Robert Kirkman Sparks Debate Over Spider-Man’s Most Divisive Movie

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Andrew Garfield throws a manhole cover in front of an explosion from The Amazing Spider-Man 2

Published May 1, 2026, 5:00 PM EDT

John Dodge is an MTV Writer for CBR who specializes in movies, television, comics, and pop culture. He has a deep knowledge of franchises like Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Marvel, and DC Comics, along with a passion for indie and horror titles. An expert on obscure productions from the ’80s and ’90s, John is known for his encyclopedic recall of cult classics like Beetleborgs.

Robert Kirkman calls out The Amazing Spider-Man 2 as an absolute "mess," and fans seem to have largely admitted that he is right.

During a recent appearance on The Escape Pod Podcast, Invincible and The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman was asked for his thoughts on The Amazing Spider-Man 2, to which he replied, "Terrible... I don't like to publicly talk about my opinions on movies, but The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is dog shit."

Not all of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is completely abysmal in Kirkman's eyes, though. "As much as I love Jamie Foxx, I love Andrew. Andrew Garfield is a great Spider-Man. There are aspects to both of those movies that are spectacular, but that movie is a mess," Kirkman added. While many fans have agreed with Kirkman's overall sentiment, with some noting the impact of sheer nostalgia on some audiences, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 does still have plenty of people pointing out that the film, in its entirety, is not a lost cause.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 was directed by Marc Webb from a screenplay by Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, and Jeff Pinkner, and marked Andrew Garfield's second turn as Peter Parker on the silver screen. Alongside Garfield, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 brought back Emma Stone's Gwen Stacy and Sally Field as May Parker, who were joined by then franchise newcomers Dane DeHaan as Harry Osborn, Jamie Foxx as Max Dillon aka Electro, Paul Giamatti as Aleksei Sytsevich aka the Rhino, and Felicity Jones as Felicia Hardy.

While The Amazing Spider-Man 2 swept the box office upon its release in 2014, grossing more than $716 million against a $293 million budget, the film failed to make much of a positive impact in terms of critical response. As of the time of writing, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 holds a mere 51% "Fresh" rating via review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, though its audience-generated "Popcornmeter" score sits at a much higher 64% approval rating, both of which marked a substantial drop from its predecessor.

What's Next for Spider-Man on the Silver Screen?

No matter how divisive The Amazing Spider-Man 2 continues to be, Andrew Garfield was at least given his shot at redemption in the role of Spider-Man thanks to 2021's Spider-Man: No Way Home. Currently, fans of the franchise are eagerly awaiting the release of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which will follow up with Tom Holland's Peter Parker after watching nearly every trace of his existence wiped from the memories of almost every single person on Earth.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is set to arrive in theaters on July 31, and will see Holland's Spider-Man joined by numerous other MCU mainstays, including Mark Ruffalo's Hulk and Jon Bernthal's Frank Castle, better known as the Punisher. Spider-Man: Brand New Day will introduce several new characters who could very well be key to the future of the wider MCU, primarily Stranger Things star Sadie Sink, whose exact role has yet to be revealed, and as such remains the source of endless speculation.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 can be streamed on HBO Max and Disney+.