Breaking Bad and The Boys star Giancarlo Esposito has once again confirmed the long-speculated rumor that he’s joining the MCU, and fans have an inspired idea of who he’ll be playing.
Speaking at a panel at Phoenix Fan Fusion, Esposito confirmed that he would be appearing in the MCU in the near future. “The MCU has knocked on my door and it’s a role you won’t predict. It will be teased and there will be a series afterwards,” he said.
He’s spoken about joining the Marvel Universe in the past and told the audience at CCXP earlier this year: “I think that there’s something about being original… wouldn’t you like to see me play a character in a Marvel movie who is original, and new, and fresh?”
Though he didn’t reveal any information as to which upcoming Marvel movie or show he would be starring in, fans do have a few theories. Namely, they think he’s up to bat as one of the best supervillains of all time: Norman Osborn, aka: The Green Goblin.
As one fan on Reddit asked: “Has he confirmed it’s live-action? I could see him voicing Norman Osborn in Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.”
“The MCU has knocked on my door and it’s a role you won’t predict. It will be teased and there will be a series afterwards.” #phxfanfusion pic.twitter.com/RF5yjcHaqm
— Legion of Sand (@LegionofSand) May 25, 2024
Replying to the post, another user said: “Holy sh*t this could be it. Perhaps when he put it as ‘original character’ it was more meant as an original take on them.”
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Osborn’s name appeared in other comments, too. One user wrote: “He would make a Fantastic Green Goblin/Norman Osborn perfect KIND of villain for him.”
Some supposed that he would be stepping into the role in animated form, with the upcoming Spider-Man: Freshman Year series due to arrive in 2024.
“Is it Norman Osbourn and Spider-Man: Freshman Year?” one person asked. “Giancarlo Esposito would make a perfect Norman Osborn. The animated freshman-year version already looks like him kind of too. Norman is such a long-standing central figure in the Spider-Man universe, that if Marvel plans on doing 6 more MCU Spidey movies, they really should integrate a MCU Norman Osborn. Yes Willem Dafoe was an amazing Green Goblin, but Giancarlo can focus more on the Norman Osborn side of the character.”
“He’s definitely Norman Osborn in the Spider-Man animated show,” another comment agreed. “If we’re lucky he’ll get to play him in the mainline MCU as well.”
A couple of clues suggest that fans could be onto something. The only other role that’s been widely speculated upon is Doctor Doom, but with the sheer number of MCU fans who’ve already placed their bets on this, Esposito’s tease of it being a “role you won’t predict” crosses this off the list. What’s more, this could also suggest that he’ll appear in an unexpected form.
For more, check out our guide to the Fantastic Four movie, as well as Spider-Man 4. You can also check out our list of the best superhero movies of all time, to keep you occupied.
