It's December, so by the laws of the internet, we are required to put together a list of our Top 10 movies of 2023. OK, we actually really love getting to look back at everything we watched this year and, often painstakingly, narrowing down our favorites (be sure to check out our best TV shows of 2023 list is coming in the near future). 

There was a lot to love at the movies in 2023, from the movies that came out of the Sundance Film Festival (the first in-person fest since 2020) and became hits to the cultural event that was Barbenheimer to new movies from legends like Martin Scorsese, Alexander Payne, Nicole Holofcener and more.

The What to Watch team of movie experts (Michael Balderston, Jason Best, Freda Cooper and Martin Shore) put our brains together to come up with the list that you'll find below. But of course there were plenty of movies that we loved this year that didn't make the final cut. Still, they deserve a nod, so please enjoy our honorable mentions from this year's slate (in alphabetical order):

All of Us Strangers; America Fiction; Anselm; A Thousand and One; Dream Scenario; Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves; Fallen Leaves; The Killer; Maestro; Passages; Perfect Days; Rye Lane; Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie; Theater Camp; Wonka.

Now, without further ado, let's count down What to Watch's Top 10 movies of 2023, ranked from 10 to our number one movie of the year:

10. Barbie

It's a Barbie world in 2023, as Margot Robbie's movie delivered the top slot at the box office. But there is more to Barbie than the money it pulled in — director Greta Gerwig turned the plastic doll with numerous jobs into a hysterical, colorful romp that also spoke directly to prescient issues like the everyday struggles that women have to go through, including toxic masculinity, giving that topic a great dressing down. The ensemble of all the different Barbies and Kens (and don't forget Alan!) is great, but Robbie and Ryan Gosling are incredible in bringing these iconic figures to life. Honestly, there was no reason to believe that a Barbie movie was going to be this good, so a round of applause for Gerwig, Robbie and company for exceeding all expectations for a movie that became a cultural phenomenon.

9. Killers of the Flower Moon

Martin Scorsese's 1920s crime epic Killers of the Flower Moon is as entertaining as you'd expect from the director who gave us Goodfellas, The Departed and Mean Streets. It was also a lot of fun seeing him work with his two most recognized leading men in Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro (who are both great in the movie). However, what truly makes Killers of the Flower Moon stand out is how Scorsese, amidst keeping us entertained, also reminds us of a black spot in US history — the indiscriminate killings of Native Americans by white people for their own gain — that is too often overlooked. This is embodied by a breakthrough performance by Lily Gladstone. Scorsese continues to show why he is arguably our greatest working director with another impeccable outing. 

8. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Apologies to Tom Holland and the MCU, but the best iteration of Spider-Man has come in the animated masterpieces that are the Spider-Verse movies. After blowing us away with its style and story of Miles Morales taking up the Spider-Man mantle in 2018's Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, the sequel strove to raise the bar. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse weaves in more animation styles, bigger set pieces and even more Spider-people, all while still managing to tell a deeply affecting story. Across the Spider-Verse also does something incredibly difficult: it pulls off being part one of a story, which will be concluded in Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, while still being a satisfying story in its own right. There's no superhero fatigue with this franchise. 

7. John Wick: Chapter 4

Speaking of superheroes, is Keanu Reeves' John Wick one at this point? Based on the amount of punishment he took in John Wick: Chapter 4 and kept getting back up, the argument is definitely there. But we enjoyed just about every second of the latest entry from the world's greatest assassin. After the disappointment that was John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum, Chapter 4 came back with a vengeance and wowed us with incredible actions sequences (the Osaka hotel, the overhead shotgun shootout, the Paris steps) and great new characters played by Bill Skarsgård and Donnie Yen. There may not have been a better time at the movies this year for action fans than with John Wick. 

6. Poor Things 

Yorgos Lanthimos is a weird filmmaker, and thank goodness for that. After critically-acclaimed movies like Dogtooth, The Lobster and The Favourite, Lanthimos and his The Favourite star Emma Stone reunited and turned things up to 11 with Poor Things. Based on Alasdair Gray's novel of the same name, Poor Things tells the Frankenstein-like story of Bella Baxter, however without the angry villagers. Instead, Bella gets to explore the world anew, which allowed Lanthimos to really go for it with things like production design and a bold script by Tony McNamara. But Stone is the spark of life for Bella and the movie as a whole, brilliantly portraying Bella's development. Poor Things is a funny, wild and an enlightening view of the world. 

5. The Zone of Interest

It had been 10 years since Jonathan Glazer last released a movie (brilliant sci-fi film Under the Skin), but the wait was worth it with The Zone of Interest. Set at Auschwitz during World War Two, The Zone of Interest is different from any other movie on the Holocaust, never fully engaging with the horrors but keeping them on the periphery as we watch the story of a German family that is benefiting from the Nazi mass murder of the Jewish people. Despite that, The Zone of Interest may be one of the most gut-wrenching experiences of the year. We as an audience know what is happening on the other side of the commandant of Auschwitz, Rudolf Höss (Christian Friedel) and his wife Hedwig's (Sandra Hüller) idyllic garden, with their infuriating indifference hammered home by the buildings of the camp lingering in the background and its harrowing sounds breaking through (the sound design of the movie is truly incredible). The Zone of Interest is truly a masterwork from Glazer. 

4. Anatomy of a Fall

Justine Triet's courtroom drama Anatomy of a Fall burst onto the scene when it won the Palme d'Or, the Cannes Film Festival's top prize. After watching it for ourselves, we can unequivocally say the honor was well deserved. Anatomy of a Fall is a riveting watch. At the center of the story is the question of whether or not a man's death was a suicide or if he was murdered by his wife (Sandra Hüller, again). The legal aspect is fascinating in its own right, as the audience tries to figure out what really happened when all we have to go on is the evidence presented in the court, which leaves much up for interpretation. But what truly makes this movie incredible are the relationship dynamics laid bare: first between the wife and her husband, but then also what happens between Hüller's character and her son (Milo Machado Garner), who begins to question his mother. It is a a gripping and thrilling experience. 

3. Past Lives

There was no better debut in 2023 than from writer/director Celine Song, whose Past Lives is one of the most beautifully intimate movies about love and life that we've seen in a long time. Based loosely on her own experiences, Song's movie focuses on a woman, Nora (Greta Lee), who emigrated from South Korea to North America when she was young. Now married, Nora reconnects with her childhood friend from South Korea, with thoughts of the life that could have been ever present. Past Lives is not flashy, but there is also not a false note in the movie from Song's script or direction to the performances of Lee and her co-stars (Teo Yoo, John Magaro). There is a magic quality to the movie that is so rare we couldn't possibly leave it off of our end-of-year list. 

2. The Holdovers

Hollywood in the 1970s is one of the most revered eras in movie history, as for a brief time directors took the reins from studios and delivered honest, character-driven movies that also served as crowd pleasers. Alexander Payne's The Holdovers is not only an ode to that era, it would fit right amongst many of that decade's best. From a brilliant script written by David Hemingson, The Holdovers sees a misanthropic professor (Paul Gimatti) at a boarding school stuck babysitting a rebellious student (Dominic Sessa) with the school's grieving head chef (Da'Vine Joy Randolph). The trio are brilliant, perfectly balancing the characters emotional arcs with laugh-out loud humor. Though 50 years have passed since that exquisite moment in time for Hollywood, The Holdovers reminds us the ability to make these kinds of movies is still present and their stories are truly timeless. 

1. Oppenheimer

Christopher Nolan doesn't do small. While most of his movies have either involved superheroes (The Dark Knight trilogy), high-concept action ideas (Inception, Tenet) or intense battle scenes (Dunkirk), even a biopic about one of the most influential scientists of the 20th century was delivered in epic style. Oppenheimer is Nolan's magnum opus, combining his incredible craftsmanship with a message that truly challenges the world outside the cineplex. From the ensemble (including stellar performances by Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt and Robert Downey Jr.) to the ability to make a three hour movie about the creation of the atom bomb race along at a gripping pace, Nolan put together a billion dollar hit like no other. There was no experience like seeing Oppenheimer on the big screen this year (and that's not even factoring in the Barbenheimer component of it), which is why we have it as our number one movie of 2023.

The Spider-verse continues to expand on the big screen, with Madam Web being the latest movie for fans to enjoy. This new character joins the lineup of Spider-Man-related characters and projects (Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Kraven the Hunter, Venom 3) that Sony is producing as part of a deal with Marvel.

Described as one of Marvel's "most enigmatic heroines," Madame Web brings the clairvoyant character to the big screen for the first time, as well as some other classic comic book characters. While this is expanding the Spider-Man world Sony has been building, the studio stresses that Madame Web is a standalone story and bills it as much a psychological thriller as it is a superhero movie.

