Willem Dafoe Open to Returning in Spider-Man 4

After three films, Willem Dafoe has been tied to the Spider-Man franchise. He made his first appearance in 2004's Spider-Man 2, and three years later he reprised his role as Norman Osborn/The Green Goblin in Spider-Man 3. Most people thought that was the end of his time with the character and in the Marvel Universe until he made a surprise appearance in 2021 in Spider-Man: No Homecoming, entering the universe created for Tom Holland's popular version of the web-slinger.

The film sees the return of several past villains alongside Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire, who play their respective versions of Spider-Man for the first time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The film's multiverse setting is in full swing, which has proven to be a popular decision as audiences enjoy watching various characters from different timelines and realities intertwine in this exciting action film. However, whether they will all return for Spider-Man 4, starring Tom Holland, remains to be seen, but at least Dafoe is open to the possibility.

Dafoe talked about the possibility of appearing in Spider-Man 4 in an interview with Entertainment Tonight. He said: "We'll see. We'll see. I might come back. It's been a pleasure working with Tom, and I've been in a lot of fun movies in all of these Spider-Man movies."

Of course, it's no surprise that Dafoe didn't give a definitive answer on whether or not he'll be in Spider-Man 4. Marvel Studios likes to keep big surprises as secret as possible, and any potential cameos from characters like the Green Goblin are among those things. However, given how popular his villain is, the fact that he's open to donning that costume again is no doubt exciting to many fans.

In Spider-Man: No Homecoming, Dafoe once again demonstrates his ability to balance the two different personalities of Osborn and the Green Goblin, something he has always excelled at since his initial collaboration with Maguire's Spider-Man. The character is complex, with a detailed backstory, and despite his complex personality, he also has a kind and human side. This was shown in his most recent appearance, when Holland's Spider-Man seemed to eliminate the Green Goblin side of Osborn's life before sending Osborn back to his own timeline. Marvel can follow up on this and connect Osborn to Peter Parker in a non-villainous way to continue the story and prove that the impact made before was not just a one-off.

Given the current multiverse setting of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, anything is possible in terms of surprise cameos from actors who have been associated with Marvel and have appeared in related films. Spider-Man: No Homecoming proved that bringing back characters that were not even originally part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe can be a big success. Audiences still care about these characters, and they have since been integrated into the larger storyline, which is also a great reward for fans. However, details about Spider-Man 4 are still scarce, so Dafoe's possible appearance is full of uncertainty.