Marvel Studios started with a vision and a map for the next decade. But the vision, futuristic as it may have been, still found its way back to its roots. And the Sony family, comprised of Tobey Maguire, Willem Dafoe, Andrew Garfield, Alfred Molina, and Jamie Foxx brought the band back together in MCU’s 2021 hit, Spider-Man: No Way Home.
The superhero action franchise has rarely ever been so hyped off the charts as during the film’s 148-minute runtime. And it is only natural to want the epic team back on the screen again, for one more shot at greatness and nostalgia combined in one frame.
Willem Dafoe in No Way Home
Willem Dafoe Ready For Round 3 Against the Web Slinger
In the beginning, it was Tobey Maguire, the first of his name, to take on the mantle of Spider-Man in the eponymous 2002 Sam Raimi masterpiece. Green Goblin, the arch nemesis of our friendly neighborhood superhero, had then made an appearance opposite Maguire, proving to be as worthy an opponent 20 years ago as he did in the post-pandemic drama.
Green Goblin in Spider-Man (2002)
Willem Dafoe’s turn in both movies was critically appreciated, as can only be expected of a performer like him. The actor did not fail the fans with underperformance or an overdramatic delivery – it was simply the right combination, enough to wreak havoc in the future and prove to be as terrorizing for Spider-Man as it was for the fandom. And it is exactly that fact that has made the audience seem to want the actor back for more of the same.
Willem Dafoe Responds to Claims About MCU Return
It isn’t every day that a star as great as Willem Dafoe finds joy in the silliness of humility and humble beginnings. For him, what Spider-Man brought to him two decades ago was a gift wrapped in CGI and prosthetics. When the studio offered him another go at it, Dafoe was not one to turn down the chance to take a trip down memory lane. In an interview with Inverse, the actor claimed:
“If everything was right, sure. I mean, that’s a great role. I liked the fact that it’s a double role both times. Twenty years ago, and fairly recently, both times [were] very different experiences, but I had a good time on both.”
Willem Dafoe as Green Goblin in No Way Home
Willem Dafoe’s turn on the glider came to a decisive end with 2002’s Spider-Man but Marvel saw to it that the cult favorite villain got another chance to unleash the power of his maniacal ingenuity. If a plot can do right by the Green Goblin, and given that the MCU has currently gone completely multiversal at the moment, there should be no reason why Willem Dafoe’s Norman Osborn cannot reclaim his place opposite Tom Holland’s Peter Parker once again.
Spider-Man: No Way Home is available for streaming on Starz.
