Past villains from Spider-Man's history, such as Alfred Molina's Doc Ock and Jamie Foxx's Electro, are joining the third Spider-Man film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While there remains no clear indication on whether or not more past adversaries will appear, the door is now permanently open for classic Spider-Man villains to return.
While some might eagerly await the appearance of Thomas Haden Church's Sandman or Paul Giamatti's Rhino, one tantalizing reprisal would be that of Willam Dafoe's Norman Osborn. Dafoe's Osborn is, for many audiences, one of the definitive performances of any superhero film. While he is not the only Osborn to appear on-screen, he is the most tied to the role. If Spider-Man 3 is bringing back classic villains, it might be time to bring back Dafoe as Osborn.
The Importance of Osborn in Spider-Man's Life
Undeniably, the Goblins rank among Spider-Man's most iconic adversaries. Norman Osborn has served as a physical threat to the wall-crawler, as well as an emotional and psychological one. It was Norman who personally hit harder than any other villain in Peter's life by stripping him of Gwen Stacy, orchestrating the Clone Saga, and infiltrating his personal life on multiple occasions.
But while the Green Goblin and Norman Osborn both serve as great adversaries for Peter, he also could serve as a greater enemy for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In the comics, Norman manages to replace S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers, orchestrating an invasion on Asgard itself. This could still be done with Norman Osborn in the MCU, now that Asgard is situated on Earth.
Norman Osborn has a playing field greater than any other prior to this moment. He could appear first as an adversary to Spider-Man before taking advantage of this larger world, launching into plans that could bring down the whole Avengers, or perhaps instigate the creation of a new team of heroes.
Of course, with so many Osborns in prior Spider-Man films, some fans have found relief in stepping back from the Osborn family in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, while you can tell a lot of stories without the Green Goblin, any Spider-Man without an Osborn to fight feels incomplete.
Why Should Willem Dafoe Play Norman Osborn Again?
No one is arguing that Norman Osborn wouldn't excel in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He could be a great antagonist. However, why should Willem Dafoe, who already played the character three times, come back for a fourth appearance in a different franchise?
Quite frankly, Willem Dafoe's performance as Norman is incredible. Dafoe's physical acting out of the suit makes him look like a demonic entity. While his exoskeleton armor is a little cheesy, especially by today's standards, it is possible that he might receive a more comic-accurate look in the MCU, one that can allow his goblin-like facial acting to be relayed in and out of costume. Fans almost received such as suit, as indicated by test videos showcasing a more ghoulish Goblin costume.
With all the old villains returning for one more bow, the MCU would be remiss to not bring back Goblin for Spider-Man 3. It seems as though the coming film might see the creation of a Sinister Six, with tons of classic villains returning to fight the various Spider-Men. What villain team-up would be complete without one of the old Goblins? Of all the Goblins who could return, anyone other than Willem Dafoe's Norman would be a colossal disappointment.