Find out more about Madame Web below, as we detail all the key details about the movie you need to know.

How to watch Madame Web

Madame Web is available to watch via digital on-demand platforms in the US and UK.

Madame Web reviews

The Madame Web reviews are in, but unfortunately they are not great. The movie has been given a "Rotten" score on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.

Madame Web plot

Madame Web made her first appearance in a Marvel comic book in 1980, but the Madame Web movie marks her big screen debut. It won't just be the introduction of the clairvoyant heroine though, as a trio of characters who are key Marvel figures in their own right also appear in the movie.

With a script written by Claire Parker and S.J. Clarkson from a story by Kerem Sanga, here is the official synopsis for Madame Web from Sony Pictures:

"'Meanwhile in another universe…' In a switch from the typical genre, Madame Web tells the standalone origin story of one of Marvel publishing's most enigmatic heroines. The suspense-driven thriller stars Dakota Johnson as Cassandra Webb, a paramedic in Manhattan who may have clairvoyant abilities. Forced to confront revelations about her past, she forges a relationship with three young women destined for powerful futures… if they can all survive a deadly present."

Madame Web cast

Dakota Johnson stars Cassandra Webb, aka Madame Web. Johnson first really popped on screens in The Social Network, but has since gone on to star in the Fifty Shades of Grey franchise, A Bigger Splash, Suspiria, The Peanut Butter Falcon, The Lost Daughter, Cha Cha Real Smooth and Persuasion. This is Johnson's first foray into the superhero genre.

The three young women destined for bigger things in the movie include Sydney Sweeney (Anyone But You, Euphoria) as Julia Carpenter, Celeste O'Connor (A Good Person, Ghostbusters: Afterlife) as Mattie Franklin and Isabela Merced (Rosaline, Father of the Bride) as Anya Corazon.

The rest of the cast features Tahar Ramin (Extrapolations, The Mauritanian), Mike Epps (The Upshaws, You People), Emma Roberts (American Horror Story, We're the Millers) and Adam Scott (Severance, Parks & Rec).

Madame Web trailer

Like Madame Web, you can take a peek at what lies ahead by watching the Madame Web trailer directly below. 

You can also hear Dakota Johnson talk about her character in this clips:

Who is S.J. Clarkson?

In addition to co-writing the script for Madame Web, S.J. Clarkson is the director of the movie. This actually marks Clarkson's feature directing debut, but she is by no means a newcomer to the industry.

Clarkson's resume includes directing episodes of some of the biggest TV shows in recent memory. Her list of credits includes Succession, Anatomy of a Scandal, Collateral, Vinyl and Orange is the New Black. She also has superhero experience, directing multiple episodes of the Marvel TV series Jessica Jones and The Defenders.

Plucked from some of the sexiest movies that steamed up the screen, these famous movie kisses achieve the near-impossible: making the uncomfortable task of coworkers smushing their mouths up against each other look not only totally natural but downright sultry. 

From black-and-white classics like From Here to Eternity to Kleenex-needed modern romances like The Notebook and even a superhero blockbuster like Spider-Man, these are 10 of the hottest movie make-outs on the big screen. 

10 sexy movie kisses that get hearts racing

Cruel Intentions (1999)

Provocations abound in this 1999 cult classic, which follows a group of terribly wealthy — and often simply terrible — teens in uptown Manhattan. But none of the movie's acts of naughtiness are as notorious as the park-set seduction by manipulative schoolgirl Kathryn Mertueil (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and the woefully naive Cecile Caldwell (Selma Blair), during which the former teaches the latter how to French kiss. Kathryn does such a thorough job, in fact, that Gellar and Blair won the GOAT: Legendary Lip Lock Award during the MTV Movie & TV Awards: Greatest of All Time special more than two decades later in 2020. 

Ghost

Leave it to Patrick Swayze to make ceramics hot. In the hands of anyone else, Ghost's most famous scene — which sees a shirtless Swayze as Sam Wheat join girlfriend Molly Jensen (Demi Moore) behind a sculpting wheel, their clay-covered limbs becoming further and further entwined as The Righteous Brothers harmonize from a jukebox — would be eye-rollingly cheesy. Instead, it's deeply erotic, a voyeuristic peek into the nature of their romance before things get, well, supernatural. 

The Notebook

"It wasn't over. It still isn't over!" Noah Calhoun (Ryan Gosling) roars at Allie Hamilton (Rachel McAdams) under a deluge of Carolina rain, proving the veracity of his words with a searing kiss that warms the soaked-through pair. It was a dam-breaking not only for the characters but allegedly for the actors playing them, who went on to date for two years. "When that door got unlocked, I didn’t need to direct nothing. These kids were on each other," director Nick Cassavetes revealed to Rotten Tomatoes. "I think that was the moment, because they weren’t together before that kiss. But they were together after that kiss.” We can certainly see why. 

Disobedience

It's another scorcher from Rachel McAdams, though this time she's paired with Rachel Weisz, as two Jewish women reckoning with romantic feelings for each other amidst the ultra-conservative Orthodox religion. There are several snogs between Esti and Ronit in Sebastián Lelio's Disobedience, but one in particular is a spit take, literally, with Weisz's Ronnie dripping saliva into Esti's mouth while they're making love. It's explicit, sure, but it's also incredibly intimate, signaling the depth of the connection between the two. 

Titanic

Talk about the ultimate '90s swoon: Leonardo DiCaprio as Jack Dawson and Kate Winslet as Rose DeWitt Bukater sharing their first kiss during sunset at the majestic bow of the Titanic while "My Heart Will Go On" softly croons in the background. It's a moving, sensual kiss as fittingly epic as the movie that surrounds it, fully selling the level of devotion that the young pair conjures up during their tragically short time onboard.

Brokeback Mountain

The sheer intensity of that long-delayed reunion kiss between forbidden lovers Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Ennis Del Mar (Heath Ledger) is written all over Michelle Williams' face. Ennis has been waiting ever-so-impatiently for his old sheep-herding buddy to arrive for a visit, so much so that when he does he can't resist racing down the steps and meeting Jack outside, where they share a feverish and secret lip-lock — or so they think. 

Crazy, Stupid, Love

Yes, Ryan Gosling again, but in Crazy, Stupid, Love, he's more the smooched than the smoocher. That would be Emma Stone, whose ticked-off, rain-soaked Hannah takes Gosling's Jacob by surprise when she interrupts his conversation and impulsively plants a big one on the lad in the middle of a bar. "Do you remember me? Do you still find me attractive? Do you still want to take me home?" she asks him when they finally come up for air, and his breathless responses are hilariously and understandably limited to one word: Yes.

Call Me By Your Name

Few characters have felt desire as fervently on film as Timothée Chalamet's Elio Perlman does for Armie Hammer's Oliver in Call Me By Your Name. The sexual tension between the two young men is damn-near suffocating in Luca Guadagnino's coming-of-age charmer, fueling long summer days of swimming and dancing and the shortest of short shorts, until finally, in a sun-soaked field found "somewhere in Northern Italy," Oliver finally gives Elio what he craves: a kiss as sweet and tender as a ripe peach.

From Here to Eternity

Often parodied but never equaled, the sandy embrace between Sergeant Milton Warden (Burt Lancaster) and another officer's wife Karen Holmes (Deborah Kerr) is one of celluloid history's most unabashedly romantic moments. Soundtracked by George Duning's soaring score, the famous beach scene finds the pair passionately lip-to-lip while lying down in the Hawaiian surf (which, as cinematic legend has it, was Lancaster's idea, much to the chagrin of those 1950s censors). When Karen gasps, "I never knew it could be like this. No one ever kissed me the way you do," you believe her.

Spider-Man

The first of the Spider-Man movies also features its finest make-out moment (no offense, Tom Holland and Zendaya.) The so-called "Spider-Man kiss" became a pop-culture phenomenon, not only for its novelty — in thanks for saving her life, Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst) macks on the friendly neighborhood superhero (played by Tobey Maguire) while Spidey is hanging upside down, pulling his mask off just enough so she can gain access to his lips — but also for its palpable heat. 

Be sure to also check out What to Watch's rankings of the sexy TV shows and supposedly sexy TV shows and movies that failed to bring the heat.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse follows flawless series opener Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse with a fearlessness fit for Miles Morales' glass-shattering leap of faith — albeit a blatant trilogy midpoint. 

