Spider-Man's costume is arguably the most iconic superhero suit ever. The web-head's classic red and blue suit now has 20 years of cinematic history, and with that time came many amazing Spider-Man costumes. Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, and Tom Holland combined have worn 13 Spider-Man costumes on the big screen (including Tom Holland's upcoming appearance in Spider-Man: No Way Home). We are here to rank all 13 Spider-Man costumes from worst to best in order to determine definitively which Spider-Man movie costume is the best!
Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures are in the final stages of preparation for arguably the biggest solo superhero movie of all time in Spider-Man: No Way Home. While the threequel is clearly set to end the MCU web-slinger’s trilogy with a bang, it will also serve as a semi-retrospective and celebration of Spider-Man’s silver screen history.
Much of this has to do with at least five villains making their presence felt in the fight against Peter Parker, each coming from a different Spidey movie released over the past 20 years. Additionally, rumors of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield coming back into the fold are sending anticipation for this next outing through the Multiversal roof.
As is the case with every Spider-Man movie, fans are already looking forward to seeing Peter Parker’s multiple new costumes that he will sport throughout the plot. With at least four separate Spidey suits being utilized in Spider-Man: No Way Home for Tom Holland's hero alone, this invoked some memories of Spider-Man’s past with live-action costumes.
Spider-Man’s Superhero Suits in the Movies
Holland’s Spider-Man has taken the costume game to ridiculous levels, particularly with the hero about to make his sixth appearance in the MCU. He’s already worn five unique outfits in his five movies to date while taking the baton laid out by Maguire and Garfield, and he still has two new sets of threads on the way in Spider-Man: No Way Home.
In Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy, Maguire’s high-school graduate utilized a trio of costumes, as did Garfield in his two The Amazing Spider-Man movies. All three heroes take inspiration from the web-slinger’s classic comic appearance while boasting slight differences in their most oft-used outfits and bringing in thrilling new additions as well.
This begs a pivotal question before Spider-Man: No Way Home debuts in December: how do all of these suits seen in Spider-Man's 11 live-action appearances to date stack up against each other? That answer lies ahead as The Direct’s staff ranks all 13 suits from every live-action Spider-Man movie in and out of the MCU.
Note: The following is a ranking of each costume's appearance, not functionality.
13.) Homemade Suit (Andrew Garfield | The Amazing Spider-Man)
Fairly definitively at the bottom of the list is the first suit Andrew Garfield's Peter Parker makes in 2012's The Amazing Spider-Man, which doesn't come as a huge surprise. Its nature as a homemade suit puts it at a disadvantage, although that's far from the only reason that it ranks where it does.
The only indication that this outfit is truly a Spider-Man suit at all is the red ski mask, which comes complete with a pair of sunglasses to help hide Peter's identity. The rest of the outfit consists of dark jeans, sneakers, a mono-colored t-shirt, a dark leather jacket, and a black beanie over the red mask.
To put it simply, although Garfield's Peter Parker made the best of the resources that he had at his disposal, this costume could be that of any vigilante, and it doesn't necessarily scream "Spider-Man." The full red ski mask certainly helped serve as the foundation for the hero's future outfits, but that trait is the suit's only defining quality in Spidey's ever-expansive wardrobe.
No matter how well it fits into The Amazing Spider-Man's plot, it has a difficult time standing up against the competitiion.
12.) Homemade Wrestling Suit (Tobey Maguire | Spider-Man)
The very first version of Spidey’s suit that fans saw on the big screen was Tobey Maguire’s homemade suit that he developed for the wrestling match against Randy Savage’s Bonesaw in 2002's Spider-Man. Although this suit played a key role in Spider-Man's first live-action adventure after the turn of the millennium, it's hard to compare it to everything that's come since its introduction.
This outfit was quite simple in design, featuring blue sweatpants and red Nike sneakers on the bottom. This version of Peter Parker completed the look with a red long-sleeved shirt with a sprayed-painted black Spidey logo on the front and back along with a red ski mask and red-and-white gloves.
