Spider-Man is a character in a shared superhero universe.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe ( MCU ) is an American media franchise and shared universe that is centered on a series of superhero films , independently produced by Marvel Studios and based on characters that appear in publications by Marvel Comics . Spider-Man . In films , Spider-Man has been portrayed by actors Tobey Maguire ( 2002 -- 2007 ) and Andrew Garfield ( 2012 -- 2014 ) , while Tom Holland portrays the character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe , first appearing in Captain America : Civil War in 2016 .