The movie's animation somehow evolves into an even more visually stunning display of astonishingly individualistic Spider-Verses, making sights worth the price of admission alone. What's less successful is the multiverse storytelling that attempts to focus on both Morales and Gwen Stacy's separate then overlapping journeys, culminating in a third act that doesn't really get going before credits' cliffhanger finish. Although, "less successful" is nowhere near "failure" or even "mediocrity." Its finale issues avoid nearing the egregious franchise soullessness of, say, Fast X. 

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is a dazzling sequel to what's shaping into a stupendous Spider-Man run of movies, revolutionizing computer-animated filmmaking with each miraculously pixelated millisecond.

Screenwriters Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and David Callaham embrace the daunting weight of multiverse storytelling through Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) and Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld). Fifteen-year-old Miles is poorly trying to balance his secret identity as Spider-Man with being a teenager still coming of age. Gwen Stacy, meanwhile, is recruited into a universe-hopping team of Spider-People known as the Spider-Society, led by Miguel O'Hara, aka Spider-Man 2099 (Oscar Isaac). They are tasked with fixing anomalies created by the first movie's multiverse rifts. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse ultimately sees Miles joins Gwen on her latest mission to defeat a foe covered in interdimensional portals dubbed The Spot (Jason Schwartzman), complete with the deepest meta-storytelling cuts.

The animation under directors Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers and Justin K. Thompson is nothing short of revolutionary. The representation of different multiversal animation styles "clashing" at once is remarkably attractive and artistically hypnotic. It goes beyond Looney Tooney Spider-Ham, black and white Spider-Man Noir and anime Peni Parker sharing the screen. Gwen's Earth-65 as a rich tapestry of moody pastel watercolor strokes, a quill-drawn Vulture (Jorma Taccone) from Leonardo da Vinci's Renaissance doodles, and Earth-50101's Mumbai variation on New York City — aka Mumbattan — are distinctively designed to juxtapose with harsh differentiation. That's what makes the blended majesty that spills like runny paint colors mixing on an artist's palette so impressive, highlighting an unlimited amount of stimulating illustration approaches.

There aren't enough compliments to pay lead animator Nick Kondo and his entire creative workforce. Every Spider-Person stands out with meticulous craftsmanship based on style preferences. Vivid colorization puts 4K to shame as pop-art bursts or cell shading cuts razor-sharp outlines, and the calamity of multiverse heroes crammed into single frames never overwhelms. 

Anarchistic Spider-Punk (Daniel Kaluuya) feels collaged together by newspaper and magazine clippings alongside traditionally comic-book Spider-Man India (Karan Soni), all detailed with the same jaw-dropping level of ingenuity, whether non-traditional computer animation or hyper-realized figure details. We've reached a milestone moment for animated features, as Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse just changed the game with a feast for the eyeballs.

The movie's action sequences zip and dash with exceptional fluidity, made more interesting as not only heroes and villains collide, but their appearances. Vulture's antique notebook paper bombs versus Spider-Man 2099's red laser web beams contrast with emphasis, infinitely extrapolated when Miles flees the Spider-Society's never-ending ranks in futuristic Marvel 2099 land — where the likes of Peter Parkedcar, Spider-Rex and Spider-Cat stampede in pursuit. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse briskly thrills as fight sequences switch from acid-washed to hand-painted to live-action without sinking momentum, stressing a premium on Miles and Gwen's infectious energy. There's no shortage of high-flying, death-defying, pure-adrenaline superhero goodness that you'd expect from a Spider-Man movie where Miles finds himself in constant danger.

Lord, Miller and Callaham get cleverly meta by turning Spider-Man's canon backstory tragedies into Miles' ongoing lesson about wanting to save everyone, and there's proper development going on with Miles' inability to confess his Spider-persona to moms and pops (Luna Lauren Vélez and Brian Tyree Henry). Plus, new additions like the rebellious agent of chaos Spider-Punk and Peter B. Parker's (Jake Johnson) web-slinging toddler "Mayday" Parker are righteous recruits to the cast.

Where Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse falters is in later structure and storytelling ambitions. Without getting too spoilery, the third act ends on a setup reveal more than a rewarding culmination — an unfortunate symptom of franchise filmmaking. Yet in teeing up an ultimate battle to come in the next movie, it betrays the completeness of the film, slamming into a wall instead.

Thankfully, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse has far more to offer, from awards-worthy visions of bustling Spider-Verses to a dominant sense of humor full of comic savvy and meme-worthy in-jokes, letting the movie never feel over two hours. It's guilty of exiting stage-left at the height of excitement but also knocks multiple other elements out of the park. With more Spider-People than 20 San Diego Comic-Con cosplay contests and animation that's obscenely accomplished beyond what was thought to be a reasonable ceiling, Miles Morales' adventure into multiverses of madness is a must-see summer blockbuster.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse releases in movie theaters everywhere on Friday, June 2.

To paraphrase the great Billy Joel, summer means "cold beers, hot nights" and blockbuster movies.

Though the start of summer isn't until June 21, the summer movie season starts in earnest in May and runs through August. With the slate of 2023 movies coming out over the summer months, there are plenty of options for multiple visits to the movie theaters this summer.

We at What to Watch have plenty that we're excited to see over the next four months, from big action movies to alternative indie movies playing both in theaters and streaming at home. But for the purposes of this preview post, we're sticking with the big tentpole movies that give blockbusters their name.

Read on to see what movie we have ranked as our most anticipated blockbuster movie of the summer.

12. The Little Mermaid (May 26)

The Little Mermaid is absolutely something that we are looking forward to this summer. Featuring Grown-ish star Halle Bailey as Ariel and Bridesmaids funny lady Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, the movie places is the latest live-action adaptation on a Disney classic. Not only is there some long-built-up anticipation to listen to retooled versions of the hit songs "Part of Your World" and "Under the Sea," but we hear that Ursula is getting a different backstory this go around, which should prove interesting for those of us that have seen the animated movie one or 20 times. — Terrell Smith

11. No Hard Feelings (June 23)

It wouldn't be summer without a broad comedy. Throw in Jennifer Lawrence and you have our attention. In No Hard Feelings, the Oscar-winning actress stars as a down-on-her-luck delivery driver who gets the opportunity for some much needed cash if she helps bring a painfully awkward teenager out of his shell before he heads off to college. Director Gene Stupnitsky was behind the hilarious 2019 hit comedy, Good Boys, can he do it again? We've got a good feeling about this one. — Michael Balderston 

10. The Last Voyage of the Demeter (August 11)

Horror movies can no longer just be contained to Halloween season, as a number of horror movies are coming out as part of the summer blockbuster season. But the one that we're most looking forward tells a different version of a classic movie monster, Dracula.

The Last Voyage of the Demeter is based on a single chapter from Bram Stoker's original novel about Dracula's journey to London, where the entire crew of the Demeter vanishes without a trace. But how does that happen? This movie will hopefully tell us in fantastically gory detail. — Michael Balderston

9. Elemental (June 16 US, July 7 UK)

This summer, Disney and Pixar are whisking us away to Element City, where citizens of all four elements — air, earth, fire and water —live and work. The golden rule seems to be that they cannot mix, which is precisely what happens when Wade (Mamoudou Athie) splashes down in Firetown after a plumbing incident gone wrong and meets Ember (Leah Lewis). 

Elemental looks every bit as creative and visually impressive as you want a new Disney/Pixar adventure to be, packed full of color and life. I'm excited to go on this next journey with our new young heroes. — Martin Shore 

8. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (now playing)

It's the end of the road for Star Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket, Groot and Mantis. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 promises to be one of the biggest hits of the summer as the Guardians face the music one last time. Speaking of music, we're excited to get another killer soundtrack from James Gunn, loaded with retro Top-40 hits as well as B-side gems. It's also Gunn's Marvel Studios swan song as he focused on his work at DC. All in all, GOTG Vol. 3 should deliver action, adventure and plenty of nostalgia as the Guardians fly off into the sunset. — Sarabeth Pollock

Read What to Watch's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 review right here, as welll as get all the info you need on how to watch the sequel.

7. Fast X (May 19)

When I think of a summer blockbuster, I think of all-out action and explosions aplenty. And this summer, we're being reunited once again with Dominic Torreto (Vin Diesel) and the family in Fast X as they do battle with drugs kingpin Dante Reyes (Jason Momoa), who's seeking revenge after Dom and Co. took out his father way back in Fast Five. 

Everything we've seen so far suggests we're getting all the best parts of the Fast franchise. Expect even more bombastic action and souped-up supercars as Dom and his crew take on their most terrifying foe yet. — Martin Shore 

6. Barbie (July 21)

The hype around Barbie has been huge, largely due to the fact that it's got such an intriguing ensemble cast. Stars like Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Will Ferrell, Helen Mirren, Simu Liu, Michael Cera, Kate McKinnon, John Cena, Alexandra Ship, Emerald Fennell and Emma Mackey are all part of the big line-up. 

