The Green Goblin Set to Spook 'Spider-Man' Fans Worldwide; First Look at Nemesis From the Columbia Pictures Action-Adventure Lands Today
PRNewswire
CULVER CITY, Calif.
11/05/2001
The first official peek at the Green Goblin, the arch-enemy of Columbia Pictures' "Spider-Man," will be unveiled across the globe today. The Goblin is played by Willem Dafoe, who earned his second Oscar® nomination in 2001 for his acclaimed performance in "Shadow of the Vampire."
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20011107/LAW003 )
The Goblin, a.k.a. Norman Osborn, assumed his ghoulish persona after his test with an experimental formula went awry. The formula increased his intelligence and strength but also drove him insane.
"There is no better actor to bring this character to life," says "Spider- Man" director Sam Raimi. "Willem continually amazed us with his talent, his ideas, his versatility and his generosity to the other actors."
"I was drawn in by the dynamics of playing the dual character of Norman Osborn and the Green Goblin," says Dafoe. "It was challenging, but it was also the most fun I've had on a movie in a long time."
"Spider-Man," A Marvel Enterprises Production and Laura Ziskin Production, in theaters everywhere May 3, 2002, is helmed by Sam Raimi. Laura Ziskin and Oscar® nominee Ian Bryce produce. Avi Arad and Spider-Man co-creator Stan Lee serve as executive producers. Based on the Marvel Comic Book by Stan Lee, the screenplay for "Spider-Man" was written by David Koepp. The creative team includes Oscar®-nominated director of photography Don Burgess, ASC, production designer Neil Spisak, editors Arthur Coburn A.C.E. and Bob Murawski, and costume designer James Acheson. Music by Danny Elfman and Visual Effects designed by John Dykstra.
The film centers on student Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) who, after being bitten by a mutant spider, gains superhuman strength and the spider-like ability to cling to any surface. He vows to dedicate his life to fighting crime -- which means first eliminating his arch-nemesis, the Green Goblin.
The film also stars Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane Watson, James Franco as Peter's pal Harry Osborn, Cliff Robertson as Peter's beloved Uncle Ben, Rosemary Harris as Aunt May and J.K. Simmons as Jonah Jameson, Peter's boss at the Daily Bugle.
The Goods on the Goblin:
-- The Green Goblin costume, designed by costume designer James Acheson,
who has won Academy Awards® for "Restoration," "Dangerous Liaisons"
and "The Last Emperor," is made of 65 sculpted pieces bolted to
pearlescent green vinyl.
-- Acheson's inspirations for the design included Japanese art prints,
reptilian patterns, comic books and spacesuits.
-- It takes 30 minutes and three people to get Willem Dafoe into the
costume.
-- The Glider, the Goblin's preferred mode of transportation, houses an
impressive arsenal of machine guns, pumpkin bombs and mini-sidewinder
missiles. It is also equipped with tridents that detach from the
Glider for combat in close quarters.
Willem Dafoe has made a name for himself working with some of the most critically acclaimed directors in the world: with his turn as 'Caravaggio' in Anthony Minghella's "The English Patient"; his starring role in "The Last Temptation of Christ" for director Martin Scorsese; his Oscar®-nominated portrayal of 'Sergeant Elias' in Oliver Stone's "Platoon"; his memorable turn in David Lynch's "Wild at Heart"; his performance in Wim Wenders' "Far Away, So Close"; and his role as a civil rights activist in Alan Parker's "Mississippi Burning," among many others.
Columbia Pictures is a Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) company. SPE is a division of Sony Corporation of America (SCA), a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation (NYSE: SNE). SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution, television production and distribution, worldwide channel investments, home video acquisition and distribution, operation of studio facilities, development of new entertainment products, services and technologies, and distribution of filmed entertainment in 67 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.spe.sony.com .
"Academy Award®" and "Oscar®" are the registered trademarks and service marks of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
For further information please contact: Domestic, Ileen Reich, +1-310-244-4675, International, Toni Nicholls, 44-2075331259, or International, Prue Knight, +1-310-244-8345, all of Columbia Pictures
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SOURCE: Columbia Pictures
Contact: Domestic, Ileen Reich, +1-310-244-4675, International, Toni
Nicholls, 44-2075331259, or International, Prue Knight, +1-310-244-8345, all
of Columbia Pictures
Website: http://www.spe.sony.com/