When Does the Film "Spider-Man 3" (2007) Take Place?
"Spider-Man 3" is a superhero film written by Alvin Sargent with Sam Raimi and Ivan Raimi [adapting "The Amazing Spider-Man" #4 (1963) by Stan Lee as well as "Web of Spider-Man" #1 v1 (1984) by Louise Simonson, "The Amazing Spider-Man" #300 (1988) by David Michelinie, and “The Spectacular Spider-Man” #200 (1993) by J.M. DeMatteis] and released May 1st, 2007.
It takes place on an alternate timeline of the fictional Marvel Cinematic Universe in the year:
We know this because, early in the film, Peter Parker attends a musical starring his girlfriend Mary Jane Watson and the theater next door proudly displays multiple signs that read "BEST MUSICAL Winner 2005 Tony Award" (This is probably "Spamalot" (2004), which was the Best Musical winner at the 2005 Tonys in the real world) so we know this must be after the 2005 59th Tony Awards, which were held on June 5th, 2005 AD.
2005 AD
We know this because, early in the film, Peter Parker attends a musical starring his girlfriend Mary Jane Watson and the theater next door proudly displays multiple signs that read "BEST MUSICAL Winner 2005 Tony Award" (This is probably "Spamalot" (2004), which was the Best Musical winner at the 2005 Tonys in the real world) so we know this must be after the 2005 59th Tony Awards, which were held on June 5th, 2005 AD.
Almost halfway through the film, when Peter learns a new development about one of the villains of this story (Flint Marko a.k.a. the Sandman) he exclaims, "now you're telling me you had suspicions for 2 years?!" Although what point he's referring to being two years in the past is not made explicit, it seems he means it's been 2 years since Uncle Ben's murder seen in "Spider-Man" (2002), which takes place in either late 2000 AD or early 2001 AD.
2000 + 2 = 2002.
or
2001 + 2 = 2003.
Presumably, he is guessing at the point when the NYPD acquired new information or simply misspeaking here.
It was retroactively absorbed into the Marvel Cinematic Universe at a chronologically early place (a midway chronological film to feature Peter Parker/Spider-Man) and can be watched either at its timeline point or before "Spider-Man: No Way Home" (2021) as part of an extended flashback.
