I’m still astounded that Marvel Studios chose to tone down one of Peter Parker’s most iconic and powerful adversaries when they introduced him into the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2021’s “Spider-Man: No Way Home”. In this action-packed movie, Tom Holland’s Spider-Man engaged in fierce battles with various supervillains from previous non-MCU “Spider-Man” films. This was a thrilling reunion featuring Alfred Molina’s Doctor Octopus, Jamie Foxx’s Electro, Rhys Ifans’ Lizard, Thomas Haden Church’s Sandman, and, most eagerly awaited of all, Willem Dafoe’s Norman Osborn. Unfortunately, however, the Green Goblin in “No Way Home” didn’t live up to our expectations.
In Sam Raimi’s 2002 film, Spider-Man, Norman Osborn had numerous opportunities to exhibit his psychotic and powerful character, including a chilling scene where he destroyed a crowd of bystanders, even including members of Oscorp’s board of directors, using a Pumpkin Bomb at the Unity Day festival. Although it would have been thrilling to watch this unbridled evil reappear in Spider-Man: No Way Home, Marvel Studios toned down the Green Goblin’s strength significantly in the Phase 4 trilogy finale.
Indeed, in the movie “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” it was Norman Osborn’s Green Goblin persona that assumed control, leading him to murder Aunt May (played by Marisa Tomei) and instigate conflict against Peter Parker and his allies. However, Aunt May was the sole victim of the Green Goblin’s actions; his infamous Pumpkin Bombs, capable of vaporizing entire Oscorp board members, leaving only their skeletons behind, were not employed in this instance. It’s unfortunate that Norman Osborn’s first appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe didn’t have a more significant impact, given his status as one of Spider-Man’s most formidable and renowned foes.
In the animated series “Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man”, the character of Norman Osborn, voiced by Academy Award-nominee Colman Domingo, has shown a more cunning and devious side. So far, he hasn’t taken on the Green Goblin persona, but that might happen in season 2 or later. Given the violent nature of the characters in the animated Multiverse Saga, this Green Goblin could be exceptionally ruthless. If Colman Domingo were to transition to live-action and play the real Norman Osborn (possibly post “Avengers: Secret Wars'”), these characteristics of manipulation and brutality could become a reality.
In the movie “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” we saw Norman Osborn make his debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), but unfortunately, he didn’t exhibit all his menacing traits. Some argue that he was toned down to make other villains like Lizard, Electro, and Sandman appear more formidable. Given Peter Parker’s usual ability to handle less powerful adversaries, it’s intriguing to speculate if this was the case. The MCU‘s upcoming reboot offers an exciting chance for a fresh Norman Osborn character, and we eagerly anticipate that he’ll be as terrifying as Willem Dafoe’s portrayal from the 2002 “Spider-Man” film.
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2025-08-03 06:09