Ranking all Aunt May’s in the Spider-Man universe
By Sandy C.
With the arrival of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, we now have a total of four Aunt May’s we’ve seen in theaters. Which one is your favorite?
Spider-Man is one of the oldest, most recognizable, and beloved superheroes of all-time. In the cinematic world, the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man has been through a lot of changes. Mary Jane is Peter Parker’s true love in the original, Gwen Stacy takes that spot in the second franchise, uncle Ben’s death is a focus in each one, just to name a few. But one character is always present and a big part of Spidey’s life: Aunt May.
The four most modern takes on Spider-Man are: Sam Raimi’s trilogy starring Tobey Maguire, Marc Webb’s cancelled series starring Andrew Garfield, the current Jon Watts franchise with Tom Holland, and the recently released animated film Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse. Besides the obvious, one thing they all have in common is that they feature sweet May Parker. Let’s rank them!
Please note: Spoilers area ahead if you haven’t caught all of the movies above…
#4 Sally Field as May Parker
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What we love about her: It was nice to see someone younger as May Parker, it was more believable this way, and Sally Field is a wonderful actress! However, there was just something about this Aunt May that kept us from loving her.
What we don’t: Nothing against the actress, I think just everything about The Amazing Spider-Man movies wasn’t great. It was cancelled for a reason.
#3 Rosemary Harris as May Parker
What we love about her: In Sam Raimi’s trilogy, actress Rosemary Harris took on the role. This is by far the sweetest Aunt May of them all. She has a soft spot with us because she’s the first modern live action May Parker we remember. May wasn’t happy when she learned about Peter’s involvement in the death of her husband, Ben, but she came around and has always been loving and understanding.
What we don’t: There’s nothing to hate about this May Parker. She endured a lot of heartbreak and attacks from Spider-Man’s enemies. Frankly, for her age, I’m surprised she lived through it all. She’s one tough lady!
#2 Marisa Tomei as May Parker
What we love about her: Many questioned the casting choice for the latest Aunt May, but it later made a lot of sense. May Parker is Peter’s AUNT, not grandmother, why and who says she needs to be at least one generation older than Peter’s mom would be? Marisa Tomei fits the role perfectly. She’s sassy, protective, supportive, and because of her age is able to be involved in Peter’s life more.
What we don’t: No complaints here, we hope to see a lot of her in the upcoming Spider-Man: Far From Home.
#1 Lily Tomlin as May Parker
What we love about her: This animated May Parker in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse by far takes the cake. This aunt May, voiced by Lily Tomlin, takes everything we love about Marisa Tomei’s May and kicks things up a notch. She kicks doors opens, isn’t afraid to be in a house packed with villains, has plenty of sass to go around, and hits Scorpion in the face with a bat! Badass doesn’t even begin to cover it.
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What we don’t: If we could change one thing, it would be her screen time! We want to see more of this fearless Aunt May!
Do you agree with this order? Which Aunt May is your favorite and why? Let us know in the comments!
Spider-Man: Far From Home swings into theaters July 5, 2019. A sequel to Spider-Verse (as well as a planned spinoff) does not have a release date just yet.