Comparison between the cut UK television broadcast on itv2 (23th April 2022 - 7.25 pm) and the uncut US Blu-ray by Sony


- 17 cuts + 2 censorships by zoom
- Cut duration: 51.3 sec [in PAL]

In addition, in the present broadcast there also had 5 missing moments around commercial breaks with a duration of 18.2 sec


Sam Raimi's Spider-Man from 2002 with Tobey Maguire still has a special place in the hearts of many fans, of course, before Andrew Garfield and Tom Holland put on the costume. At the end of April 2022, the headline caused a stir that the film had been censored on British TV during a sentence by Peter that could be classified as homophobic. Quite a few sites picked up on this, see for example. Variety, Independent or LADbible.

Always only this one moment was reported on and in the broader sense it sounded like a typical politically correct adjustment of our modern time (indirectly also comparable to e.g. Toy Story 2). The topic of homophobia in particular probably aroused a certain interest among publishers, as Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was recently banned in Saudi Arabia due to a homosexual character, and Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore from Warner Bros was shortened in China by a scene with a homosexual theme. However, we have now compared the corresponding broadcast on itv2 in its entirety and basically come to a different conclusion.

A closer look reveals that even more scenes were cut and reducing it to this one short line of dialogue feels a bit like clickbait after all. There are also quite a few bits of violence or further dialogues with swearwords missing. Curiously, the shots in which you can see Kirsten Dunst's wet breasts have also been zoomed in. The homophobic commentary is thus only a relatively small one of really many censorship adjustments made to the film. Here you get a colorful mix of the full range of cuts with very different intentions.

This is what you find on television all over the world, especially at earlier broadcasting times during the day. In German-speaking countries alone, there are at least three different versions of Spider-Man edited for TV broadcasts during daytime which we reported on our German site. In In the UK, quasi-harmless films such as Ghostbusters have also often attracted attention with TV censors. The fact that, among other things, an offensive commentary by Peter was removed here is, on the whole, simply business as usual on the "old" medium of regular television. The same applies, by the way, to quite a few missing moments around the particularly frequent commercial breaks, where the British broadcaster radically got rid of a few seconds each time. Not cool.

 

Runtimes are arranged according to
itv2 in PAL / US-Blu-ray

12:01 / 12:34-12:37

With the first commercial break, an exterior shot of the Parkers' house went missing.
Ben says here: "And the Lord said , Let there be light."

Note: Only cut on the 4/23/22 rebroadcast. The 4/18/22 broadcast had this moment intact, while the remaining censorship changes were exactly the same.

2.7 sec

The shot of the DNA string in the 14th/15th minute is strangely slowed down a bit and its last frames are missing.

16:22 / 17:09-17:12

A close-up of Norman twitching and a cut to Stomm.

2.6 sec

16:47 / 17:38-17:41

Another close-up of the angry Norman and one of Stromm in a choke hold.

3 sec

30:28 / 31:57-31:59

Another commercial break: The effect of newspaper pages flipping into the picture on the left is suppressed here.

Note: Only cut on the 4/23/22 rebroadcast. The 4/18/22 broadcast had this moment intact, while the remaining censorship changes were exactly the same.

2 sec

38:41 / 40:33-40:35

Peter further ridicules his opponent Bonesaw: "(That's a cute outfit.) Did your husband give it to you?"

1.5 sec

38:52 / 40:46-40:51

Bonesaw hits the chair on Peter's head as well as on his back.

4.6 sec

38:52 / 40:51-40:53

After a short cut to cheering girls was included, Bonesaw knocks the chair on Peter's back again. itv starts again shortly after the hit.

1.4 sec

39:10 / 41:11-41:15

Peter kicks Bonesaw in the face several times.

3.7 sec

40:20 / 42:28-42:29

The thief hits the manager one more time.

0.8 sec

40:54 / 43:04-43:11

Next commercial break: Again, there is a smooth transition from Peter in the hallway to the scene on the street.

Note: Only cut on the 4/23/22 rebroadcast. The 4/18/22 broadcast had this moment intact, while the remaining censorship changes were exactly the same.

6.7 sec

45:16 / 47:44-47:49

Peter drags the thief around longer and rams his head through two panes of glass.

5.1 sec

65:43 / 69:09-69:13

The Goblin rams Spider-Man's head into the glass. In a close shot Spider-Man gives him a blow to the head.

3.4 sec

67:16 / 70:50-70:51

And commercials again: Before MJ calls Harry, she is seen for an insignificant moment longer.

Note: Only cut on the 4/23/22 rebroadcast. The 4/18/22 broadcast had this moment intact, while the remaining censorship changes were exactly the same.

1.1 sec



76:03 / 80:00-80:02

MJ kicks an attacker between the legs and is attacked from behind.

1.4 sec

76:11 / 80:10-80:11

Interesting: The shot of MJ starts a bit earlier and thus you can clearly see her nipples shining through under the wet dress.

1.2 sec

Zoom
76:11-76:13 / 80:11-80:13

In addition, the rest of the shot is zoomed so that the breasts are out of the picture at the bottom. So here it clearly reveals that itv simply thought the shot was really too revealing and needed to be tamed down.

itv2 (UK)	Blu-ray

Same story about 20 sec later when MJ turns around.

itv2 (UK)	Blu-ray

80:55 / 85:08-85:14

Finally, another advertising break: The Goblin disappears a bit longer in the fire and turns back into Norman. Quite annoying that such nice transition effects were simply cut out for time.

Note: Only cut on the 4/23/22 rebroadcast. The 4/18/22 broadcast had this moment intact, while the remaining censorship changes were exactly the same.

5.7 sec

99:28 / 104:34-104:35

The Goblin is mobbed by people a little longer. A woman comments: "Yeah , kick your ass!"

1 sec

Note: "I got something for your ass!" can be heard uncensored on itv2 shortly thereafter.


100:35 / 105:46-105:51

Spider-Man gets a knee blow to the head from the Goblin and a punch afterwards.

5.6 sec

100:42 / 105:58-106:03

The Goblin punches Spider-Man three more times in the face. He takes a fourth swing.

4.7 sec

100:59 / 106:21-106:24

Another kick in the face. Spider-Man staggers around a bit.

3.1 sec

101:17 / 106:43-106:47

The Goblin threatens: "(...your little girlfriend's death would have been quick and painless.) But now that you've really pissed me off (I'm gonna finish her nice and slow.)"

3.6 sec

102:17 / 107:51-107:55

Peter punches the goblin several more times in the face.

4.7 sec

The credits are in principle included completely, but they are played faster. In addition, itv2 has still discreetly pointed out high-quality titles in the further program.

itv2 (UK)	Blu-ray