Maguire used this suit in only two scenes, although one of them was the turning point of the movie following the death of Uncle Ben. One positive that this suit had was that it blended in well with the night sky as Peter went after his uncle's presumed killer, although that doesn't distract much from the suit's simple nature and design.
Being a 17 or 18-year-old high school kid, Maguire's hero utilized the resources in front of him to the best of his ability, just as Garfield did with his future homemade outfit. But in the end, one pair of sweatpants and a long-sleeved shirt does not a Spider-Man costume make, regardless of the effort put in to brand himself as an up-and-coming superhero.
11.) Stealth Suit (Tom Holland | Spider-Man: Far From Home)
Tom Holland's first appearance on this list has some of the same characteristics as the first two entries - namely that this next outfit doesn't have very many classic characteristics of a Spider-Man costume.
The hero's all-black stealth suit from 2019's Spider-Man: Far From Home largely consists of what may be seen on any generic spy ensemble, including padding, boots, and a black ski mask. The only real aspects that make it a Spider-Man costume are the fingerless gloves and Holland's Spidey goggles that he's utilized in all of his MCU suits to date.
While Peter found a need for this suit in the movie's actual plot, this take on the all-black look does little to distinguish itself from its dozen live-action companions in other films. Arguably the biggest detractor for this one is that it has no visible Spider-logo of any sort - something that is present in every other entry on this list other than Garfield's homemade suit.
Even though this suit was useful in helping Peter keep Europeans in the dark about Spider-Man's presence on the continent, its bland nature doesn't do it any favors as a true web-slinger costume.
10.) Black and Gold Suit (Tom Holland | Spider-Man: No Way Home)
Coming as the second mostly-black entry on the list is also the first suit that hasn't been fully seen in action yet - Tom Holland's black-and-gold number from 2021's Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Along with being largely black, this suit does what its predecessor on this list didn't by looking like an actual Spider-Man costume. The gold webbing on the suit and mask is easily seen, as is the small Spider-Man logo that carries over from previous MCU iterations of the outfit.
Rumors have pointed to this suit actually being Peter's red-and-black suit turned inside out due to taking a hit from a green goop that a Mysterio supporter throws onto him. This could very well be true due to the wiring that can be seen in the shoulder area, although fans will have to wait to see if this is the case for sure until the film releases.
In the overall context of this ranking, the black and gold suit is the first one that truly looks like a Spider-Man outfit, no matter what colors it boasts. There's a chance it could rise in rankings such as this once No Way Home makes its blockbuster debut, but for now the suit still finds a place in the bottom half of this list.
9.) Classic Suit (Andrew Garfield | The Amazing Spider-Man)
After four entries featuring either homemade or alternate-colored versions of the costume, this next pick is the first on the list that evokes memories of the Spider-Man costume fans know and love from Marvel Comics. With the iconic blue and red coloring and its own take on design, 2012's The Amazing Spider-Man delivered a suit that fans certainly enjoyed seeing in action.
Andrew Garfield's hero sports the classic red boots and gloves adorned with webbing and red on the torso and mask as well. The blue spandex fabric then takes over the pants and sides while the mask is completed with broken lenses off a pair of sunglasses for the eyes, which appear yellow in the final rendition.
This suit undoubtedly has its positives, particularly since it boasts Garfield's slender version of the Spider-Man logo on both the front and back of the outfit. However, it's not quite on the same level as other versions of this superhero suit.
The webbing on this costume is more of a texture than a visible feature and doesn't really have a true coloring to it, especially on the torso and mask. The yellow eyes are also a fairly drastic change from what's usually seen in Spider-Man's wardrobe, as that part of the mask is white in nearly every other version.
While The Amazing Spider-Man puts forth a valiant effort, there are still a few aspects of the Spidey costume that are underwhelming in the final cut.
