New Spider-Man Cartoon Features a Long-Awaited Change to a Classic Villain

Norman Osborn a.k.a. the Green Goblin is not just one of the most important supervillains of all time; he’s also one of the most well-known. Thanks to Willem Dafoe’s performance in the Sam Raimi Spider-Man films, and in Spider-Man: No Way Home, and the character’s prominence in Marvel’s Spider-Man and its sequels on the PlayStation, Gobby is a recognizable baddie.

News coming out of Disney’s D23 presentation promises that the upcoming animated series Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man will offer a very different, and very compelling version of Peter Parker’s archenemy.

Norman Osborn will be voiced by Colman Domingo, the Tony and Oscar-nominated actor best known for his stunning turns in Euphoria and Rustin. Domingo will bring his significant presence and charisma to the role, helping to sell the force of personality that makes Osborn such a powerful figure in the Marvel Universe.

Speaking at a D23 panel (via Popverse), Domingo sees the Green Goblin as “the ultimate supervillain” and will be “following in the footsteps of Willem Dafoe.”

Those observations give us an idea that Domingo’s version of the Green Goblin will be as diabolical and crazed as always. But other information about the part suggests that he’ll be a version of Norman unlike any other seen before. In this reality, Norman will become Peter’s mentor as Parker makes his first steps as a wallcrawler, a role occupied by Tony Stark in the MCU. According to the show’s producers, Norman will be Peter’s “man in the chair,” referring to Ned’s job supporting the MCU Peter with computer-based reconnaissance.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man is set to give fans more of that sympathetic side, which makes the Green Goblin more menacing and Peter’s life even more tragic. The series will allow Norman and Peter more time to build their bond, especially as a key player in the first days of Spidey’s development. According to showrunner Jeff Trammell (via Popverse), “Norman has good intentions, but he hasn’t embodied the hero role like Tony has… but sometimes the methods in which he is sharing with Peter may not work out in everybody’s best interests.”

The idea of Norman working with Peter isn’t totally foreign. After all, Dafoe’s Osborn tries to bond with Peter by telling the boy that he’s also “something of a scientist.” The PlayStation games portray Osborn as a loving father to Harry, who respects Peter as his son’s best friend.

That’s a remarkable change from the comics, in which Norman is almost always a cruel schemer who takes pleasure in dismantling Peter’s life. Over the years, Norman kills Peter’s girlfriend Gwen Stacy, makes Peter think that he’s a clone, kills and/or kidnaps his Aunt May and daughter May, and more.

As horrifying as these moments are, there’s always been a certain pathos to Norman throughout the years. His Goblin persona has often been portrayed as a separate personality, one that ruins Norman’s own life as much as it does others. In fact, this version could make the Green Goblin the one who takes away Peter’s closes mentor by turning Norman Osborn against him.

It’s that connection between the evil of the Green Goblin and the tragedy of Peter Parker that makes Spider-Man the greatest superhero of all time and Norman Osborn his greatest enemy.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man comes to Disney+ in 2024.