Billy Bob Thornton Reveals He Turned Down a Major Marvel Villain Role

As a seasoned film enthusiast with a rich tapestry of experiences under my belt, I must say that Billy Bob Thornton‘s career choices have always been intriguing. His latest revelation about turning down iconic villain roles in Marvel’s Spider-Man and Mission: Impossible franchises is no exception.

Billy Bob Thornton has only ventured closest to a comic book role by voicing himself on DC’s Harley Quinn animated series, but it seems he came even closer than that at one point. In a recent interview on The Playlist’s “Bingeworthy” podcast, Thornton disclosed that he was offered and declined the part of a significant villain in a Marvel film, as well as a role in another high-profile franchise. Thornton admitted he turned down the opportunity to portray the Green Goblin in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man, and also declined the offer to play arms dealer Owen Davian in J.J. Abrams’ Mission: Impossible III.

Thornton expressed that he isn’t drawn to those types of roles as he found the prospect of spending 4 a.m. for five to six hours on makeup for the Green Goblin role unappealing, and he didn’t want to be the one attempting to harm Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible III.

In simpler terms, the actor from Sling Blade shared his thoughts on turning down villain roles in popular films. He said, “Becoming the antagonist in a major production means people will always associate you with that character. I prefer to maintain a more flexible and unpredictable image.

Previously, Thornton had collaborated with Raimi in the 1998 film “A Simple Plan,” where he acted alongside Bill Paxton and Bridget Fonda. Moreover, Thornton contributed to the screenplay for Raimi’s final movie before Spider-Man, titled “The Gift.” However, their partnership on the Spider-Man series did not materialize.

Fans are familiar with the fact that William Dafoe took on the character of the Green Goblin/Norman Osborn in the 2002 Spider-Man movie, where Tobey Maguire played the lead character. Dafoe reprised his role in the two sequels and again in 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home, which featured the villain being resurrected and joining Tom Holland’s Spider-Man from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In the 2006 film Mission: Impossible III, Philip Seymour Hoffman assumed the role of Davian.

It’s clear that Chris Thornton prefers to steer clear of villainous roles in popular franchises like Marvel and Mission: Impossible, due to the unfortunate trend of fans harassing actors for their portrayal of antagonists. Actors such as Fabien Frankel from House of the Dragon, Tom Wilson from Back to the Future, and Josh McDermitt from The Walking Dead have all faced this kind of online negativity. Rather than risk being associated with a villainous persona in a blockbuster franchise, Thornton has chosen to be recognized for his roles as a high school football coach in Friday Night Lights and an unconventional Santa Claus in Bad Santa.

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2024-12-20 16:39