Spider-Man 2 is a
2004 American superhero film directed by
Sam Raimi, written by
Alvin Sargent and developed by
Alfred Gough,
Miles Millar, and
Michael Chabon. It is the second film in the
Spider-Man film franchise based on the fictional
Marvel Comics character
Spider-Man. It saw the return of
Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker,
Kirsten Dunst as
Mary Jane Watson and
James Franco as
Harry Osborn.
It is set two years after the original. It focuses on Peter Parker struggling to manage both his personal life and his duties as
Spider-Man. The main villain in this film is
Dr. Otto Octavius (
Alfred Molina), who turns insane following a failed experiment and the death of his wife. Using his mechanical tentacles, Octavius is dubbed "Doctor Octopus" and threatens to endanger the lives of the people of
New York City.
The film was released on June 30, 2004 in the United States by
Columbia Pictures, and received positive reviews from critics. It grossed over $783 million worldwide, and won the
Academy Award for Visual Effects. The film's success led to another sequel,
Spider-Man 3.