Nicolas Cage will soon re-enter the Spider-Verse as Ben Reilly in Prime Video's Spider-Noir (he previously voiced a variant of the hero), and the actor has now revealed that he had the chance to face off against the wall-crawler on the big screen many years ago.
While speaking to People.com, Cage confirmed that he was offered the role of Norman Osborn/Green Goblin in Sam Raimi's first Spider-Man movie back in 2002.
The Academy Award-winner says that he had several conversations with Raimi about potentially suiting up as Spidey's nemesis, but he declined in order to star in Spike Jonze's Adaptation.
“For me, that was the right choice at the time,” Cage explains.
Of course, Willem Dafoe ultimately wound up playing Goblin, and it's difficult to picture anyone else - even an actor of Cage's calibre - surpassing him in the role.
“I've played plenty of villains. I like both,” Cage added when asked if he prefers to play the bad guy.. “I think they're both important parts of cinema. I would not want to get trapped into doing one thing.”
Dafoe returned as Osborn in Spider-Man: No Way Home, and while he has hinted that he may not be done as the character, it's probably only a matter of time before a new take on the iconic villain is introduced in the MCU.
Do you think Nicolas Cage would have been the right choice to play Green Goblin? Drop us a comment down below.
An aging and down on his luck private investigator in 1930s New York is forced to grapple with his past life as the city's one and only superhero.
The cast of Spider-Noir also features Lamorne Morris (Fargo, New Girl), Li Jun Li (Sinners, Babylon), Abraham Popoola (Atlas, Slow Horses), Karen Rodriguez (The Hunting Wives, Acapulco), Jack Huston (Boardwalk Empire, Day of The Fight), and Brendan Gleeson (The Banshees of Inisherin, Harry Potter). Guest stars include Lukas Haas, Cameron Britton, Cary Christopher, Michael Kostroff, Scott MacArthur, Joe Massingill, Whitney Rice, Amanda Schull, Andrew Caldwell, Amy Aquino, Andrew Robinson, and Kai Caster.
Harry Bradbeer (Fleabag, Killing Eve) directed and executive-produced the first two episodes. Oren Uziel (The Lost City, 22 Jump Street) and Steve Lightfoot (Marvel’s The Punisher, Shantaram) are on board as co-showrunners and executive producers, and developed the series alongside the team behind Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, and Amy Pascal.
Spider-Noir will premiere on May 25 on MGM+’s linear channel and globally on Prime Video on May 27.