With Little Women's Greta Gerwig at the helm, we certainly have a lot of faith that she will deliver one of the biggest summer movies, transporting us to the colorful, whimsical world of Barbieland and beyond. There's still a bit of mystery surrounding the movie and we can't wait to see what happens. — Lucy Buglass

5. The Flash (June 16)

The Flash is one of the greatest Hollywood mysteries we've seen in a long time. Its behind the scenes drama of multiple directors, release dates, complications with Ezra Miller and the new direction of DC movies is fascinating. Then there's Tom Cruise, who hasn't made a movie with Warner Bros. since Edge of Tomorrow so has no real reason to lie, raving about the movie. Amid all the changes at Warner Bros. Discovery, The Flash has stayed afloat. Does it truly have the goods to back all that up? We can't wait to find out. — Michael Balderston

4. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (June 2)

We've seen plenty of Spider-Man movies before, but we had never seen anything like Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse when it hit screens in 2018. Five years is a long time to wait, but we are finally getting to continue Miles Morales' story with Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, which is set to feature more alternate dimension Spider-Men and Women than you can sling a web at. Even in a summer with the third Guardians of the Galaxy movie and the much hyped The Flash, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is our most anticipated superhero movie of the season. — Michael Balderston 

3. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (June 30 US, June 28 UK)

Now, this is seriously exciting! Harrison Ford is swashbuckling his way onto the screen for a final glorious time as Indiana. The buzz around the movie, set in the middle of the Space Race, suggests this is going to be a corker and hopefully get near the heights of the first movie, Raiders of the Lost Arc. Obviously, there are some Nazis thrown in — "Nazis. I hate these guys" — with Mads Mikkelsen starring as the chief villain. Plus Phoebe Waller-Bridge joins the party as Indiana's goddaughter Helena and the legendary John Williams is providing the score. — David Hollingsworth

2. Oppenheimer (July 21)

I'll be the first to admit how disappointed I was with Christopher Nolan's last movie, Tenet, but that does not damper the excitement over Oppenheimer one bit. This star-studded movie (Cillian Murphy, Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh, Robert Downey Jr., Gary Oldman and more) is not your typical blockbuster fare — focusing on the "father" of the atomic bomb, J. Robert Oppenheimer — but Christopher Nolan does not do small, so we can only expect he is going to tell an epic story. Oh, and he reportedly recreated a nuclear explosion without CGI, and that we've got to see on the big screen. — Michael Balderston 

1. Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One (July 14)

Can Tom Cruise have the biggest summer blockbuster two years in a row? That's TBD, but at the very least Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One is our most anticipated summer blockbuster of 2023. The Mission: Impossible franchise has been on an absolute tear with its last few movies, and Dead Reckoning is the first of the planned two part conclusion for the franchise and features what is being described as Tom Cruise's biggest stunt yet. Tom Cruise putting life and limb on the line again for our entertainment? Count us in. — Michael Balderston 

Spider-Man: No Way Home opened exclusively in movie theaters in December 2021 and despite the ongoing pandemic it became one of the highest-grossing movies of all time at the US and the global box office. Tom Holland's third-outing as everybody's favorite web-slinger has been the toast of fans and critics alike, all while setting massive records. 

Haven't seen the latest in the Spider-Man series yet, or just ready to watch it all over again? Here's what you need to know on how to watch Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Where to rent Spider-Man: No Way Home online

As soon as Spider-Man: No Way Home finished its (long and extremely successful) theatrical run, it became available for digital purchase and at-home rental. Fans can still buy and rent the movie from a variety of online platforms like Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, Vudu and more. It is also available for digital purchase 

How to stream Spider-Man: No Way Home at home

In the US, Starz is the very first streaming home for Spider-Man: No Way Home. Subscription plans for the streamer start at $8.99 a month.

In the UK, Spider-Man: No Way Home is available on Sky Cinema (on Sky TV and NOW TV). Sky Cinema subscriptions start 

Can you watch Spider-Man: No Way Home on Disney Plus?

Surprisingly the answer is no. Not yet. And not for a long time. 

Due to the partnership/co-production between Disney and Sony, Spider-Man: No Way Home has headed to the Starz streaming platform for an exclusive period before moving onto Netflix (date still tbc). It will be on Netflix for around 18 months before finally arriving on Disney Plus.

Is Spider-Man: No Way Home available on Netflix?

Unusually for a Marvel movie, Spider-Man: No Way Home will be available on Netflix and it's going there before it heads to Disney Plus. The contractual shenanigans mean that Netflix subscribers will be able to watch the latest Spidey movie but it won't be for a little while (we're still waiting for a confirmed date)... unless, of course, you're a Netflix India subscriber. In which case, lucky you! — Spider-Man: No Way Home is streaming on Netflix India.

Buy Spider-Man: No Way Home to keep

Spider-Man: No Way Home is now available to buy as a 4K/Blu-ray/DVD. In addition to the movie, the 4K/Blu-ray/DVD features more than 80 minutes of behind-the-scenes content, including additional materials with all three Spider-Mans (Holland, Maguire and Garfield), hidden easter eggs and bloopers.

Spider-Man: No Way Home plot and cast

At the end of previous movie, Spider-Man: Far From Home, Peter was unmasked as Spider-Man to the whole world. Spider-Man: No Way Home picks up right where things left off, with Peter overwhelmed by the new reality of everyone knowing he is Spider-Man. Peter turns to Doctor Strange for help, who uses his magic to get everything back to normal. However, when the spell goes awry, unwelcome visitors from other dimensions like Doc Ock, Green Goblin, and Electro, arrive, and it’s up to Peter to stop them.

In addition to Holland, Spider-Man: No Way Home is bringing back Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Marisa Tomei, Tony Revolori, Angourie Rice, Martin Starr, JB Smoove and Hannibal Burress, as well as adding Benedict Cumberbatch, J.K. Simmons, Alfred Molina, Willem Dafoe and Jamie Foxx from other Marvel and Spider-Man movies, including previous Spider-Man actors Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield popping up.

More Spider-Man content

• Spider-Man: No Way Home post-credit scenes: what they mean for the MCU
• The What to Watch Spider-Man: No Way Home review
• Best Spider-Man movies: The Spider-Man movies ranked from worst to best
• Spider-Man star Andrew Garfield talks about wearing Spandex, the Oscars and his late mother
• Tom Holland reveals one of the 'Spider-Man: No Way Home' actors wore a fake ass!

Spider-Man: No Way Home trailer

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is the latest installment in Sony’s animated Spider-Man franchise.

With Spidey’s MCU counterpart Tom Holland recently helping Spider-Man: No Way Home break box office records, demand and anticipation for info about the follow-up to the Oscar-winning animated movie were sky-high ahead of the webslinger's latest outing.

It's already been five years since Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse stunned critics and audiences alike, leading producers to confirm back-to-back sequels in the form of Across the Spider-Verse and the threequel, Beyond the Spider-Verse, which is slated for March 2024. From the sounds of things, Miles' second outing has certainly lived up to expectations!

Here’s everything we know including the latest trailer and all the latest info about Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse...

How to watch Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Across The Spider-Verse is now in theaters after releasing on Friday, June 2.

Following its theatrical window, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse will hit streaming for a fixed period first on Netflix (likely 18 months) before moving to Disney Plus, thanks to lucrative deals signed between the streamers and the studio last year.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse: what the critics are saying

Critics are loving Across the Spider-Verse just as much as they did the first instalment in the animated franchise. At the time of our latest update, the film has a 95% fresh critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with the audience rating just one point higher at 96%. 

In What To Watch's Across the Spider-Verse review, we called the film a 'visual feast' and 'a must-see summer blockbuster'.

The Guardian's Wendy Ide gave the film a five-star rating, writing: "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is sublime. There's not a frame of this rich, kaleidoscopically detailed animation that isn't dazzling."

Writing for RogerEbert.com, Brian Tallerico said the sequel builds on the foundation of the first one "with stunning animation, unforgettable characters, and complex themes." 

Empire's Ben Travis was equally enthusiastic. He said: "Across the Spider-Verse cranks every dial to 11, and somehow doesn't collapse in on itself. Visually astonishing, emotionally powerful, narratively propulsive — it's another masterpiece." 

What's the plot?

The official plot summary from Sony Pictures reads: "Miles Morales returns for the next chapter of the Oscar-winning Spider-Verse saga, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. 

