When talking about movies set in New York, one cannot overlook Spider-Man.

Honestly, New York was already a cinematic city before it was just an ordinary city. The scenes of Spider-Man swinging between the skyscrapers of Manhattan that I watched on TV as a child were so vivid. So when I first visited New York, my first thought was, "Wow, this really is Spider-Man's city." I understood why tourists take so many photos in Times Square and stand on the Brooklyn Bridge.

Especially Sam Raimi's first Spider-Man from 2002 still captures the essence of New York remarkably well.

It has a different vibe compared to today's CG blockbusters. The city feels a bit rougher, more human, and the alleys have a life of their own. Tobey Maguire's portrayal of Peter Parker felt like a real, ordinary young man from New York. He wasn't a wealthy hero but rather a somewhat awkward and lonely student from Queens. That setup matched the city of New York perfectly.

In the original Marvel Comics, Peter Parker is also from Forest Hills, Queens. He is a true New Yorker.

In fact, many Marvel heroes are set against the backdrop of New York. Daredevil is in Hell's Kitchen, Doctor Strange is in Greenwich Village, and the Avengers are in Midtown Manhattan. However, among them, Spider-Man seems to be the character that symbolically represents New York the best. The reason is simple: he is the hero who makes the best use of the city's skyscrapers.

I still remember the scene from the 2002 Spider-Man on the Queensboro Bridge. The Green Goblin is about to drop MJ, and Spider-Man is throwing himself to save the citizens. I was really on the edge of my seat in the theater.

While the CG technology may not seem cutting-edge by today's standards, the atmosphere on the bridge and the scale of the city were incredibly well captured. Since that scene, many people have come to see the Queensboro Bridge not just as a New York bridge but as the "Spider-Man bridge."

It's also interesting that New York landmarks keep appearing in the Spider-Man movies. The Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, Brooklyn Bridge, Times Square, and the Statue of Liberty are all places that appear on New York tourist postcards.

However, they are not just used as simple backgrounds; the action itself is connected to the city's structure. For example, while other superhero movies often feel like they destroy the city, Spider-Man feels like he is alive and moving through the city. The action flows through building exteriors, alleys, subways, and bridge cables.

Personally, I think many still consider Spider-Man 2 to be the best.

The subway scene with Doctor Octopus is still incredibly tense even today. The atmosphere of New Yorkers coming together to support Spider-Man was great too. From that moment, it felt like "New Yorkers and Spider-Man are on the same team." Even though it's a superhero movie set in New York, the city felt like a living character rather than just a backdrop.

As time has passed, the Tom Holland version of Spider-Man in the MCU has a slightly different vibe. It's much brighter, younger, and faster. However, as it connects to the larger MCU, New York has transformed into a more massive center of the Marvel universe.

There are Avengers Towers, Doctor Strange is around, and aliens invade. Yet, Spider-Man still maintains that student vibe from Queens. That's why people seem to love him even more. He's a hero saving the world, but he still feels like a New York student taking the subway to school.

Spider-Man: No Way Home in 2021 was a huge event in theaters. Many people disconnected from the internet to avoid spoilers. Especially the climax at the Statue of Liberty felt like a perfect blend of New York symbolism and Marvel essence. The scene of three Spider-Men jumping together over the New York harbor at night was almost an event for Marvel fans. The atmosphere in the theater was filled with applause.

When you actually visit New York, you understand why filmmakers love this city. The city itself feels like a movie set. Walking through Midtown Manhattan at night, the neon signs, taxis, police sirens, and the hustle and bustle of people really give you the feeling of "Ah, this is the Marvel universe." When you go near the Brooklyn Bridge or the Queens area, you might think, "Peter Parker would probably live here."

These days, among Korean families living in New York, many children love Spider-Man.

So when they tour New York, they sometimes go on a "Spider-Man location tour" rather than just visiting tourist spots. They visit Forest Hills in Queens, take a boat to see the Statue of Liberty, walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, and take photos with Marvel character costumes in Times Square. The city of New York itself feels like a massive movie experience space.

In the end, Spider-Man seems to have become the hero that represents New York.

Batman has the fictional city of Gotham, but Spider-Man's image is firmly rooted in real New York.

So when you watch the movie and then visit New York, it doesn't feel unfamiliar. You've already swung through this city dozens of times in Spider-Man movies.