When Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man was released in 2002, the web-slinging hero was arguably the most well-known Marvel superhero at the time. Thanks to years of animated series —starting with 1967’s Spider-Man, the show responsible for the iconic pointing meme — Spidey was a household name with incredible brand recognition, making a solo movie a no-brainer for Marvel and Sony.
Spider-Man’s star has only grown in the twenty years since; the teenage hero has starred in multiple blockbusters (whether alone or as part of the Avengers) and spawned several spin-offs. Despite being rebooted several times, every iteration of Spider-Man has been a hit, and with the inclusion of the multiverse, there’s room for every Spidey at the MCU’s metaphorical table.