Nicolas Cage on heroes vs villains: 'I never want to get trapped'
Synopsis
Nicolas Cage passed on playing the Green Goblin — a role that went to Willem Dafoe — to make Adaptation, which earned him an Oscar nomination. At the Spider-Noir premiere, he explained why he has never wanted to be locked into one type of role, a philosophy that stretches from Ghost Rider to a serial killer in Longlegs.
Key Takeaways
Nicolas Cage said at the Spider-Noir premiere in New York City that he never wants to be 'trapped into doing one thing.' He revealed he discussed playing Green Goblin with director Sam Raimi but chose Adaptation (2002) instead — a decision that earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Actor .
The Green Goblin role ultimately went to Willem Dafoe , with Tobey Maguire as Spider-Man.
Cage won the Academy Award for Best Actor for Leaving Las Vegas (1995).
He later joined Marvel as Ghost Rider in 2007 and its 2011 sequel, and played a fictionalised version of himself in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022).
Hollywood actor Nicolas Cage has revealed he consciously avoids being typecast, saying he never wants to get 'trapped into doing one thing' — whether as a hero or a villain. The 62-year-old Oscar winner made the remarks at the premiere of Spider-Noir at the Regal Times Square in New York City.
Heroes, Villains, and Everything Between
Speaking to People magazine at the event, Cage addressed whether he has a preference between playing protagonists and antagonists across his decades-long career. 'Villain? I've played plenty of villains. I like both. I think they're both important parts of cinema. I would not want to get trapped into doing one thing,' he said.
The actor's filmography bears that out — from the romantic desperation of Leaving Las Vegas (1995), which earned him the Academy Award for Best Actor, to the unnerving serial killer he portrayed in Longlegs (2024), where he was reportedly unrecognisable on screen.
The Green Goblin Role He Turned Down
Cage also disclosed that he had conversations with director Sam Raimi about potentially playing the Green Goblin in the early 2000s. He ultimately chose to star in Adaptation (2002) instead, describing it as 'a much smaller noir of sorts, more romantic than tragic noir,' and said that was 'the right choice at the time.'
'I remember saying to Sam, "I hope whoever you cast (as Spider-Man) really embraces the arachnid body language, at least for one moment. Alone in his apartment, he's crawling on the ceiling or something,"' Cage recalled. The Green Goblin role eventually went to Willem Dafoe, while Tobey Maguire was cast as Spider-Man. Cage received an Oscar nomination for Best Actor for his work in Adaptation.
From Ghost Rider to Meta-Fiction
After passing on the Green Goblin, Cage found his own Marvel chapter — playing Ghost Rider in the 2007 film and its 2011 sequel, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance. More recently, he leaned into self-referential territory with The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022), where he played a fictionalised version of himself named Nicky Cage.
With Spider-Noir now adding another dimension to his screen persona, Cage continues to resist easy categorisation — a deliberate choice that has defined one of Hollywood's most unpredictable careers.
Point of View
Sometimes to commercial cost and sometimes to critical reward. The Spider-Noir premiere gives him a fresh platform, but the more interesting story is how a two-time Oscar nominee became one of the few actors whose very unpredictability is now the brand.
NationPress
9 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Nicolas Cage prefer playing heroes or villains?
Cage has said he has no firm preference, stating he likes both and considers them 'important parts of cinema.' He has deliberately avoided being typecast, moving between heroic, villainous, and self-referential roles across his career.
Why did Nicolas Cage turn down the Green Goblin role?
Cage chose to star in Adaptation (2002) instead, describing it as the right choice at the time. He characterised the film as 'a much smaller noir of sorts, more romantic than tragic noir.' The Green Goblin role subsequently went to Willem Dafoe.
What Oscar recognition has Nicolas Cage received?
Cage won the Academy Award for Best Actor for Leaving Las Vegas (1995). He was also nominated for Best Actor for Adaptation (2002), the same film he chose over the Green Goblin role.
What Marvel roles has Nicolas Cage played?
After passing on Green Goblin, Cage played Ghost Rider in the 2007 film and its 2011 sequel, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance — his two Marvel Cinematic appearances to date.
What is Spider-Noir and what is Cage's role in it?
Spider-Noir is a project whose premiere was held at Regal Times Square in New York City. Cage attended the event, though the source does not detail the specific nature of his role in the production beyond his presence at the premiere.
