Sam Raimi Shamelessly Snatched This Iconic Spider-Man Scene From Batman
Batman pulled off the iconic Spider-Man kiss 6 years earlier.
There is no doubt that Sam Raimi 's Spider-Man trilogy has become iconic, and so have many scenes from these movies.
The upside-down kiss between Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst is one of the most memorable moments from the first film.
Tobey Maguire later confessed that it was really difficult to shoot the scene as the rain was pouring down his nose, basically making him suffocate. Nevertheless, this scene won our hearts and the MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss in 2003.
The scene was considered to be original, but eagle-eyed comic book fans found a parallel between Raimi's scene and another popular comic book character, this time from DC — Batman.
Back in 1996, Catwoman #40 by Doug Moench and Jim Balent was released. In this thrilling issue, Catwoman plants a surprise upside-down kiss on Batman's lips, leaving readers in a state of shock, awe, and a touch of amusement.
So is that a coincidence or inspiration?
Let's address the question on everyone's minds: did Sam Raimi "borrow" this iconic moment from the pages of Catwoman? Well, we can't say for certain, but the similarities are difficult to ignore.
It's possible that Raimi, being a fan of comic books himself, drew inspiration from this memorable Catwoman issue.
One thing is for sure: The upside-down kiss is a powerful visual motif that symbolizes both danger and romance. It's an image that introduces love in the most unexpected way in extraordinary circumstances.
So, can we really blame Raimi for wanting to include such an impactful moment in his Spider-Man film, even if he did take the Catwoman kiss as inspiration? Absolutely not.
We can also assume that Raimi may have intended the upside-down kiss as an homage to Catwoman, paying tribute to the comic book medium that birthed these beloved characters.
How many scenes (love scenes, in particular) from modern superhero movies will you remember in 20 years? Probably not too many.
Whether it was an intentional homage or a mere coincidence, Spider-Man's upside-down kiss will be forever remembered as an iconic scene in superhero cinema.