Spider Man Actors Almost Cast As Green Goblin

We all love a good and mighty superhero. However, why not show some love for our favorite villains? The Marvel Cinematic Universe has the mega-blockbuster superhero movie industry on lock. MCU movies have been huge hits and have been massive steps forward for many actors. Honestly, how can we picture anyone else playing Iron Man or Thor than Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Hemsworth? Let’s take it a step further. How could anyone else play Loki other than Tom Hiddleston? There are no heroes without villains and especially after the most recent installment of the MCU’s Spider-Man: No Way Home, it is time to put a spotlight on the all-too-iconic Green Goblin.

Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin has been a beloved and staple villain in the Spider-Man universe, first appearing in Sam Raimi’s 2002 film Spider-Man, and, since then, Dafoe has stepped into the role time and time again and continues to wow us. However, much like any important role in a film, the actor cast in the film was probably not the only one considered. The casting process is a long and important one. In order to get it right, it is a process of trial and error. In fact, a few notable names were actually considered for this role. We have detailed the casting for Green Goblin and how much consideration went into filling the iconic role.

4 Jim Carrey

     New Line Cinema  

Not a lot of people realized that Dafoe was not the only option to play the Goblin in Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy. However, hearing that the icon Jim Carrey was considered for the role at one point has our fancast minds in a frenzy. We all know Green Goblin’s alter-ego persona as close to manic and completely unhinged. So, Carrey would have been an incredible fit. We have seen him in some very eccentric roles like The Mask and even in his more recent work as the villain in Sonic the Hedgehog. Either way, maybe somewhere out there in the multiverse, there exists a Carrey Green Goblin.

3 Nicolas Cage

     MGM  

Another candidate that was considered to bring the iconic villain to life was Nicolas Cage. In fact, according to The Guardian, Cage was the first choice to play the Green Goblin in Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy. Cage is no stranger to completely immersing himself in some difficult roles and had the potential to be a great Green Goblin. We don’t have any doubt that Cage would have definitely brought something special to the role. However, Cage ended up turning down the role for unknown reasons. He then went on to play Johnny Blaze, also known as Ghost Rider, who is speculated to make a comeback in the current MCU. Cage as Goblin is a “What-If” scenario we all would like to explore. However, with Dafoe having made this role completely his, we’re not complaining.

2 John Malkovich

     Sony Pictures / Archstone Distribution  

John Malkovich was also in the talks about who could be the Spider-Man villain. Malkovich has a very extensive filmography under his belt and from what we have seen in terms of his acting abilities, it is not a surprise that he was offered the role. He starred in 1992’s Of Mice and Men as well as a few more recent projects like Netflix’s Birdbox and Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile. However, like everyone on this list, Malkovich ended up turning the role down. In an article by IGN in 2000, Malkovich revealed that scheduling conflicts, as well as the project being not a genre he prefers, contributed to his decision to not move forward in Spider-Man.

1 Jason Issacs

     Warner Bros.  

Many might be surprised that the Lucius Malfoy from Harry Potter could have crossed over to another beloved movie franchise to become the Green Goblin. Well, being a villain in a movie is pretty much in Jason Issacs’ blood. In an interview with Den Of Geek, Issacs details his audition to become Raimi’s Green Goblin. However, unlike the reasons the other actors above had for just flat-out denying the role, Issacs seemed to have done some self-sabotage. Issacs recalls telling Raimi that he himself thought he was too young to play the role he was auditioning for. Well, that is not the best pitch to sell yourself for a role, so who knows what could have been?