‘Spider-Man’ Producer Amy Pascal Didn’t Know if First Movie in 2002 Would Be a Success: ‘I Was Terrified’

Amy Pascal will never forget the world premiere of the first Spider-Man movie in 2002.

She was the head of Sony at the time, and was so worried that the film wouldnt succeed she spent the entire time in the ladies room crying, Pascal recalled at the Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse premiere in Los Angeles.

I sure did, she continued. I was terrified. How do you know? You never know!

But, she said, her fears disappeared on opening day: It was one of the greatest days of my life.

The film took in $100 million in its first three days. The first Spider-Man, starring Tobey Maguire Kirsten Dunst, Willem Dafoe, James Franco and Rosemary Harris and directed by Sam Raimi, went on to gross $825 million and spawned a decades-long franchise.

The most recent release is the animated Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. After less than two weeks in theaters, the film made $226 domestically and $390 million globally, surpassing the entire box office run of its predecessor, 2018s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. The movie sees the return ofShameik Moore as Miles Morales and Hailee Steinfeld as Gwen Stacy. A third animated installment, Beyond the Spider-Verse, is set for release in 2024.

Even though shes no longer the studio boss, Pascal has remained a producer of the Spider-Man movies. I am very grateful to be a part of this for a very long time, she said.

As I previously reported, Pascal says there are a lot more Spidey projects in the works, including possible live-action Miles Morales movies and Spider-Woman films. Youll see all of it, she said. Its all happening.

Pascal added, Spider-Man movies always work when theyre movies about emotion. Thats why people go to see films.

And she isnt resting on her laurels anytime soon: Im not calm. If I ever get calm, shoot me.