Spider-Man stars to attend sequel's UK premiere

The hotly-awaited Spider-Man sequel swings into town today.

The Hollywood blockbuster has already broken box office records in the US and movie experts predict it will do the same here.

Tobey Maguire returns as the reluctant superhero and his alter ego Peter Parker.

This time around he battles evil in the shape of a new nemesis, Dr Octopus, played by British actor Alfred Molina.

Kirsten Dunst is back as Spidey’s love interest Mary Jane Watson.

All three stars will be at the UK premiere in London’s Leicester Square, along with director Sam Raimi.

The original Spider-Man swept away previous box office records on its release in 2002 and grossed more than $820m (€660.5m) worldwide.

Critics reckon the sequel is even better – and film-goers agree.

Spider-Man II took $40m (€32m) on its opening day and crossed the $200m (€161m) mark in a record eight days.

The Los Angeles Daily News called it “the best comic book movie ever” while the New York post said: “Sequels don’t get much better – or smarter.”

In the new film, Parker is sick of leading his double life and on the verge of hanging up his Spider suit.

But he is called into action when a freak accident turns scientist Dr Otto Octavius into Dr Octopus, a metal-tentacled super-villain hell-bent on world domination.

The film opens in Ireland and the UK on Friday.