Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin in Spider-Man would have had a completely different face than he had, but it would have conveyed the same fear
The legendary actor Billy Bob Thorntonknown for his roles in Fargo, Bad Santa Claus Yes Landmanhe confessed the reasons why he decided not to contact the skin of the iconic villain Green Goblin in the first episode of Spider-Man by Sam Raimi. A decision that, for fans, remains a “what if?” very intriguing that had left us with an equally good performance.
The reasons for the “no”
In an interview for the podcast Noteworthy From The playlistThornton shared that not only did he refuse to play the Green Goblin, but also the villain Owen Davian Mission: Impossible III. The main reason? His lack of interest in these types of charactersas he explained:
“I don’t have much interest in these types of roles. With Green Goblin I didn’t feel like getting up at 4 in the morning to spend five or six hours doing makeup. And with Mission: Impossible III, I didn’t want to be the person who tries to kill Tom Cruise.”
Thornton talked about it too He’s not attracted to the idea of being remembered solely as a villain. in a large franchise. “If you’re the bad guy in a movie like that, people will remember it forever. “I prefer to keep things more relaxed and unpredictable,” he added.
The perfect Green Goblin
In the end, Willem Dafoe It was he who took on the role of Norman Osborn and delivered a performance that has become a classic of superhero cinema. Dafoe’s interpretation, both in Spider-Man as in Spider-Man: No Way Homemarked a before and an afterproving that the Green Goblin is not just a memorable villain, but a nuanced character.
Curiously, Thornton’s statements suggest that Osborn’s character was initially designed to use prosthetics. instead of the tech suit we finally saw. This adds a layer of speculation about what his version of the villain would have been like and how different the film would have been with his involvement.
Dafoe and his possible return to the Spider-Man universe
While Thornton stayed out of the superhero world, Willem Dafoe does not rule out a return the Green Goblin. While promoting his recent project NosferatuDafoe joked about the possibility of returning Spider-Man 4:
“We’ll see, we’ll see [risas]. I might return. Tom [Holland] It was great and the whole series of Spider-Man films I worked on were a lot of fun.”
Dafoe made it clear last year that, while he isn’t looking for small guest appearances, he would be willing to return if the script offered something substantial:
“If all goes well, of course. It’s a fantastic role. I really enjoyed playing him because it’s a double role. The experiences of 20 years ago and the most recent one were very different, but I enjoyed both.”
His return Spider-Man: No Way Home It was a resounding success.especially because he asked to be an active part in the action scenes:
“I wanted to make sure it wasn’t just a cameo. I needed there to be action; This is what gives the character the basis. Otherwise it just becomes a series of memes.”
A “what could have been”?
Even if we will never know what it would have been like Billy Bob Thornton like him Green Goblin, His refusal paved the way for one of the most iconic interpretations of the genre.. Could he have been as good as Willem Dafoe? It’s hard to imagine, but fans will always enjoy speculating about these types of scenarios.
What do you think? Do you think Thornton would have made a good Green Goblin or was it best left to Dafoe?