The original prototype mask for the Green Goblin, created for Sam Raimi's Spider-Man, still exists and appears to be in great condition. The cinematic debut of Marvel Comics' wall-crawler, released in 2002, is widely considered to be one of the seminal films of the comic-book movie boom of the 21st century, along with Blade in 1998 and X-Men in 2000. Spider-Man was a critical and commercial hit, grossing $821.7 million during its original box office run, spawning two sequels and proving to be incredibly influential on today's superhero movies, such as those produced within the MCU according to Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige, who was an associate producer under Raimi.

Willem Dafoe played the diabolical Norman Osborn A.K.A. the Green Goblin, the father of Peter Parker's (played by Tobey Maguire) best friend Harry Osborn and CEO of Oscorp. Following the comic origin, Norman is exposed to chemicals that give him super-human strength and drive him insane, causing him to adopt the moniker of the Green Goblin before dying by his own hand during a final confrontation with the web-slinger. Dafoe's interpretation of Osborn has become so iconic over the years that he may have even returned from the dead to menace the MCU iteration of Spider-Man according to the recent trailer for Spider-Man: No Way Home. However, the character's look could've been very different from what we're familiar with as the cinematic version of Green Goblin.

Related: Spider-Man: Why The Fantastic Original Green Goblin Mask Wasn't Used

Instagram user @rhinoactual (Patrick Hearty), a collector of film props and costumes, recently uploaded a post confirming that he had acquired the original prototype mask for the Green Goblin, to have been used in the 2002 film. According to Hearty, the mask was developed by acclaimed special effects companies Stan Winston Studios and ADI (Amalgamated Dynamics). ADI specializes in makeup and animatronics and would go on to provide special effects for both Spider-Man 2 and Spider-Man 3. Hearty also mentions that the mask was developed prior to the casting of Willem Dafoe, giving fans an insight as to the potential creative directions the film could've taken.

This is not the first we've seen of this unused prototype, with footage of the mask in action being released online by studioADI several years ago. The online clips show how the mask would've looked on a performer, with the top half of the face being reliant on animatronics to bring expression to the bulbous eyes protruding from the emerald face.

Click here to watch the original YouTube video.

This design certainly seems to have more of a creep factor brought about by the excellent application of the prosthetics and the uncanny feature of the blank yellow eyes. Indeed, it seems to have much in common with the demonic Deadites, the recurring horror antagonists of the Evil Dead series, also directed by Raimi, who will be returning to the Marvel universe to direct Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness in May 2o22. The design was ultimately dropped, however, with the major reason cited that the mask was uncomfortable and took too long to apply.

The mask certainly looks like more of a direct translation of the original comic design, with the expressive green face, large yellow eyes, and the purple hat. Some fans have criticized the final look of Dafoe's costume in recent years, unfavorably comparing his armor to Power Rangers and pointing out that the fixed expression hindered both the actor and the character's trademark expressive features. While fans may have been disappointed that this prototype never saw the silver screen in Spider-Man, they can rest assured that not only is the prop still around but that it is sure to be taken good care of as part of an esteemed collection.

Next: Spider-Man 3’s Electro Change Is Right (But Green Goblin Should Be The Same)

Source: @rhinoactual/studioADI

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