After reuniting with Gwen Stacy, Brooklyn’s full-time, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is catapulted across the Multiverse, where he encounters a team of Spider-People charged with protecting its very existence. But when the heroes clash on how to handle a new threat, Miles finds himself pitted against the other Spiders and must redefine what it means to be a hero so he can save the people he loves most."

Producer Amy Pascal confirmed ahead of release that the film explored elements of Miles and Gwen’s relationship that couldn’t fit into Into the Spider-Verse, and this summary (and the latest trailer) confirmed our earlier suspicions that Miguel O'Hara (Spider-Man 2099) will be going toe-to-toe with Miles Morales in the new film.

Across the Spider-Verse rumors

One of the tastiest rumors in circulation was the idea of an MCU/Sony character crossover. Following the success of Spider-Man: No Way Home — which brought historic Spidermen together in the form of Andrew Garfield, Tobey Maguire and Tom Holland — plus loaded comments from writers Phil Lord and Chris Miller about the endless possibilities of the multiverse, there is the distinct possibility that characters from No Way Home could appear in this animated outing (we won't spoil whether they do or don't here!). 

Other hints this Marvel-melding might become a reality could be seen in the prevalence of hexagons in the trailer. Hexagons were used as portals in Captain Marvel and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 — as well as in the TV show WandaVision to represent the Westview Anomaly (or “The Hex”) to connect realities.

It’s a certainty that other Spider-people will be part of this year’s gang (Spider-Woman and Japanese Spider-Man have been confirmed) and Spider-Punk also cropped up in the latest teaser.

On June 13 last year, we finally learned the identity of the villain. Speculation had previously pointed to The Spot, a rumor which was confirmed in a later announcement on the Spider-Verse Twitter account describing him as 'Miles Morales's most formidable foe yet'.

The Spot's dimension-hopping powers are on clear display in the accompanying art, as Miles' foot has slipped right through a portal, and he's instead kicking Gwen Stacey square in the face.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse cast

It’s no surprise that the leads in the star-studded original film returned for the sequel, with Shameik Moore and Hailee Steinfeld voicing Miles Morales and Gwen Stacey, and Jake Johnson once again picking up his mantle as Peter B. Parker (Miles’ mentor from another universe in Into the Spider-Verse).

Issa Rae voices Spider-Woman and Oscar Isaac plays Miguel O'Hara, aka Spider-Man 2099, whilst Get Out's Daniel Kaluuya is voicing Hobart 'Hobie' Brown, aka Spider-Punk, and Karan Soni is voicing Pavitr Prabhakar (Spider-Man India).

Jason Schwartzman voices the new villain, The Spot. Jorma Taccone has also been cast as the voice of The Vulture, and Shea Whigham is voicing police captain George Stacey, Gwen's "by-the-books" father.

Fan favorites such as Nicolas Cage as Spider-Man Noir and John Mulaney as the logic-fond Spider-Ham were unknown quantities for some time, though Cage has subsequently confirmed that, whilst he's a big fan of his character, Spider-Man Noir is not part of the film. 

When asked if he was returning. Cage told Screen Rant: "You'd have to ask Sony. I don't know what's going on with that. No one's spoken to me about that. Ask them. I don't know. I really don't. I wish they would. I love Spider-Man Noir, too. I think that's a great character. Spider-Man's the coolest superhero. And then you combine that with Cagney and Bogart and Edward G. Robinson, come on, it's a great character." 

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse trailer

Sony released another trailer on May 11. Check out the clip below. 

A new trailer for Across the Spider-Verse arrived on April 4. In it, Miles finds his way to "the lobby" with Gwen, where all the best Spider-People hang out. He wants to join the crew, but leader Miguel O'Hara makes it clear he doesn't want him around. 

O'Hara can later be heard telling him that Miles has a choice to save one person or the world. Miles refuses to make that choice and is determined he can do both, so Miguel dispatches the Spider-crew to stop him. Cue Miles taking on the multiverse as he's determined not to let anyone else tell him what to do. Oh, and we wouldn't want to neglect to mention The Spot's brief appearance early on, too. Check it out below:

Below, you can find the older trailers for the movie if you're desperate to see more.

Who's making Across the Spider-Verse?

Much of the creative team from Across the Spider-Verse has been imported for Across the Spider-Verse, most notably movie-making masters Phil Lord and Chris Miller— the brains behind 22 Jump Street and the surprise success of The Lego Movie—who serve as producers and writers, along with extra scriptwriting from Dave Callaham (Wonder Woman 1984 and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings).

The aforementioned Amy Pascal also produces, along with Avi Arad (producer of many a Sony superhero flick) and Christina Steinberg (National Treasure, Rise of the Guardians). New to the team are accomplished animation directors Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson. 

Spider-Man films and more from the Spider-Verse

With a potential MCU crossover in the works, things could get even harder to keep track of. As a refresher, here are all the Spider-Man movies to date, up to and including Across the Spider-Verse.

• Spider-Man (2002) dir. Sam Raimi, Spidey: Tobey Maguire
• Spider-Man 2 (2004) dir. Sam Raimi, Spidey: Tobey Maguire
• Spider-Man 2 (2007) dir. Sam Raimi, Spidey: Tobey Maguire
• The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) dir. Mark Webb, Spidey: Andrew Garfield
• The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014) dir. Mark Webb, Spidey: Andrew Garfield
• Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) dir. Jon Watts, Spidey: Tom Holland
• Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) dirs. Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman
• Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019) dir. Jon Watts, Spidey: Tom Holland
• Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) dir. Jon Watts, Spideys: Tom Holland, Andrew Garfield, Tobey Maguire
• Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023) dirs. Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson, Spidey: (voiced by) Shameik Moore
• Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse (2024) dirs. Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson, Spidey: (voiced by) Shameik Moore

• Spider-Man movies ranked from worst to best
• New movies in 2023 
• Spider-Man actor Tom Holland reveals one of the Spideys wore a fake bum 

A key theme for Spider-Man: No Way Home deals with the choices we make and what we would do if we could get a second chance at them. Unfortunately, Marvel and director Jon Watts, with the third official entry from Spider-Man in the MCU, fail to learn a key lesson from the issues of previous Spider-Man franchises — sometimes less is more.

Tom Holland returns as Peter Parker/Spider-Man in Spider-Man: No Way Home, which picks up immediately where the previous movie, Spider-Man: Far From Home, left off. A manipulated video from Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) is shared by J. Jonah Jameson (J.K. Simmons), now running The Daily Bugle as an internet conspiracy hotbed, that reveals Peter Parker as Spider-Man. Peter finds this unmasking to not only effect him but MJ (Zendaya), Ned (Jacob Batalon), May (Marisa Tomei), and others he cares about, so he goes to Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) for help. 

The sorcerer offers to cast a spell that will make everyone forget Peter Parker is Spider-Man, but when Peter messes it up some unwelcome guests arrive in the form of villains from the other Spider-Man movies: Doc Ock (Alfred Molina), Electro (Jamie Foxx), Lizard (Rhys Ifans), Sandman (Thomas Haden Church) and Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe). Peter is forced to get them all back safely to their own dimensions.

When news broke that these iconic Spider-Man villains would be a part of Spider-Man: No Way Home, fans were unsurprisingly ecstatic. However, their actual arrival into Holland’s iteration of the superhero repeats one of the biggest criticisms given to both Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man movies — in their final outing there were just too many villains.

Spider-Man 3 featured Sandman, Venom (Topher Grace) and James Franco’s Harry Osborne taking on the Green Goblin mantle. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 had appearances from Rhino (Paul Giamatti), another Green Goblin (Dane DeHaan) and Foxx’s Electro. There are five villains in Spider-Man: No Way Home, but when it really comes down to it Peter’s actual story only has an emotional connection with just one. The rest are almost unnecessary — a nice treat, but little more than fan service.

Though I have to take a quick second to praise Willem Dafoe. The actor’s Green Goblin remains the best Spider-Man villain on the big screen yet and it was a delight to see him give that sinister laugh once again. He is the example of how they effectively weaved his character into Holland’s story rather than simply have them there because they could.

Also: 'Spider-Man: No Way Home' fans blown away by surprise cameo

That may be Spider-Man: No Way Home’s biggest issue. While some of the moments that stem from these outside visitors are really fun to see, they either offer little to Peter’s emotional arc or play out too long (at two-and-a-half hours, this is the longest Spider-Man yet). It’s a shame too, because there is a good journey for Peter in this movie that teaches him what sacrifices must be made being Spider-Man.

