Among all the horror-thrillers that have caught hold of fans to the core, Chandler Riggs’ The Spider seems to gaining an edge. A short fanmade film with a legit cast that actually nailed it, this movie has been inspired by none other than the beloved friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, though it differs in wide ranges when it comes to the themes and genre.
That said, this version is a darker take on the web-slinger and is actually a horror movie from the up-and-coming young filmmaker, Andy Chen. Nonetheless, fans’ reactions to this short film are nothing short of spectacular, with many of them even giving this “horror take on Spider-Man” perfect scores for everything — from the cast to the storyline to the special effects and whatnot.
What is The Spider All About?
The Spider is a fan-made horror film by Andy Chen, the young talent in the filmmaking industry who goes by the moniker ‘Locust Garden’ on social media. The characters seen in this film are actually based on the characters from The Amazing Spider-Man comics from Marvel Comics.
Kealani Kitaura and Artin John have produced this film which stars the super-talented Chandler Riggs (famous for The Walking Dead and A Million Little Things) in the lead as the iconic web-slinger bitten by a radioactive spider, just like the original Peter Parker.
Starring alongside Riggs are Andrew Hernon, Ben Thomas, Carl Addicott, Caylee Cowan, David Rice, Holgie Forrester, Kealani Kitaura, Kyra Gardner, Matthew Vorce, and Ronan Arthur, all of whom seem to have absolutely nailed it with their respective performances.
In fact, this horror version of the superhero seems so epically real and scary, that it could quite literally change the way fans look at the friendly neighborhood superhero that they have been growing up watching.
Don’t believe us? Check out Riggs’ take on the same (shared via his X handle @chandlerriggs):
the first moments from THE SPIDER – a short by @locustgarden
so last year i got the crazy opportunity to play PETER PARKER in a short fan film!! it’s a horror take on spiderman, shot with some of the most talented up & coming filmmakers out there.
it was such an incredible… pic.twitter.com/8wvYpVaSOs
— chandler riggs (@chandlerriggs) April 19, 2024
If anything, this teaser is enough to let fans know that this isn’t just any ordinary film but an actually well-developed one. From the visual effects to the shoot to the stunts — everything has been breathtakingly captured and presented, and fans simply couldn’t commend it more.
Fans’ Honest Take on The Spider
Ever since the non-profit short film hit the official YouTube handle of Andy Chen (@locustgarden on YouTube), fans have been going crazy with their reviews mentioning just how awesome this scaresome piece of fan-work is.
Taking to X, they’re reacting to it through the comment section of a tweet from @SpiderMan_Newz asking what they think of the movie. While some are calling it a perfect horror take on Spider-Man, others claim they don’t wanna be bitten by a radioactive spider anymore after watching this film.
All in all, here’s what they think of Chen’s short masterpiece:
10/10
— Tulpasti (@tulpasti) April 19, 2024
I don’t wanna be bitten by a radioactive spider anymore
— Sol (@SolsVengeance) April 20, 2024
Honestly this was a perfect horror take on spider-man, even being more realistic and being worthy to be alongside the neogenic nightmare. The Spider is a masterpiece of cinema 10/10
— Jemil Umanzor (@jemil_umanzor92) April 20, 2024
Fucking terrifying, director knows how to make some great stuff.
— FuzzyRich (@FuzzyRichvfx) April 20, 2024
10/10 for me ngl. Even though it’s almost 10 minutes (sadly 💔) I still recommend it!
— Frutiger (@fruitty_smile) April 20, 2024
that was amazing, great pacing, great concept, genuinely scary, i loved it
— Hal (@Halcyon_OW) April 19, 2024
Peak Fiction
Also Sorry Peter It Was A Canon Event— Zero The Hedgehog (@ZeroTheHedgeh12) April 19, 2024
it was amazing 10/10 in my opinion
— Rob (@SpaceCityRobert) April 19, 2024
Needless to mention (since the fan reviews already say it all), The Spider seems to have won fans’ hearts to the core, with many even asking for more stuff like this to keep them entertained. If anything, this looks like another star-studded addition to Andy Chen’s collection of masterworks!
The Spider was released on the 19th of April, 2024, and you can stream it on Andy Chen’s official YouTube handle @locustgarden, or just click below:
