Willem Dafoe’s Marvel movie career may not be quite over yet. The Spider-Man : Nowhere to Return star recently talked about his willingness to return to Norman Osborn/Green Goblin again in a future project, and he seemed optimistic. But he also has certain conditions that need to be met in order for certain kinds of lightning to strike three times.
Dafoe caused a bit of a stir when he took on the role in Sam Raimi’s beloved Spider-Man movie trilogy, and further won over many when he reprized the role in Spider-Man : No Way Home. Admiration, including supporting actor Tom Holland. After such a storied career, the legendary performer can boast a number of famous and iconic roles at this time. But fans still keep coming back to the Green Goblin when they think of their favorites, and it’s not hard to see why. But while Dafoe may be willing to don the leprechaun madness again at some point, that’s not necessarily a sure thing.
In an interview with Inverse, Dafoe clarified his intentions for the future of this particular character. “If all goes well, of course,” he said when asked if he would return to the role. ‘I mean, it’s a great role. I love the fact that it’s a dual character both times. Twenty years ago and more recently, both were very different experiences, but I had a great time. This might not seem like a reveal, but it ties in closely with comments he made earlier about his revenge, and it probably has to be as important as in Spider-Man :’s No Way Home, for Dafoe to take it back to him again. glider.
Back in 2021, Dafoe specified the conditions for his return as the Goblin in Spider-Man : Homeless, pointing out that it was more than simple fan service. “I’m just worried about how contrived it is, or if it’s like a power cameo,” he says. Some more dangerous parts. “Doing the physical work is important to me,” Dafoe continued. “One of the first things I said to [director Jon Watts and producer Amy Pascal], basically when they pitched it to me, even before there was a script, was, ‘Look, I don’t want to just suddenly Cameoing there or just filling in close-ups. I wanted to do the action because it was fun for me.”
Those terms are great for Dafoe and the audience, as his role in Spider-Man : Nowhere to Return is widely considered a standout in a movie already filled with memorable moments. Now it makes sense that an actor who would play Nosferatu twice would have such a claim on his character. Dafoe’s own physicality affects the characters he plays to such an extent that subdued characterizations almost feel like a waste of his talent. It’s a way for the actor to keep his job safe in his niche.
Spider-Man : Nowhere to Go almost featured Michael Keaton’s Vulture, which should help illustrate just how dense the film is. But in the end, they chose to stick with the core returning star group, which included Dafoe. The strategic use of such a well-known actor proved to be the right choice, and it looks like any future reprise will require a similar effort. Just like he likes it.
Spider-Man: No Way Home is available on Amazon Prime Video.