8.) Iron Spider Suit (Tom Holland | Avengers: Infinity War)
Tom Holland's Iron Spider suit sets the standard on this list for most appearances and most technology utilized, and it doesn't look too bad to boot. This suit was first introduced at the end of 2017's Spider-Man: Homecoming before the Stark-tech suit made its full appearance on Peter Parker's person in 2018's Avengers: Infinity War.
The Iron Spider features the usual blue-and-red color scheme of the standard outfit, although the metallic aspect of its design gives it a hint of something totally new. This costume features the biggest Spider-logo of any Holland-worn outfit, both on the front and the back, while being completely blue with gold bordering on the outside.
Also coming with the Iron Spider costume are four mechanical arms that come out of the back via nanotech, and they provide as much functionally as they do visually.
This is an absolutely killer addition to Spidey's collection of suits, but it still isn't fully Spider-Man inspired when compared to the rest of the party. Having been developed by Tony Stark, it has its fair share of Iron Man influence in the appearance as well, even though it's technically a Spidey outfit.
No matter what went into the look of this suit, it was a welcome sight upon its introduction in the MCU, as many thought it even outdid its comic counterpart in the comics. Particularly with No Way Home potentially holding the final run in action for the Iron Spider, it's certainly made an impact in only four years of screen time.
7.) Integrated Suit (Tom Holland | Spider-Man: No Way Home)
Making its mark at the halfway point of this list is what may be the final new suit in Spider-Man: No Way Home - the Integrated Suit. Although it's only been seen in promotional material and trailers thus far, fans and critics alike are already looking forward to seeing its full potential in action.
The bottom half of the suit looks mostly similar to the other MCU Spidey outfits, although the top half boasts an exciting blend of colors. With the classic red mask and blue running down the arms, Holland's hero boasts a giant Spider-Man emblem on the chest and the back, which is reminiscent of the Iron Spider suit except for its bright gold coloring.
While there are no signs pointing to what the suit will be able to do in battle, it has arguably the boldest choice in branding of any live-action Spider-Man suit to date. It still fits into the MCU family of Spidey outfits, the biggest difference coming in the blue gloves with red fingers, but it also stands on its own with the Iron Spider-esque spider symbol.
Of course, fans are looking forward to the Integrated Suit's full debut in Spider-Man: No Way Home, and it's sure to look even more impressive there than it does in the trailers. It will also be exciting to find out just how useful it is against what may be an MCU version of the Sinister Six, and the hope is that it will continue into future Spidey adventures as well.
6.) Homemade Suit (Tom Holland | Spider-Man: Homecoming)
Continuing with Holland's bevy of suits, the top half of the list starts off with the young hero's first attempt at his own superhero outfit. It also comes in as the highest-ranked homemade suit on the list by quite a wide margin.
Although the MCU's homemade Spider-Man outfit was first introduced in a YouTube video from Captain America: Civil War and made a momentary appearance in Spider-Man: Far From Home, its time to shine came in 2017's Spider-Man: Homecoming.
Similar to Maguire's homemade creation, Holland's hero boasts a blue sweatsuit along with red boots and switches things up with a red sleeveless hoodie. He utilizes a pair of fingerless gloves, just as he does in his black stealth suit, and his red mask has a pair of mechanical eyes that he created himself; the hoodie also boasts his first attempt at the Spider logo.
Arguably the coolest part of this suit is Peter's attempt at making his own adjustable goggles, which are implanted into his ski mask and help him focus his heightened senses. With the MCU showing off Spidey's eyes in the mask more so than Garfield or Maguire's suits, both in terms of look and functionality, it adds another exciting layer to his look, particularly in the first real suit of his superhero career.
Even for being a homemade suit, this MCU entry holds its own against some of the more comic-accurate looks in this list.
5.) Black Suit (Tobey Maguire | Spider-Man 3)
Whether it be in sports or comic book movies, not many things get fans going like an all-black ensemble. Even in an otherwise disappointing movie, Spider-Man 3 proved this theory to be true with Tobey Maguire's take on black-suited Spider-Man as we enter the top five web-slinger outfits.
