Two years have passed since the mild-mannered Peter Parker (Tobey
Maguire) walked away from his longtime love Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten
Dunst) and decided to take the road to responsibility as Spider-Man.
Peter must face new challenges as he struggles to cope with "the gift
and the curse" of his powers while balancing his dual identities as the
elusive superhero Spider-Man and life as a college student. The
relationships Peter holds most dear are now in danger of unraveling.
Peter's life-long yearning for M.J. becomes even stronger as he fights
the impulse to abandon his secret life and declare his love. In the
meantime, M.J. has moved on with her life. She has embarked on an
acting career and has a new man in her life. Peter's relationship with
his best friend Harry Osborn (James Franco) has been overshadowed by
Harry's growing vendetta against Spider-Man, whom he holds responsible
for his father's death.
Peter's
life becomes even more complicated when he is pitted against a powerful
new nemesis, the brilliant Dr. Otto Octavius (Alfred Molina) who has
been reincarnated as the maniacal and multi-tentacled Doc Ock. Peter
must now learn to accept his fate and harness all his superhero talents
in order to stop this diabolical madman in his octagonal tracks.