Within the expansive Marvel Universe, Spider-Man has come out to be one of the most popular superheroes. Originating from Marvel comics, the character has since led several shows and movies, including Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy starring Tobey Maguire. Starting with the 2002 sci-fi action film, the actor reprised his role in two sequels and, most recently, in the 2021 blockbuster No Way Home alongside Tom Holland and Andrew Garfield.
Known for bringing back iconic characters like Green Goblin and Doctor Octopus, the movie was a huge hit, making over $1 billion at the box office. However, there are still some aspects that make the earlier depictions of the superhero stand out, particularly due to the utilization of practical effects in its filming.
Read More: Secret Wars: Tom Holland Spider-Man’s Most Underused Ability is Key to Stopping All Incursions
Why Spider-Man 2 is Better Than No Way Home?
Spider-Man 2 introduced Alfred Molina as Otto Octavius, who becomes Doctor Octopus’ after a tragic accident that fuses four formidable mechanical tentacles to his body. Influenced by these prosthetic arms, the genius physicist turns into a murderous criminal.
Following his introduction alongside Tobey Maguire in the 2004 film, No Way Home brought him back. However, there was a significant difference in his appearance. Unlike the 2004 film, the Tom Holland starrer heavily relied on CGI for Doctor Octopus’ tentacles.
The extensive use of CGI has been one of the many critical points for the MCU movies. However, despite such advances in filmmaking, No Way Home was unable to replicate the realistic effects of the Spider-Man sequel, which was released almost two decades ago.
While Sam Raimi’s film did rely on visual effects, Doctor Octopus’ signature tentacles were mostly brought to life through puppetry. They were controlled by four people who would rehearse the sequences with Molina to make them as authentic as possible.
Read More: Ranking the Most Thrilling Comic Book Films of 2023
Alfred Molina on the Technological Advancements in Filmmaking
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Tom Holland shared Alfred Molina’s reaction to the technological advancements of filmmaking. Stating that Spider-Man 2 used puppets for Doctor Octopus’ arms, he said, “It was really fun to watch him see how technology has advanced.” He further shared,
“When he was making these films, the arms were puppets, and when we did it, they’re all imaginary and CG. It was quite cool to see him relive it, but also relearn it.”
Holland claimed that the use of CGI provided Molina with more freedom in movement on set. However, it also had some challenges. In an appearance on Hot Ones, the Marvel star shared the use of a “toothpick rig” during the filming of No Way Home.
He shared that the Three Pines star would be secured to this crane-like structure to create the illusion that the robotic arms were carrying him. But it turned out to be pretty challenging as his co-star had “no control over where he goes” and would suddenly “disappear” as he moved around.
Spider-Man 2 is available on Disney+.
Spider-Man: No Way Home is available to rent or buy on Prime Video.
