While the jury’s still out on whether Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield are 100% coming back or not, we do know that Spider-Man: No Way Home will feature various villains from Spidey’s cinematic past. Jamie Foxx’s Electro and Alfred Molina’s Doc Ock have so far been confirmed to return, and another one that’s pretty much a given is Willem Dafoe, who’ll be reprising his iconic role as Norman Osborn AKA Green Goblin. But this might just be the start of Dafoe’s comeback in the MCU.
In some surprising news, Giant Freakin Robot is reporting that Sony is developing a solo film for the actor’s Osborn. Following on from the other villain spinoffs they’ve produced, like the Venom movies and Morbius, the studio is apparently working on giving Green Goblin his own vehicle with Dafoe once again playing the part. No plot details are known as yet, but GFR speculates that an Osborn film must be part of Sony’s overarching plans to form the Sinister Six.
Assuming Tom Hardy’s Venom, Jared Leto’s Morbius, Michael Keaton’s Vulture and probably Michael Mando’s Scorpion will all be part of the team, that means we’ve yet to meet just two members of the Six. GFR suggests that Kraven the Hunter, likewise set to get his own movie, and Dafoe’s Goblin will fill out the squad. Personally, I’d wonder if Foxx and Molina could also be part of the lineup somehow, seeing as Electro and Octopus are often associated with the group.
Of course, the big question fans have about these returning villains is whether they’re the original characters we know from previous movies or doppelgängers from a different universe, perhaps the MCU universe. Seeing as many of them, like Dafoe’s Osborn, died the first time around, it’s likely that they’re alternate versions. And if that’s the case, then Sony can completely reimagine Goblin however they want, which would likely give Dafoe more incentive to come back, as he’d have more freedom with how to play the role.
In any case, be sure to look out for Green Goblin and many other familiar foes in Spider-Man: No Way Home when it hits cinemas this December.