The change in Maguire's Spidey color came after the Raimi-verse's Venom latched itself onto Tobey Maguire's hero while he lay in bed wearing his costume. The symbiote simply embedded itself in the fabric and changed the classic red-and-blue color scheme to a fully black hue while influencing Peter's mind as well.
Thankfully, Emo Peter Parker has no bearing on how fans feel about the suit itself, which looks cool no matter what Maguire's hero actually did while wearing it.
Along with the new color, this suit's Spider emblem also looks slightly more aggressive with the front legs curled in at more of an angle on the chest and back. While it obviously increased Peter's power levels, it added a new kind of cool factor to the look of the recognizable suit from both the comics and Maguire's past movies.
Spider-Man 3's Venom-based black suit comes in as easily the best all-black entry on this list, and for good reason at that.
4.) Red and Black Suit (Tom Holland | Spider-Man: Far From Home)
While this list's fourth-place entry is the most recent to have appeared on the big screen, it clearly made a mark on the MCU fandom in a big way.
The MCU gave Peter Parker the opportunity to finally make his own Stark-tech suit prior to the final battle of Spider-Man: Far From Home on Happy Hogan's Quinjet. After swiping through various options, Holland's hero decided to give himself a new look by switching out the blue in his old suit to a shade of black.
The black is utilized throughout most of the fabric on the suit's arms, although it changes at the hands and lets Peter have red fabric on just his fingers. Additionally, the spider logo is not only slightly bigger on the front of his suit but also more streamlined and futuristic-looking on both the front and back.
This new suit finds a way to pay a great tribute to the hero's MCU and comic history while also giving it a fresh feel as Peter becomes his own man following Tony Stark's death. Although the black was an unexpected new feature in Peter's post-Avengers: Endgame adventures, it was a welcome addition as he used it in-battle against Jake Gyllenhaal's Mysterio.
With Spider-Man: No Way Home kicking right off from where Spider-Man: Far From Home ended, this suit is confirmed to see more action, with Peter even wearing it as he fights Doctor Strange for the mysterious magic box seen in the film's trailers. Red-and-black Spider-Man was something quite fun to see at the end of Phase 3, as it will be at the start of Phase 4, and Holland certainly makes it look amazing in action.
3.) Stark Suit (Tom Holland | Captain America: Civil War)
It may be something that many saw coming, but this list's top three are exclusively the most iconic suits from all three Spider-Man franchises and the most comic-accurate appearances of any option thus far.
Kicking the top three off is Tom Holland's first Stark-designed suit, which made its debut in Captain America: Civil War as the hero entered the MCU for the first time. Fans went berserk over this suit as early as the movie's second trailer, which showed Holland's web-slinger for the first time, and it didn't disappoint at all in the final cut of the film.
This suit has everything that a Spider-Man outfit should have as the MCU brings its unique twist to the look.
Red boots? Check. Blue legs? Check. Webbing embedded in the fabric? Check. Spider logo on the front and back? Double check. Red torso, arms, and mask? Triple check.
The MCU's first true Spidey costume also adds its own unique twist to the look with black outlining on the boots and down the arms, which adds a bit of a modern/futuristic influence. This comes with a tribute to the character's comic history as well with a spider logo eerily reminiscent of the original design developed by the late Stan Lee and Steve Ditko - a spider that looks more rounded and circular in design than its other movie companions.
This costume almost nails the Spider-Man look, especially upon its MCU debut, and there really isn't much to complain about. The spider logo on the front could be a touch bigger, in retrospect, but it's a nitpick nonetheless.
With a whopping seven costumes in the MCU to date, Holland's original Stark suit still reigns supreme five years after its debut.
2.) Classic Suit (Tobey Maguire | Spider-Man)
Now moving further into the cream of the crop of Spider-Man's live-action costumes, which continues with Tobey Maguire's classic suit seen in all three Raimi-directed Spider-Man movies. Sure, many fans still have no idea how this Peter Parker actually made a suit that looks like this, but that doesn't matter considering how it set the standard for Spidey's on-screen appearance.
