Nicolas Cage reveals why he passed on Green Goblin in 'Spider-Man'

Nicolas Cage has opened up about his approach to playing heroes and villains throughout his decades-long career, saying he actively avoids being “trapped” into any single type of role.

Speaking at the Spider-Noir premiere at Regal Times Square in New York City, the Oscar-winning actor said he enjoys both heroic and villainous characters, arguing that each plays an important role in cinema.

“Villain? I’ve played plenty of villains. I like both,” Cage said. “I think they’re both important parts of cinema. I would not want to get trapped into doing one thing.”

The actor also reflected on one of the most well-known “what if” moments of his career, revealing that he once spoke with director Sam Raimi about potentially playing the Green Goblin in 2002’s Spider-Man.

However, Cage said he ultimately chose to star in Adaptation instead, describing it as a “smaller noir of sorts” and a decision he felt was right at the time.

“I decided to do another movie, a much smaller noir of sorts, more romantic than tragic noir,” he explained, adding that Willem Dafoe ultimately took on the iconic Marvel villain role.

Despite passing on the role, Cage said he later returned to the superhero world through other Marvel projects, including Ghost Rider and its sequel.

In the new series Spider-Noir, Cage takes on the role of Ben Reilly, a private investigator operating in a 1930s-inspired New York City with heightened abilities.

The character blends classic noir influences with the world of Marvel’s Spider-Man mythology.

Cage said his approach to the role was inspired by old Hollywood acting styles, citing performers such as James Cagney and Humphrey Bogart, alongside the visual storytelling of comic book creator Stan Lee.

He described the character as a stylistic fusion, saying he aimed to combine noir aesthetics with comic book energy to create something fresh and experimental.

The actor also shared details about the physical demands of the role, including extensive wirework for action sequences.

“I did a lot of wirework, which is understandable since this character is flying around quite a bit on webs,” he said. “I always get a kick out of that.”

Cage added that safety was well-managed on set and said he enjoyed the technical challenges of filming stylized superhero action.

Spider-Noir will be released in two viewing formats — a black-and-white “authentic noir” versi