Nicolas Cage on Passing Up Green Goblin and His Journey to Television with Spider-Noir

Nicolas Cage is reflecting on some of the pivotal career decisions that have shaped his filmography.

The 62-year-old actor sat down with Variety to discuss his upcoming Spider-Noir project for Prime Video, his shift into television work, and the reasoning behind passing on the Green Goblin role in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man film.

When asked about his choice to decline the Norman Osborn/Green Goblin part, Cage recalled meeting with director Raimi over lunch. During their conversation, he pitched an idea for Spider-Man to have a scene where the character crawls like a spider in solitude—a suggestion that didn't make the final cut. While Cage expressed enthusiasm for working with Raimi given his legendary work on Evil Dead films, he ultimately committed to another project instead.

"I had this other film called Adaptation," Cage explained. He drew a parallel to a similar decision earlier in his career, when he turned down Jim Carrey's Dumb and Dumber to pursue Leaving Las Vegas. "Both those decisions were the right ones for me, and I'm happy with those results," he said.

Regarding his transition to the small screen with Spider-Noir, Cage described a deliberate selection process. "I waited for something that I thought would be special," he noted. He revealed that he spent the production channeling classic film actors while blending their sensibilities with Stan Lee's Spider-Man universe, creating what he characterized as a Roy Lichtenstein-inspired pop-art approach.

The experience came with considerable uncertainty. "I was constantly worried that I was going to get fired," Cage admitted, adding that he remained unsure whether his experimental approach would resonate until viewing all eight episodes.

On the subject of True Detective Season 5, Cage offered little concrete information. While rumors have circulated about his potential involvement, he stated he hasn't received any firm offers. "I think they're working on the material, but I haven't heard about it in quite some time," he said. He expressed admiration for director Issa López and indicated openness to collaborating, though he clarified that nothing has been finalized. Interestingly, he noted that he has never watched the first season of True Detective, though he's heard positive feedback about it.

Cage also addressed why a collaboration with Quentin Tarantino has never materialized. He characterized their relationship as a friendly one, mentioning occasional email exchanges and conversations about cinema. "I think there's a mutual admiration," Cage reflected. He praised Tarantino's approach to filmmaking, describing his movies as moving with "absolutely dazzling" precision and comparing his directorial style to that of an acrobat.