Despite all that, it’s probably hard to not at least have a good time while you’re watching Spider-Man: No Way Home. Tom Holland’s performance as Peter Parker is still a highlight, particularly when he gets to work with Zendaya’s MJ and Jacob Batalon’s Ned. This main trio have fantastic chemistry and often remind you that despite having to do battle with supervillains, they are still teenagers. The high-school setting was and is a great choice by the creative team of this Spider-Man trilogy, but it is a shame we don’t get as much of it in this movie; Tony Revolori, Angourie Rice, Martin Starr and J.B. Smoove, who were a lot of fun in the first two installments, are little more than cameos here.

Spider-Man: No Way Home comes at the end of a big year for Marvel. Phase 4 is underway and the multiverse is coming — as we know from Loki and the next Doctor Strange movie, literally called Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (which is teased in one of two post-credit sequences). However, what’s been great about some of this latest MCU content, especially after the massive conclusion to Avengers: Endgame, was that the stories are a bit smaller as characters deal with more personal issues or are being introduced to fans for the first time. Spider-Man, as one of the most popular characters in the MCU, went for an almost Avengers level story and in the process lost the thread a bit.

Spider-Man: No Way Home is now playing exclusively in movie theaters.

Ever since the first Spider-Man movie featuring Tobey Maguire was released in 2002, the web-slinger has been one of the most popular superheroes around. That has continued with Tom Holland’s rendition of the character, which was successfully brought into the MCU thanks to a deal with Sony (it’s complicated) and now is getting ready for his third film, Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Following the first two Tom Holland-led Spider-Man films (Spider-Man: Homecoming and Spider-Man: Far From Home), there are a lot of exciting things happening for Spidey and the larger MCU in general that could make Spider-Man: No Way Home an incredibly entertaining ride. Let’s not waste any more time and get into what lies in store for Spider-Man in his latest adventure.

What is the plot of ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’?

We have our first true inkling of what Spider-Man: No Way Home will be about with the official trailer (see below) and an official synopsis being released. Here's the synopsis:

For the first time in the cinematic history of Spider-Man, our friendly neighborhood hero is unmasked and no longer able to separate his normal life from the high-stakes of being a Super Hero. When he asks for help from Doctor Strange the stakes become even more dangerous, forcing him to discover what it truly means to be Spider-Man.

Of course that unmasking came in the final moments of Spider-Man: Far From Home, when J.K. Simmon reprised his role as J. Jonah Jameson and showed a video of Mysterio revealing that Peter Parker is Spider-Man.

That, as well as some casting news and rumors, have led to a lot of fun speculation at what may be in store for Spider-Man.

Who is in the ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ cast?

Most of the principal cast from the first two Tom Holland-led Spider-Man films will be back for Spider-Man: No Way Home. Of course you have Holland as Peter Parker/Spider-Man; then you have Zendaya as MJ, Jacob Batalon as Ned Leeds, Marisa Tomei as May Parker, Tony Revolori as Flash Thompson, Angourie Rice as Betty Brant, Martin Starr as Mr. Harrington, J.B. Smoove as Mr. Dell and Hannibal Buress as Coach Wilson. Officially joining the cast after his cameo in Spider-Man: Far From Home is J.K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson.

Three confirmed additions to the cast also help with the idea that the movie will incorporate Marvel’s new multiverse threat somehow. This includes Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange, Alfred Molina as Otto Octavius/Doc Ock and Jamie Foxx as Max Dillon/Electro. Molina and Foxx are villains from previous Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man movies, who arrive in Tom Holland's world after a errant spell opens up a portal from other universes (looks like Loki may be off the hook on this one).

Of course, with Molina and Foxx onboard, there is also wide speculation that Maguire and Garfield may appear in the film as their version of Peter Parker/Spider-Man, as well. Again, Marvel has offered no confirmation that this will happen. But if it does happen it certainly has been one of the worst kept secrets in Hollywood.

When is the ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ release date?

Spider-Man: No Way Home is closing out Marvel’s massive 2021 (following a punted 2020) with a release on Dec. 17, 2021. The film is currently set for an exclusive run in theaters. U.K. audiences will get the web-slinger a couple days early, as Digital Spy has confirmed that Spider-Man: No Way Home will premiere on Dec. 15 in the U.K.

Disney, which owns Marvel, had been using a hybrid release strategy for its movies earlier in 2021, releasing them in theaters and on Disney Plus via Premiere Access on the same day. For Black Widow the move brought in a healthy flow of ticket sales and streaming buys, but it was not without controversy.

Then, with the combo of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Free Guy doing well at the box office, Disney and Marvel have opted to go back to exclusive theatrical releases before they make the films available on Disney Plus (Shang-Chi was given a little more than two months from theater release to streaming debut).

As a result, we don't know when exactly Spider-Man: No Way Home may make its way to streaming, but safe guesses would be at least 30-45 days after initial release, but Disney could decide to hold it longer. But here's how you can watch Spider-Man: No Way Home upon its release.

Is there a ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ trailer?

Marvel will cap 2021 where they debuted their first Marvel original series on Disney Plus and began Phase 4 of the MCU with Spider-Man: No Way Home. Judging by the recently released trailer it looks like it is going to be a big finale.

The first trailer gave fans the treat of seeing Alfred Molina as Doc Ock again and providing hints to other classic Spider-Man villains finding their way into Tom Holland's franchise via the multiverse, but this latest trailer gives reveals them all: Doc Ock, Willem Dafoe's Green Goblin, Jamie Foxx's Electro, Sandman and the Lizard all make an appearance (though still no clues on the rumored appearances of Tobey Maguire and/or Andrew Garfield's Peter Parkers).

Watch the full trailer for yourself below.

In addition to the villains, some highlights include at least one new Spidey suit, some good banter between Zendaya's MJ and Doctor Strange and a call back to a classic Spider-Man moment.

There's a lot to chew on as we eagerly await Dec. 17, but if you want to keep searching for any clues, we also got a new poster for the movie.

'Spider-Man: No Way Home' reviews

Scarier than Doc Ock, the Green Goblin and Electro combined, Spider-Man: No Way Home also has to face off against the critics. But the latest Marvel movie appears to have enthralled critics. Spider-Man: No Way Home currently has a 95% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a score of 71 on Metacritic, with some critics calling it the best Spider-Man movie yet.

Our What to Watch review for Spider-Man: No Way Home doesn't go quite that far. While unable to deny its entertaining and fan-thrilling aspects, the review points out that the movie falls into some of the failings of its predecessors as they got along in their runs.

How will ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ impact the MCU?

Ever since he debuted in the MCU in Captain America: Civil War, Tom Holland’s Spider-Man has been one of the most popular characters. Now, with Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson and Chadwick Boseman out of the MCU, Holland’s Spider-Man will probably take up a bigger part of the mantle.

Spider-Man: Far From Home officially closed out Phase Three of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, while Spider-Man: No Way Home will be the fourth film on Phase Four (Black Widow, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Eternals). Of course, Marvel movies aren’t the only thing contributing to the overall MCU storyline anymore, the Disney Plus originals will also likely factor in at some point, most notably Loki’s storyline of the impending multiverse war. No Way Home will at least dabble in the multiverse, if not take place fully after the events of Loki.

The multiverse storyline will definitely factor into the larger storyline that Marvel is laying out for Phase Four, which we can expect will eventually lead to the next Avengers team up movie (though that is not dated as of yet). The inclusion of Doctor Strange in the film could also point him in the direction of where his next movie, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, is going.

How to watch the MCU movies in order?

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been going on now for 13 years, kicking off with 2008’s Iron Man. It also no longer is limited to the big screen, as the Disney Plus originals WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki and other upcoming series will contribute to character development and some plot points. With all that content, it can be pretty daunting to know where to dive in. Thankfully, we have you covered.

This all-encompassing article gives you the rundown of how to watch the MCU movies either by their release date or by where they fall in the storyline. 

With Spider-Man: No Way Home coming out, the internet has been debating the definitive ranking of the Spider-Man films. Everyone has a favorite actor for the part, or a vision for their ideal Spider-Man interpretation. Well here at What To Watch, our Spidey-senses have been tingling with anticipation for the new film as well. And as hardcore fans of the web-slinging wallcrawler, we couldn’t wait to throw our list into the mix.

NOTE: For this list, we only consider solo Spider-Man films where Spider-Man is the protagonist. This means crossover films like Captain America: Civil War, Avengers Infinity War, or Avengers Endgame, or spin-offs like Venom have not been considered. **ALSO THERE ARE SPOILERS AHEAD**

Without further ado, here is our list, ranked from worst to best!

8. ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2' (2014)

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is a bit of a mess. It dives back into the cheesiness of Batman and Robin (1997) — that almost killed comic book movies. From Jamie Foxx’s over-the-top “I’m a nerd!” interpretation of Max Dillon, to Paul Giamatti’s cartoony Russian accent as the Rhino — webbed up in his boxers — the movie is a trainwreck of outdated choices that have no business being in post-Dark Knight era comic book films. Add the bloated attempts to set up a Sinister Six movie and an odd interpretation of the Death of Gwen Stacy storyline and you have a tonally confused movie.

7. ‘Spider-Man 3' (2007)

Speaking of over-the-top, overstuffed cheese, Spider-Man 3 suffers from squirm-inducing scenes — like Peter Parker’s infamous strut down the street, and his jazz club dance sequence — that would fit more comfortably in The Mask than with Raimi’s first two Spidey films. 

It also features a completely over-the-top amnesia storyline for James Franco’s Harry, an unnecessary backstory for Uncle Ben's murder and the misguided first attempt at bringing Venom to the big screen via Topher Grace, of all actors. Maguire’s performance is hammy. Dunst’s and Franco’s performances are seemingly phoned in. And, though the highlight is supposed to be Thomas Haden Church’s Sandman, the film never gives him anything more to do than mope about.

6. ‘The Amazing Spider-Man' (2012)

The first Andrew Garfield outing wasn’t terrible. Billed as “the untold story,” it was, in fact, just a retread of the same story with slightly different beats. The only difference was presenting Peter Parker as an emo-ish skater.  Garfield is slightly miscast as Peter Parker — we expect less cool skater boy, more dweeb for Parker. His Spider-Man yells at his Uncle Ben and rips shirts off women on the subway while beating up guys who try to defend her. 

5. ‘Spider-Man' (2002)

There’s a gap between subpar Spider-Man films and good ones. And, to kick off the “good half" is the iconic film that started it all — Raimi’s Spider-Man (2002). 

Tobey Maguire was the perfect choice to pull off the good-boy, science nerd — as per the early days of the Lee/Ditko comics — even if his turn as Spider-Man wasn’t as snappy as we'd hoped for. Watching him do battle with Willem Dafoe’s outstanding Norman Osbourne was thrilling. J.K. Simmons’ Jameson was pitch-perfect. And, organic web-shooters aside, it was one of the more faithful superhero films put to screen. Let’s also not forget that it pulled off one of the most iconic kisses in superhero cinematic history.

4. ‘Spider-Man: Far From Home' (2019)

Spider-Man: Far From Home, is a well-made film. Firmly taking root in the aftermath of Avengers: Endgame (2019), Far From Home explores the themes of legacy and, as all Spider-Man films do, responsibility. Holland’s consistently charming, as always. Jake Gyllenhaal is masterful as smarmy con artist Quentin Beck and the twist midway through the film was inspired. Watching Holland go through the trippy, bizarre and terrifying illusion sequences was thrilling. It’s at least on par with its predecessor, which…

3. ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming' (2017)

While Garfield was a good Spider-Man/lousy Peter Parker and Maguire was an excellent Peter Parker/average Spider-Man — Tom Holland is the pitch-perfect balance of both roles! 

There’s an infectious Michael J. Fox charm that makes him the perfect everyman —  exactly what Peter Parker/Spider-Man was meant to be! Holland’s first solo outing in the MCU captures that spirit way more than his predecessors. In fact, the struggles of being an everyman is exactly what this film is about. Holland’s Spidey is matched by a stellar Michael Keaton — also playing an everyman in Adrian Toomes/Vulture. And Peter’s decision at the end to stay grounded and help the little guy is precisely the kind of message Stan Lee would have applauded.

2. ‘Spider-Man 2’ (2004)

However, if there’s one live-action Spidey film that encapsulates the struggles of being an everyman AND a superhero, it’s Raimi’s Spider-Man 2. 

Peter’s appeal as a character is that when he takes off the mask he isn’t some billionaire. In this, he's a poor student/photographer who has trouble keeping the lights on. We feel for Peter because we know and see how difficult it is to be Spider-Man — and to be human. We also get Alfred Molina’s brilliant Doc Ock — perhaps the most sympathetic comic book villain put to screen. But the real prize is always the phenomenal action, from the bank fight to the train sequence — one of the best action scenes in a comic book film ever.

1. ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ (2018)

While Far From Home touched upon the idea of legacy, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse blew that idea out of the water in a beautiful way. This is a gorgeous spectacle.

However, the real draw is its endearing characters — pure-hearted, but flawed Miles Morales and disillusioned Peter B. Parker. Miles’s journey from being a kid forced to become a hero he's not ready to be, to becoming the best successor for the job of Spider-Man, is one of the best arcs in superhero cinema to date. And the relationships he has with his uncle, Aaron Davis, and his own father are beautifully portrayed. A near-flawless film and a classic in both the superhero and animation genres.

Marvel Studios released a video that had half the internet dabbing their eyes at the idea of getting back into a theater and watching their favorite heroes continue the epic saga that has been going on since Iron Man hit the big screen all the way back in 2008. In honor of that, we felt a handy "how to watch" was well overdue.

With that in mind, here's how to watch every Marvel Cinematic Universe film that's headed our way through the rest of 2021. (If you don't see your fave, don't stress! Phase 4 goes through 2023.) 

How to Watch Black Widow 

Release Date: July 9, 2021

Of all the 2021 MCU films, Black Widow will be by far the most accessible (at least in markets where Disney+ is available). Since the film's release date hits earlier in the year, Disney made the ultimate decision to release the movie with a hybrid release strategy. This means that Black Widow will be hitting theaters and Disney+ Premier Access at the the same time.

Theatrical runs are pretty impossible to gauge, as they last pretty much as long as the film is still making money at the box office. However, Disney+ Premiere Access films are typically available for purchase for a limited time. (If you buy Black Widow in that time frame, it's yours for as long as you own the service. It's just the purchase window that ends, not the rental itself.)

Once its theatrical run ends and the exclusivity window closes, Black Widow will be available to stream on Disney+ with your regular subscription.

Official Synopsis: 

In Marvel Studios’ action-packed spy thriller Black Widow, Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow confronts the darker parts of her ledger when a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past arises. Pursued by a force that will stop at nothing to bring her down, Natasha must deal with her history as a spy and the broken relationships left in her wake long before she became an Avenger.

How to Watch Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Release Date: September 3, 2021

Currently, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings will be an exclusively theatrical release. Disney and Marvel are currently banking on enough theaters being opened back up by September that they won't need to rely on a hybrid release strategy this late in the year. We'll keep this post updated should that information change. 

If you don't think you'll be ready to head back to a theater any time soon, Shang-Chi will hit Disney+ at some point after its theatrical window ends. However, be prepared for Disney to stretch that run as long as they can! With this being their first full release, they're going to do their best to milk the box office after (presumably) taking a loss on Black Widow's theatrical run. 

Official Synopsis: 

Marvel Studios' Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings stars Simu Liu as Shang-Chi, who must confront the past he thought he left behind when he is drawn into the web of the mysterious Ten Rings organization. The film also stars Tony Leung as Wenwu, Awkwafina as Shang-Chi's friend Katy and Michelle Yeoh as Jiang Nan, as well as Fala Chen, Meng'er Zhang, Florian Munteanu and Ronny Chieng.

How to Watch Eternals

Release Date: November 5, 2021

Eternals will also be exclusively available in theaters for its initial release. Right now, said release holds steady at November 5th, as it seems the release date musical chairs has come to an end. Like Shang-Chi — and any other Marvel film — Eternals will head to Disney+ at some point after its theatrical run is complete. 

Official Synopsis: 

Marvel Studios' Eternals features an exciting new team of Super Heroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, ancient aliens who have been living on Earth in secret for thousands of years. Following the events of Avengers: Endgame, an unexpected tragedy forces them out of the shadows to reunite against mankind's most ancient enemy, the Deviants.

How to Watch Spider-Man: No Way Home

Release Date: December 17, 2021

The Spider-Man films remain a little bit wonky when it comes to Disney/Marvel distribution, but rest assured Peter Parker will be swinging back into your life theatrically first. The film will premiere in December in theaters across North America, and won't be available in any kind of hybrid form unless the world manages to break again. 

Though the Disney+ strategy isn't as cut and dry — Sony still owns Spidey and all the characters within — Sony and Disney did just strike a major deal that means previous Spider-Man films will be headed to Disney+, as well as anything Sony releases between 2022 and 2026. Now, you may notice that Spider-Man: No Way Home releases before that deal technically kicks off. But don't stress too much. Given how much (and how long) this partnership took, you can likely expect Spider-Man: No Way Home to hit the streaming service eventually. With that said, the Sony deal does state that all Sony releases will still have a VOD window so the studio can get as much cash out of it as they can. We'll update this post with any news as it comes in.

