Summary
Green Goblin and Doctor Octopus could return to battle Tom Holland’sSpider-Manin his future adventures, and I know how they can be brought back to theMCUwithout being recast. One of my favorite Spider-Man villains is the Green Goblin, so seeing Willem Dafoe return as the formidable Norman Osborn inSpider-Man:No Way Homewas incredibly exciting. Alfred Molina’s return as Dr. Otto Octavius' mechanically-enhanced villain was also fantastic, but their reprisals created a challenge for Marvel Studios when piecing togetherSpider-Man’s MCU future.
Peter Parker’s Spider-Man has faced some powerful villains inthe MCU timeline, including the Vulture, Mysterio, and Thanos.No Way Homebringing back classic villains, however, was everything I wanted from amultiversalSpider-Manmovie. Unfortunately, this poses bigger problems for Marvel Studios, as recasting the likes of Dafoe and Molina after their Phase 4 returns would be a tough task. Luckily,I know a way Marvel Studios can bring back the Green Goblin and Doctor Octopus in Spider-Man’s upcoming MCU movies without replacing Dafoe and Molina.
Spider-Man’s Next MCU Trilogy Could Reintroduce Green Goblin & Doctor Octopus
Green Goblin & Doctor Octopus Are Perhaps Spider-Man’s Most Memorable Marvel Villains
It was great to hear Tom Holland has been confirmed to return in anewSpider-Mantrilogy in the MCU, and even though they were pitted against Spider-Man inNo Way Home, I think Green Goblin and Doctor Octopus need to come back. They are two of Spider-Man’s most powerful and long-running foes in Marvel Comics, so they deserve to get honest-to-goodness MCU adaptations.Dafoe and Molina have had their fun as these villains, however, so I want to see new interpretations brought into live-action.
The Green Goblin and Doctor Octopus' actions on Earth-616 will have been witnessed the world over, especiallyNo Way Home’sepic final battle on the Statue of Liberty. This presents the chance for copycats and legacy villains to take inspiration from these multiversal adversaries, allowing new iterations of the Green Goblin and Doctor Octopus to appear in theMCU’s upcomingSpider-Manmovies.Introducing different versions of these legendary villains will signifyNo Way Home’strue impact on the MCU, and allow new stars to bring fresh takes to the Green Goblin and Doctor Octopus.
No Way Home’s 2 Best Villains Make The MCU’s Spider-Man Plans Way Harder To Pull Off
Marvel Studios including two major Spider-Man villains in 2021’s No Way Home has made their official debuts in the MCU’s future that much harder.
Phil Urich’s Green Goblin Can Establish A Connection To The MCU’s Daredevil Series
Phil Urich Put A Heroic Spin On The Green Goblin In Marvel Comics
InSpider-Man: No Way Home, Norman Osborn suggested that he may not have a variant in the MCU’s primary reality, noting that Oscorp doesn’t exist, and hinting at his son not being around. This means that Norman Osborn likely won’t be featured as the main Green Goblin of the MCU, but this opens the door for Phil Urich to debut.Urich became a heroic version of the Green Goblin after finding Harry Osborn’s old equipment in Marvel Comics, but later transformed into the villainous Hobgoblin and the Goblin King.
Not only could Phil Urich’s introduction as a new Green Goblin put a heroic twist on the iconic villain, but this could also establish a connection toNetflix’s recently-canonizedDaredevilseries. Phil Urich is the nephew of The Daily Bugle journalist Ben Urich in the comics, who was portrayed by Vondie Curtis-Hall inDaredevil. Ben Urich’s death at the hands of Kingpin inDaredevilseason 1 was very intense, but Phil Urich’s debut would be an excellent way of continuing his legacy while also altering the legend of the Green Goblin.
Spider-Man’s MCU Future Already Has The Perfect Green Goblin Story
Peter Parker meets the Green Goblin in Spider-Man: No Way Home, but their story is still far from over in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Luke Carlyle Would Be An Excellent Successor To Otto Octavius’ Doctor Octopus
Luke Carlyle Would Bring A Youthful Energy To The MCU’s Doctor Octopus
I would be thrilled to see Carlyle’s retro Doctor Octopus costume make its appearance in the MCU.
Prior toSpider-Man: No Way Home, nothing like Doctor Octopus' mechanical appendages had been seen in the MCU. The appearance of this technology must have caught the attention of some of Earth-616’s more nefarious figures, perhaps including Luke Carlyle. A prominent con-man and thief in Marvel Comics, Carlyle worked his way up the corporate ladder by committing fraud, and when his CEO uncovered these actions, Carlyle killed him. The villain then turned his sights to Otto Octavius, stealing his mechanized limbs after pretending to vie for a researcher position.
While Octavius utilized four mechanical limbs, Luke Carlyle and his scientists reworked this technology into a six-armed suit. This 1960s-style suit of armor gifted Carlyle some extraordinary abilities, soI would be thrilled to see Carlyle’s retro Doctor Octopus costume make its appearance in the MCU. Carlyle’s introduction could bring a youthfulness, cunning, and vitality to the role of Doctor Octopus. If theGreen Goblin and Doctor Octopusare set to debut properly in the MCU, I want Phil Urich and Luke Carlyle to take up the monikers, bringing something fresh to the franchise.
Why Marvel Studios Should Avoid Using Norman Osborn & Otto Octavius In The MCU
Marvel Studios Needs To Try Something New With The Green Goblin & Doctor Octopus
As a multiversal adventure,Spider-Man: No Way Homewas the perfect place to bring Norman Osborn and Otto Octavius into the MCU. However, this created a massive challenge for Marvel Studios, as it made introducing the MCU’s official versions of the Green Goblin and Doctor Octopus practically impossible. It would have already been difficult for new actors to fill Dafoe and Molina’s shoes anyway, even though they hadn’t played their villains for well over a decade, but reminding us how brilliant they were in these roles made replacing them an even more daunting task.
Introducing Phil Urich and Luke Carlyle as the Green Goblin and Doctor Octopus would solve this issue.Connections can still be made to Osborn and Octavius' villains, with Urich and Carlyle being inspired by their predecessors, but would allow Marvel Studios to try something new. I’ve also been disappointed about the lack of MCUSpider-Manvillains that Holland’s wall-crawler has actually battled, so debuting Urich’s Green Goblin and Carlyle’s Doctor Octopus would expand Peter Parker’s rogues gallery, marking the live-action debuts of both these young villains.
