Spider-Man: The New Animated Series
Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox television Spider-Man: The New Animated Series, or simply Spider-Man, is an animated superhero television series based on the Marvel Comics character Spider-Man and produced by Mainframe Entertainment, Marvel Enterprises, Adelaide Productions and Sony Pictures Television. Initially intended to serve as a continuation of Sam Raimi's film Spider-Man (2002), as well as a loose adaptation of the Ultimate Spider-Man comic books by Brian Michael Bendis, the show was made using computer-generated imagery (CGI) rendered in cel shading. It ran for only one season of 13 episodes, airing from July 11 to September 12, 2003, and was broadcast on cable channels MTV in the United States and YTV in Canada.
Initially connected to the Spider-Man film series, the series' events were contradicted by Spider-Man 2, rendering it a separate universe.[1]
Series overview
Set shortly after the events of the 2002 film,[2] Peter Parker, and his friends Mary Jane Watson, and Harry Osborn start attending Empire State University together. Peter and Mary Jane try to establish a relationship without much success. Peter's superhero duties, and later his involvement with Indira Daimonji, interfere with his romance with Mary Jane, while Harry continuously blames Spider-Man for the death of his father Norman Osborn. Peter faces an assortment of other villains including the Lizard, Kraven the Hunter and Electro while trying to maintain a job and his studies.
Cast and characters
Main
- Neil Patrick Harris as Peter Parker / Spider-Man: A superhero who is also an Empire State University student and photographer for the Daily Bugle. Peter confronts with the desire to use his powers to do good, he finds it hard balancing his responsibilities of being a superhero with schoolwork and his romance with Mary Jane Watson.
- Lisa Loeb as Mary Jane Watson: A student at Empire State University and model/actress. She is the on-and-off girlfriend of Peter Parker, but also seems to still hold some affection for Peter's alter-ego, Spider-Man, who she is unaware are both the same person.
- Ian Ziering as Harry Osborn: The son of the late industrialist Norman Osborn. He attends Empire State University along with his friends Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson. Ironically, he blames Spider-Man for his father's death and seeks revenge, but is oblivious to the fact that his father was the Green Goblin, and accidentally triggered his own death; however, as the series progresses, Harry has shown to warm up to Spider-Man, as well as helping him defeat Electro and accept being rescued from the Lizard.
Recurring
- Keith Carradine as J. Jonah Jameson: The Daily Bugle newspaper publisher. Consistent with his appearances in the comics and films, Jameson spent most of his appearances berating Spider-Man and adding political spin to his activities, usually in front of Peter Parker.
- Angelle Brooks as Indira "Indy" Daimonji, a journalist and Peter Parker's girlfriend.
Guest
<templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
- Stan Lee as Frank Elson
- Rob Zombie as Curt Connors / Lizard
- Eve as Cheyenne / Talon
- Kathy Griffin as Roxanne Gaines
- Jeremy Piven as Roland Gaines
- Michael Dorn as Kraven the Hunter
- Michael Clarke Duncan as Kingpin. Duncan reprises his role from the 2003 Daredevil film.
- Keith David as FBI Agent Mosely
- Jeffrey Combs as Dr. Zellner
- David DeLuise as Mack and Jack
- Clancy Brown as Raymond
- Virginia Madsen as Silver Sable
- James Marsters as Sergei
- Harold Perrineau as Turbo Jet
- Ed Asner as Officer Bar. Asner had previously voiced J. Jonah Jameson in the 1990s animated series.
- Gina Gershon as Shikata
- John C. McGinley as Richard Daimian
- Ethan Embry as Max Dillon / Electro
- Devon Sawa as Flash Thompson
- Tara Strong as Christina
- Cree Summer as Professor Williams
- Jeff Fischer as Doug Reisman
Production
Spider-Man: The New Animated Series was ordered by MTV as early as January 2002.[3] Initially, it was supposed to be an adaptation of the Ultimate Spider-Man comics by Brian Michael Bendis. However, after the success of Sam Raimi's 2002 Spider-Man film, the show was reworked to follow its continuity.[2] The computer-generated imagery (CGI) was produced by Mainframe Entertainment.[4] Michael Rosenbaum was approached for the lead role, but he didn't audition.[5] Neil Patrick Harris, Lisa Loeb, and Ian Ziering were announced as the primary voice cast in May 2002.[6] The producers found that the relaxed standards of MTV allowed them more creative freedom than usually allowed for a Saturday-morning cartoon.[7]
Peter Parker was originally supposed to wear baggier clothes to hide his superhero musculature, but cost-effective difficulties with the CGI prevented folds from being put into his everyday attire. As a result, Peter's street clothes were redesigned to be close-fitting and contemporary, while still managing to hide his physique (and the costume he wore under his clothes) as Spider-Man.[2] The character of Aunt May was not included in the series (except for a photograph in Peter's bedroom), because MTV executives feared that the appearance of any elderly people would deter their target youth audience from watching.[8]
The series was canceled after only 13 episodes, reportedly due to low ratings.[9][10] Director Brandon Vietti stated that had the series gone on he would have used the villains Mysterio, Vulture, and more of Kraven.[2]
Episodes
The episodes aired on MTV out of the correct scripted order. The DVD releases feature the episodes in the correct order. Template:Episode table
Reception
In 2004, the series was nominated for an Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement in an Animated Television Production while "Keeping Secrets" got a nomination in Outstanding Storyboarding in an Animated Television Production.[11]
Home media
The complete series was released on DVD as Spider-Man: The New Animated Series: Special Edition on January 13, 2004. Four separate DVD volumes containing three episodes each were also released from 2004 to 2005. The entire series was licensed by Marvel and Sony to DigiKids/Sentimental Journeys, who re-edited the footage from many episodes into one feature, which is sold as a personalized DVD in which the purchaser's face is revealed under Spider-Man's mask.[12]
The series was made available for streaming on Disney+ on October 19, 2022, but the episodes appear in their original air date order and not chronologically.[13] On December 4, 2023, it was removed.[14] As of June 2025, The series is available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, & Fandango at Home through purchase.
References
<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" />
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ a b c d Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Mainframe Animates New Spider-Man TV Series
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
External links
Script error: No such module "Portal".
- Template:Trim/ Template:Trim at IMDbTemplate:EditAtWikidataScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Template:WikidataCheck
- Spider-Man: The New Animated Series @ Marvel Animation Age
Template:Spider-Man in TV Script error: No such module "Navbox". Template:Marvel animation Script error: No such module "Navbox". Template:Adelaide Productions Template:MTVNetwork Shows Template:MTV Animation
- Pages with script errors
- Pages with broken file links
- 2000s American animated television series
- 2000s Canadian animated television series
- 2000s American teen television series
- 2000s Canadian teen television series
- 2003 American animated television series debuts
- 2003 American television series endings
- 2003 Canadian television series debuts
- 2003 Canadian television series endings
- 2000s American superhero television series
- 2000s American college television series
- American animated action television series
- American animated adventure television series
- American animated superhero television series
- American animated science fiction television series
- Canadian animated action television series
- Canadian animated adventure television series
- Canadian animated superhero television series
- Canadian animated science fiction television series
- Animated television shows based on Marvel Comics
- American computer-animated television series
- Canadian computer-animated television series
- MTV cartoons
- Animated television series about shapeshifting
- Animated Spider-Man television series
- Animated television series set in New York City
- Animated television shows based on films
- American sequel television series
- Alternative sequel television series
- American teen animated television series
- Canadian teen animated television series
- Teen superhero television series
- Television series by Mainframe Studios
- Television series by Sony Pictures Television
- Television series by Adelaide Productions
- Cel-shaded animation