As excitement builds for Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Marvel and Disney have released Generations: The Evolution of Spider-Man, a documentary celebrating the web-slinger’s legacy.
Among the featured guests is Naruto creator Masashi Kishimoto, who surprised fans by naming The Amazing Spider-Man 2 as his favorite live-action Spider-Man film.
During the documentary, Kishimoto also reflected on how Spider-Man influenced his own storytelling, particularly the emotional struggles of heroes and villains in Naruto.
Kishimoto says Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man best captures responsibility
Speaking in Generations: The Evolution of Spider-Man, now streaming on Disney+, Kishimoto shared his admiration for Spider-Man and revealed that the franchise has been part of his life for many years.
“Back when my wife and I were dating, when she was still my girlfriend, the very first movie we saw on a date was Spider-Man. It left a huge impression on me.”
While many fans debate between Sam Raimi’s trilogy and the MCU films, Kishimoto chose The Amazing Spider-Man 2 as his personal favorite.
“I absolutely love The Amazing Spider-Man 2. I feel like this Peter Parker is the one who bears the heaviest burden of ‘great responsibility.'”
His comments highlight Andrew Garfield’s portrayal of Peter Parker, which many fans have praised for emphasizing the emotional weight of the character’s responsibilities.
Spider-Man helped shape Naruto’s characters
Kishimoto explained that Spider-Man’s dual identity and morally complex villains influenced how he approached storytelling in Naruto.
“The anguish of [Peter Parker’s double life as a superhero] is something I find really appealing about Spider-Man.”
He added that Spider-Man’s villains are rarely evil without reason, saying that this inspired him to create Naruto antagonists with tragic backstories rather than portraying them as purely evil.
Kishimoto also praised Destin Daniel Cretton, director of the upcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day, who is also attached to direct, co-write, and produce Lionsgate’s live-action Naruto movie.
“I’ve seen several of Director Destin’s previous works,”
Kishimoto said, adding that Cretton has a rare ability to balance emotional storytelling with impressive action sequences.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day is scheduled to premiere in theaters on July 31, while Generations: The Evolution of Spider-Man is currently available to stream on Disney+.
