There are too many memorable moments to count throughout all of the Spider-Man movies, and particularly so from the Tobey Maguire trilogy - be it that original spider bite, or the train-stopping scene from Spider-Man 2. But one clip is so iconic, it stands out both within the Spider-Man series, and pop culture in general, as one of the most legendary romance scenes of all time.
I am, of course, referring to Peter Parker and Mary Jane’s kiss in the first Spider-Man film. After Peter saves MJ from a group of muggers, she pulls down his mask as he hangs upside down in the pouring rain, and then bam, instant chemistry. There’s a good reason why it finds its way into basically every top 10 list of kisses in cinema history.
While you're here, be sure to check out our interview with No Way Home star, Tom Holland, below.
It probably comes as no surprise then that Kirsten Dunst is pretty pleased that she played a huge role in creating such a famous scene. Speaking to W Magazine, she said that she’s “proud” to be part of it, although apparently, it didn’t feel like it was going to be quite so spectacular at the time.
“I did not feel like it was a famous kiss because Tobey was... water was getting up his nose because of the rain, and then he couldn't breathe in the Spider-Man suit, and then... And it just felt very late at night. I didn't think about it that way,” she explained. “But the way it was presented to me, Sam [Raimi] gave me this book of famous kisses, so that made me realise how romantic and special Sam wanted this to be. Even though it wasn't necessarily feeling that way with Tobey hanging upside down.”
The fact that Maguire and Dunst managed to pull off such a romantic moment, make it look good, and act as if it was actually pleasant is frankly incredible given the difficulties that took place during the filming. Director Sam Raimi previously described Maguire as “semi-drowning” during the scene, which you know, is hardly ideal when you’re trying to kiss someone. I think we can all agree it was worth it, though.
Featured Image Credit: Sony PicturesTopics: Spider Man, TV And Film, Marvel