- "Spider-Man: No Way Home" director Jon Watts spoke about Willem Dafoe's return as Green Goblin.
- Dafoe previously portrayed the character in Sam Raimi's trilogy released between 2002 and 2007.
- Watts said that because Dafoe created the foe with Raimi, he "knew the crazy places he was willing to go."
"Spider-Man: No Way Home" director Jon Watts said that Willem Dafoe's original performance as Green Goblin prepared him for the actor's return as the iconic villain.
"He had already created the character with Sam [Raimi], so I knew the crazy places he was willing to go," Watts told GQ Hype in a new interview. "But seeing it actually happen two feet away from you? I once shot a project with two wolves in a tiny New York apartment. There were moments where it felt like that."
Dafoe first portrayed Green Goblin/Norman in Raimi's 2002 film "Spider-Man," which starred Tobey Maguire as the titular character, Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane Watson, and James Franco as Harry Osborn.
Dafoe's Goblin was killed during a fight against Spider-Man in the movie, but the actor returned for appearances in two sequels released in 2004 and 2007.
More than a decade after his Marvel debut, Dafoe reprised the role for Watts' "NWH" with a redesigned look. The film marked Tom Holland's sixth appearance as the titular web-slinger and third standalone film, and fans praised Dafoe's performance.
In multiple interviews, Dafoe said that he didn't want to return for a "power cameo." Instead, he wanted his part to be substantial and insisted on doing his own stunts.
To keep his role under wraps during the production of "NWH," Dafoe told Jimmy Fallon that he had to wear a cloak, ride in vehicles with tinted windows, and avoid hanging out in public in case he drew suspicion.
