The playbook for sequels goes something like this: bigger, better, and more expensive. Raising the stakes is a requirement. The themes introduced in the first film must be further explored in the sequel. The pressure to deliver can be insurmountable, causing many sequels to fall flat and never live up to the hype. That didn’t happen to "Spider-Man 2," which rose to the occasion and exceeded every expectation.
After the rousing success of 2002’s “Spider-Man,” Sam Raimi returned in 2004 with “Spider-Man 2,” which is celebrating its 20th anniversary on June 30. Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) struggles to balance his life as a crime-fighting superhero and a normal college kid. Peter wants to be with Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst), but her engagement with another man temporarily ends that dream. Harry Osborn (James Franco) still blames Spider-Man over his father’s death, complicating his friendship with Peter. Then, there’s Aunt May (Rosemary Harris), who is still adjusting to life without her husband and Peter’s uncle, Ben Parker.
