Summary
- Norman Osborn remains the only major non-mutant Marvel character without a movie equivalent.
- Norman Osborn, Spider-Man’s arch-nemesis, played a significant role in Peter Parker’s life.
- Colman Domingo, who voices Norman Osborn in ‘Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man,’ could be a perfect MCU casting choice.
With the announcement that Robert Downey Jr. will return to the MCU as Victor Von Doom, every major non-mutant Marvel character has a movie equivalent. Sure, some fan-faves remain uncast (who will portray the Machine Man?). But the big names are all there.
All except one. Norman Osborn, the arch-enemy of Peter Parker and Spider-Man. Certainly, Kevin Feige and his team have already started searching for their ideal Osborn, and rumors have swirled around possibilities. But the perfect choice is actually right in front of them, in their new cartoon series Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, in which Colman Domingo voices the character.
Related
If Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man Isn’t Canon, Does It Matter?
The show’s producer, Jeff Trammell, announced his series is no longer canon. So, if it’s not, what is it? Why does it matter?
Who is Norman Osborn?
Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, Norman Osborn first appeared as his evil alter-ego the Green Goblin in 1964’s Amazing Spider-Man #14. Two years later, Norman appeared in his civilian identity in Amazing Spider-Man #37, where he presented himself as the respected father of Peter’s pal, Harry Osborn.
In short order, Osborn became Peter’s greatest enemy. After Peter discovered that Norman was the Goblin, his already stressful life got that much more complicated, as he had to protect Harry from the truth, worried that it would devastate the boy. Harry wasn’t the only one with a distorted view of Osborn. Most of the public admired him as a brilliant industrialist, making them side with him over the much-despised Spider-Man. Worse, Norman eventually learned about Spidey’s secret identity and used his influence to torment Peter at every turn.
Norman was at the center of one of the most infamous Spider-Man stories of all time, “The Night Gwen Stacy Died,” by Gerry Conway and Gil Kane and published in 1973’s Amazing Spider-Man #121–122. In that story, the Green Goblin uses his knowledge of Peter’s identity to capture his teen girlfriend, Gwen Stacy. Eventually, the Goblin takes Gwen to the top of a bridge and throws her off, leading to a tragic moment in which Spidey kills his girlfriend while trying to rescue her.
And then, Norman dies. Yes, “The Night Gwen Stacy Died” is also the night Norman Osborn died, which meant that he lasted just under ten years. Sure, his legacy lasted beyond that night, as his mental abuse of Harry drove Peter’s best pal to take up the Goblin mantle and become his new enemy. But even at the height of their rivalry, Peter knew that Norman and not Harry bore the most blame.
Like all super villains, Norman comes back to life, revealed in the 1990s as the ultimate force behind the infamous Clone Saga and later the Dark Avengers. Thanks to these stories, Norman Osborn and the Green Goblin remains Spider-Man’s arch-enemy.
Has Norman Osborn Appeared in Any Spider-Man Movies?
Here’s where it gets confusing. Norman Osborn was the big bad in the first Spider-Man movie from 2002, where Willem Dafoe brought the baddie to life with an all-time great comic book movie performance. Spider-Man director Sam Raimi revered the comics of the 1970s, and thus followed the beats of those stories pretty closely. He even ended the first film by replicating Osborn’s death from Amazing Spider-Man #122, when he impaled himself on his own glider.
Norman only made one more appearance in Sam Raimi movies, a memorable cameo in which he taunts his son Harry (James Franco). But that didn’t mean the end of Norman onscreen.
After getting teased as a shadowy figure in The Amazing Spider-Man, Chris Cooper stepped into the role for The Amazing Spider-Man 2, where he never became the Green Goblin, but played mind games with Harry (Dane DeHaan) and led to the death of that movie’s Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone).
When an all-new Spider-Man played by Tom Holland popped up in the MCU movie Captain America: Civil War, viewers assumed that a different Osborn must also exist in this world. Yet, we never saw him onscreen, at least not until Spider-Man: No Way Home, in which a magical spell brought the Osborn from the 2002 movie into the MCU. Once again played by Dafoe, this Osborn embarked on a new reign of terror against MCU Peter, even killing beloved Aunt May (Marisa Tomei) before returning to his correct reality.
Exciting as Dafoe’s Osborn was, his appearance only increased the hopes for a proper version in the MCU.
Who Should Play Norman Osborn in the MCU?
Rumors have long swirled around potential actors for Norman Osborn, with Matthew McConaughey being mentioned as a favorite. But Marvel already has a great actor playing Norman Osborn, albeit in a different universe.
The Disney+ series Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man retells the early adventures of Peter Parker, borrowing some elements from the comics and the MCU, but distinct from them both. One of the most notable distinctions involves Peter’s mentor. Here, he’s not led by the doomed Uncle Ben, like he is in the comics, nor is Tony Stark his guide, as in the MCU.
Rather, it’s Norman Osborn who discovers Peter’s secret and lends him support. Although the series is clearly building to a big villain reveal from this Osborn, it’s presenting him right now as a kindly older man who just wants to help Peter do the right thing. And even longtime Spider-Fans almost buy Osborn’s ruse because of the excellent performance bringing him to life.
Actor Colman Domingo voices Osborn in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, bringing a softness to his baritone to make the character feel powerful but welcoming. Domingo has been acting for decades, but he’s really broken out over the past few years, thanks to standout performances on Broadway and an Emmy-award-winning turn in Law & Order. In 2024 and 2023, Domingo received Academy Award nominations for Best Actor, recognizing his work in Rustin and Sing Sing.
In short, Domingo has the chops to pull off any part that Marvel has for him. And he’s already providing a perfect take on the character in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.
Will Colman Domingo Play Norman Osborn in the MCU?
Right now, Marvel hasn’t made any casting announcements about the next Spider-Man movie, even though it’s certainly in development. Spider-Man: No Way Home left Peter in a tough spot, which would make it the perfect time to bring in his worst enemy.
Certainly, Feige will see plenty of actors for the part. But if he wants someone who can play a villain who feels at times like a father and at other times like Peter’s worst nightmare, he need not look any further than Colman Domingo in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.
Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man streams every Wednesday on Disney+.