Spider-Man: Directed by Sam Raimi. With Tobey Maguire, Willem Dafoe, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco. When bitten by a genetically modified spider, a nerdy, shy, and awkward high school student gains spider-like abilities that he eventually must use to fight evil as a superhero after tragedy befalls his family. Spider-Man After being bitten by a genetically altered spider, nerdy high school student Peter Parker is endowed with amazing powers to become the Amazing superhero known as Spider-Man.