I Can't Believe I Only Just Realized The Spider-Man 3 Editor's Cut Makes Its Most Infamous Scene Even More Unhinged 18 Years After It First Released

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Spider-Man 3’s most infamous scene is already unhinged, but the editor’s cut of the film manages to make it even more bizarre. Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy contains some of the most beloved superhero films of all time, but that doesn’t mean that it has a perfect track record. Despite being a box office hit, Spider-Man 3 fan and critical reception ranged from average to poor, with the film being criticized for its messy storylines and pacing. However, the final installment of Raimi’s trilogy did manage to spawn one of the most iconic Spider-Man moments of all time.

Taken over by the symbiote, Peter becomes an almost unrecognizable version of himself. The boost of his ego combined with the amplification of his aggression turned him into a cocky individual with little regard for the feelings of others. In the film’s most questionable yet iconic scenes, Peter dances dorkily down the streets of New York City without a care in the world. The sequence is supposed to make the viewer feel awkward and uncomfortable, but the scene gets even weirder in the context of Spider-Man 3’s editor’s cut.

The Spider-Man 3 Editor's Cut Makes The Infamous Dance Scene Even Weirder

Dark Peter Parker dancing in Spider-Man 3

In Raimi’s final version of the film, which was released in theaters, Peter’s emo dance scene takes place after he has gotten Eddie Brock fired from the Daily Bugle for his falsified pictures. The dance montage is supposed to represent the newfound confidence that symbiote-corrupted Peter has and how he’s doing things he never imagined he would, whether it be calling out his coworkers or dancing in public. However, the infamous dance scene was actually in a different place in Spider-Man 3’s editor cut.

In the editor’s cut, the dance sequence comes right after Peter and Harry have their fight. Harry throws a pumpkin bomb at Peter out of anger, but Peter deflects it, and it hurls back in Harry’s direction. The incident caused Harry’s face to become disfigured, and then the editor’s cut transitions straight to Peter’s goofy dance. It’s an incredibly jarring transition that makes an already bizarre moment feel all the more unhinged. Seeing Peter’s awkward moves just seconds after he seriously injured his best friend is perfect comedic timing, even if Peter and Harry’s fight isn’t meant to be funny.

Why Spider-Man 3's Dance Scene Is Better The Weirder It Is

There’s no doubt that Peter’s dance is a strange scene to include. For some viewers, it may even feel incredibly out of place. However, that was Raimi’s intention with the sequence in the first place, as it’s supposed to show how much Peter has changed from the symbiote. It was always supposed to be a bizarre scene to watch, and the fact that the editor’s cut makes it feel even more unhinged works well in the film’s favor.

Bryce Dallas Howard in Argylle in front of the Spider-Man 3 poster

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Having the scene come right after Peter and Harry’s fight rightfully makes the viewer feel a bit concerned for his sanity, especially given the context of why he is acting like this in the first place. Of course, the scene still works in the original film as Peter dancing after getting someone fired is also concerning, but there is something especially jarring seeing him so relaxed and joyful after seriously injuring his best friend. Peter’s emo dance sequence will likely always remain Spider-Man 3’s most iconic scene, and the more unhinged it can come off, the better.