Just as Holland's top suit did in the last entry, this one checks every box for what a Spider-Man costume should have in its appearance with a bold blue on the pants and back and red shining on the boots and torso. It even has a couple of features that push it to the runner-up position on this list.
One of those improvements is a more pronounced spider logo on the chest area that can be seen more visibly, and the arachnid on the back is impossible to miss with its design and red color against the blue background. This suit also features a more prominent webbing appearance all across the boots and upper half of the suit - a web that looks like it was taken straight off a spider and laid upon the suit in perfect form.
Although they stay stationary, the eyes on Garfield's suit took what came from the comics and delivered a near-perfect movie rendition with the white coloring and black border. It gives a more intimidating feel to the hero than other masks while keeping the design simple, and the webbing's origin right between the eyes is simply a gorgeous sight.
Making a live-action Spider-Man movie for the modern era required a suit that looked impressive, and Sam Raimi delivered in a big way with Maguire's 21st-century hero.
1.) Upgraded Suit (Andrew Garfield | The Amazing Spider-Man 2)
In an almost runaway decision by The Direct's staff, Andrew Garfield's classic suit from The Amazing Spider-Man 2 comes in at the top position on our list. Looking at the suit itself, it's proven to be worthy of such recognition.
Garfield's third and final suit takes what Lee and Ditko drew in Marvel Comics and delivers something truly memorable in the comic book movie landscape. The colors and design look like they were ripped directly from the pages of the comics from the last 60 years, complete with an iconic spider logo and webbing design.
This suit also has arguably the most prominent eyes on its mask out of any seen over the past 20 years - eyes which also rectify The Amazing Spider-Man's mistake of coloring them yellow. These are as white as ever with a thin black border attracting all other eyes in their direction, and the webbing ending between them once again completes the look.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 made sure to get fans invested in this suit right from the start by opening with a fade-in to the spider logo on the back and having Garfield's Peter fall from the sky decked out in his new gear. The scene showed the suit off in all its glory with slow-motion web-slinging action, and the colors and design both made their mark on Spidey's live-action movie history.
With teases pointing to this suit possibly making a return in Spider-Man: No Way Home, this outfit from Garfield's solo sequel may even get a chance to make its presence felt alongside other iconic suits during the threequel's climactic moments. For now, though, it simply holds a place as The Direct's favorite live-action Spidey suit in history.
Analyzing our Spider-Man Suit Ranked List
When analyzing how this list turned out amongst our staff, some interesting trends came through in regard to certain placements on the list related to the actors that wore the suits.
Andrew Garfield holds both the first and last place rankings while Tobey Maguire comes in with the second and second-to-last entries. Tom Holland's seven suits rank firmly in the middle, landing anywhere from the third position to the 11th position in the overall landscape. Additionally, all three actors find themselves in the top three entries, which says a lot about just how well each franchise has done in the costume department.
Considering that Spider-Man has arguably the most iconic costume and wardrobe in comic book history, the movies have had a tall order in bringing those suits to the big screen in a way that gets fans excited. Maguire, Garfield, and Holland have all gotten to wear memorable versions of this outfit with the young hero boasting such an awesome collection of on-screen suits.
Now, the anticipation is building to see exactly what combination of these suits will likely come to fruition in Spider-Man: No Way Home with rumors and teases of Maguire and Garfield joining Holland for the threequel.
Maguire will likely come in with his classic red-and-blue suit while Garfield has realistic options from each of his two solo movies, and trailers have indicated that Holland will don the Integrated Suit in the film's climactic battle. No matter what the results are, seeing three of these suits in the same movie will make for an iconic moment in Spider-Man's live-action history upon its arrival.
Spider-Man: No Way Home is set to debut in theaters on December 17, 2021.
Which actor has the best individual suit and the best collection? Which suits do you most want to see in No Way Home? Let us know on Twitter at @MCU_Direct, @TheDirect, and @RNebens.
