spider-Man, Doogie Howser himself was brought in to voice the hero in Spider-Man: The New Animated Series. While this computer-generated show is set after the events of Maguire’s first film, the story went off on its own tangent and didn’t fit the timeline seen in the sequels.
Even though Harris’ performance was great as usual, MTV canceled his series after 13 episodes, ending it on a cliffhanger that ultimately set itapart from the world of Spider-Man 2.
Josh Keaton (2008-2009, 2023)
Among Spider-Man fans, voice actor Josh Keaton is beloved for his performance in the cult-classic cartoon The Spectacular Spider-Man.
Though this series only ran for two seasons before its cancellation, Keaton’s character and the adventures he had left such an impression on audiences that he was graciously brought back in a cameo in Across the Spider-Verse.
Drake Bell (2012-2017)
After Disney bought Marvel, half of the duo of Drake & Josh was hired to voice Peter Parker in this animated series. His character may look similar to the one seen in the Ultimate Spider-Man comics, but his show is distinctive for its numerous cutaways, fourth-wall breaks, and fantasy sequences.
Bell’s wacky version of the webbed warrior may have leaned too far into Deadpool territory, which still strikes a nerve with audiences to this day.
Andrew Garfield (2012-2014, 2021)
Andrew Garfield had a huge act to follow after Maguire stepped aside from the Spider-Man franchise. As Sony tried to reinvent the character for the modern era, this version of Peter Parker was depicted as the kind of cool skater nerd one would find studying at Harvard.
His two films may have been a mixed bag, but Garfield still delivered a terrific performance as the hysterical, wise-cracking Spider-Man.
Tom Holland (2016-present)
Tom Holland became the luckiest kid in the world when he won the role of Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Starting off as a 15-year-old in Queens, Holland’s Peter Parker truly seemed like a nerdy high schooler trying to have fun with his friends and fulfill his dream of being a crime fighter.
However, as more films were released, audiences saw Peter grow into a more mature and seasoned hero without ever losing his heart and optimism.
Robbie Daymond (2017-2020)
Like Ultimate Spider-Man, Robbie Raymond’s series wasn’t a massive hit with the Marvel fanb ase. But unlike previous iterations of the character, Daymond’s character was the first one to attend Horizon High outside of the comics, allowing audiences to see Peter more in his element as he studies science and technology with other like-minded classmates (who even become his superpowered partners).
Chris Pine (2018)
It’s easy to forget Chris Pine voiced Spider-Man in Into the Spider-Verse, as he gets killed off in the first act after only a few minutes of screen time.
Nevertheless, Pine still left quite an impression on both Miles and the audience with his cool, wise-cracking version of Spider-Man. At least he still lives on in Spidey Bells.
Jake Johnson (2018-present)
After Pine’s Spider-Man was out of the picture, New Girl’s Jake Johnson came into the film, voicing an older, wearier variant of Peter Parker. Having spent over 20 years as Spider-Man, this sardonic version of him calls out all the tropes and tribulations that come with his job with incredible timing.
But the fact that this Peter marries MJ and has a child with her has mafe his character and arc in the Spider-Verse films a standout among fans in recent years.
Benjamin Valic (2021-2023)/Alkaio Thiele (2024-present)
This version of Spidey experienced the dubious feat of getting recast during his own show. Spidey and His Amazing Friends saw Valic provide the voice for Peter Parker until Thiele replaced him in season 3.
But throughout it all, this little Spider-Man delivered many kindhearted adventures targeted toward pre-K audiences and introduced new fans to the superhero genre in a cute, child-friendly package.
Hudson Thames (2021)
Though Tom Holland didn’t voice his iconic character in Marvel’s What If…?, Hudson Thames proved to be a terrific substitute. Known as “Zombie Hunter Spider-Man,” this variant of Peter Parker exists in a universe in which Earth and many of its mightiest heroes have been turned into the walking dead.
Armed with Doctor Strange’s Cloak of Levitation, this Peter stands as one of the last lines of defense, but still retains his childlike heart and humor in the wake of this zombie apocalypse.