There is currently no official synopsis for Spider-Man: No Way Home on Marvel's website.

Yesterday, Spider-Man stars Tom Holland, Zendaya, and Jacob Batalon all had some fun at the internet's expense by dropping some fake titles for the upcoming film. The internet had fun right back, immediately launching into meme after meme of its own titles. We even got in on the game. 

Today, the Spider-Man team has announced the official title in a fun new video. Check out the announcement for Spider-Man: No Way Home.

We're all in on the cast and crew leaning into the fact that Tom Holland does, in fact, spoil everything. Shout out to Holland for being a good sport on the matter. We're not judging on our end. If we were cast in a major role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (And here's how to watch every Marvel movie in order), we'd have a hard time keeping our mouths shut, too.

Thanks to the fun white-board shot featured as the image on this post, we get a glimpse at some fun names that were "shot down" for the film as well. Frankly, we're all-in on a Spider-Man/Home Alone mashup. Kinda curious who at Disney allowed "Webcamming" to make this image though. We support your shenanigans, Jon Watts and company! 

Spider-Man: No Way Home intends to release in theaters this Christmas. Given the current vaccination projections, we could be able to kick back and watch it before-times style on the big screen in that timeframe! We don't know how many weird cameos and what kind of multiverse shenanigans (outside of what's already been announced) we'll be getting into in the film, but wouldn't it be nice to feel the sticky theater floor under your feet again? We can smell the popcorn already.

Fans are tripping over themselves to figure out what’s happening in the MCU’s next Spider-Man installment. With floods of rumors about wild casting of former web-slingers and the multi-verse implications of WandaVision, the internet has been ablaze with speculation over what Marvel iterations we might get a load of in Spider-Man 3. But this newest rumor has fans taking on the courts.  

Fandom is reporting a rumor that the newly (and fakely) titled Spider-Man: Phone Home (or is it Spider-Man: Homewrecker?) is casting for a courtroom scene. Certainly, the obvious assumption is the return of Daredevil. Daredevil, known in the daytime as the attorney, Matt Murdock, is the darling of the Marvel Netflix TV shows as portrayed by Charlie Cox. He was also portrayed by a pre-Bat Ben Affleck in the 2003 film. But those doing backflips to boast the assumption that the red devil will be back on our screens are missing a huge piece of the MCU puzzle: She-Hulk.

There’s not a lot we know about this feature, and apparently the actors don’t know much either. Speaking to Collider, Tom Holland said of the script, “Well, unfortunately I had to read it in sections because there is an element of figuring it out as we go on this one, as there is with most of these big movies, but it is fantastic. It’s easily the most ambitious standalone superhero film I’ve ever been a part of.”

But if we were to guess what MCU character is going to clack into that courtroom, we’d put our money a forest green lawyer perched atop black high heels. Last year, it was reported that Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black) was cast as Jennifer Walters for the upcoming Disney+ series named for the character. The show is set to follow the life of Walters after she gets her cousin, Bruce Banner’s, Hulk powers via a blood transfusion. Walters is notably, a lawyer, and with the MCU shows barreling along to the small screen, this would be a great way to introduce her to audiences.

So brush the Netflix off your glasses! We are hitting Disney+ territory, so if there’s and MCU lawyer we should expect to approach the bench in the upcoming Spider-Man, it’s the one who’s tinted green.

The Spider-Verse continues to expand, this time with Alfred Molina's Doctor Octpous joining the Sony/Marvel partnership in the new Spider-Man film. Molina joins Jamie Foxx's Electro in the second-chance film that's beginning to look more and more like a gateway to Marvel's Sinister Six story.

Spider-Man 3 will be once again directed by Jon Watts, with Chris McKenne and Erik Sommers penning the script. Returning characters include Zendaya's Mary Jane, Marisa Tomei as Aunt May, and Jacob Batalon as Peter's best friend Ned. And, of course, Peter Parker himself - Tom Holland. 

While Holland's Spider-Man has always been unique in the sense that he signifies a groundbreaking partnership between Marvel and Sony, this expansion of the Spider-Verse remains hugely noteworthy as well. Each new chapter of Spider-Man, of which Holland's version makes the third, has completely ignored the one before it. After the success of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, bringing in multiple old favorites seems like an obvious move to continue to get more butts in seats, but it doesn't pull away from the surprise that they're actually taking the risk in a live-action film. 

These continued announcements - and the parallels to the Spider-Verse - beg the question of whether or not we have the potential to see Toby Maguire or Andrew Garfield reprise their roles. Maguire portrayed the webslinger back in 2001-2007, with Garfield taking on the role in 2012-2014.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Jamie Foxx will be returning to the Spider-Man  universe as his former character, Electro. The news has generated (not a pun) plenty of buzz, with many questioning how such a thing could be possible. However, we did just see J.K Simmons reprise his role as J. Jonah Jameson in Far From Home. 

The thing about comic books is that there are no rules. People die, people come back, universes all melt into one another... honestly, it's pretty exciting to see the films start to lean into that craziness. 

Though Tom Holland has since been accepted as the Spider-Man, Andrew Garfield did a good job with what he was given. Folks like to rag on Spider-Man 2, but when you see a great actors like Jamie Foxx and Andrew Garfield struggle with their material, it's often a solid bet that the issue lies with the director and not the talent.

All of that is to say that it's nice to see Foxx get another chance at the complex villain. Who knows what's coming our way now that the Marvel Cinematic Universe's iteration of Peter Parker is a fugitive and the walls between universes have found themselves all wibbly wobbly. The opportunities are unlimited! 

The next chapter in the Spider-Man universe is currently slated for November 5th, 2021. 

A dazzling animation featuring different versions of our favorite web-slinging superhero in parallel universes.
4/5 stars

Spider-Man is Marvel's most popular superhero for a good reason. The geeky teen-turned-friendly neighborhood crimefighter really is relatable. He worries about girls and homework as much as he does about saving the city. He isn't a cocky billionaire inventor who built himself an iron suit; or a neurotic billionaire vigilante who dresses up as a bat, for that matter. He happened to get bitten by a radioactive spider. He could be anyone.

Steered to the screen by Phil Lord, one half of the team behind The Lego Movie, this Oscar-winning animated movie takes that notion and runs with it.

The first surprise is a fresh everyman hero in the shape of Afro-Hispanic Brooklyn teenager Miles Morales (voiced by Shameik Moore), who has his own encounter with a radioactive spider while spraying graffiti in an out-of-bounds corner of the New York subway. Sure enough, the spider's bite gives him Spider-Man-like superpowers.

He also has an encounter with the 'real' Spider-Man (Chris Pine), here older and wearier than the version we're accustomed to and hard at work trying to foil plans by super-villain Kingpin (Liev Schreiber) to access parallel universes by means of a giant particle accelerator.

Alas, he fails to prevent the super-collider from unleashing a bunch of other web-slingers from alternative dimensions — notably a jaded, run-to-seed, 38-year-old Spider-Man (Jake Johnson), Spider-Woman, aka Miles' schoolmate Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld), Japanese-American schoolgirl Peni Parker (Kimiko Glenn), a hard-bitten Spider-Man Noir (Nicolas Cage) and even a porcine hero, Spider-Ham (John Mulaney) — each of them with their own distinctive style of animation.

Sound confusing? It isn't. The film positively zips along. It is playfully amusing, visually ingenious and is as readily engaging as the hero at its heart.

More Spider-Man

• Everything you need to know about Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Part One)
• Best Spider-Man movies ranked
• The Spider-Verse universe expands: Alfred Molina to return

Spider-Man swings back into theaters early next week on July 2, and Atom Tickets has partnered with Vudu to bring movie-goers a discount on their ticket with the purchase of select films in digital HD . If you missed out on any of the recent Spider-Man films, such as Venom or Into The Spider-Verse, this is your chance to get up to speed before the next film is released.

Buying any of the films in this selection scores you a promo code that can be redeemed at Atom Tickets during checkout to save $8 on the purchase of any ticket to see Spider-Man: Far From Home when it's released next week, and you can even use it to buy tickets early.

You might think Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is just for kids due to not being a live-action film, but it's actually a really fun watch for any fan of the masked web-slinger. Its animation is stylized after comic book art to make the movie more closely match the art you'd see in a Spider-Man comic book, and it has a pretty killer soundtrack too. Plus, it comes with a ton of bonus features, and at just $10, that's a great deal considering you'll effectively earn $8 back once you use the movie ticket.

There are a few non-Spidey titles to choose from in the selection that can earn you the discount on a movie ticket too, like Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children and Ghostbusters , though prices vary.