As “Spider-Man: No Way Home” hits theaters tomorrow, it goes back to the early 2000s, when James Franco, portraying Harry Obsorn in the Sam Raimi trilogy, was trying to get the role of Spidey.
Almost 20 years before Tom Holland played Spider-Man in No Way Home, Tobey Maguire was the very first actor to make his mark on the big screen under the direction of Sam Raimi (aside from the 70s episodes). However, particularly coveted by many stars at the time, the role of Spider-Man almost fell to another comedian from the original trilogy.
James Franco, who ultimately inherited the more secondary (but nonetheless major) role of Harry Obsborn, had indeed passed trials to play as Spidey:
“I first auditioned for the role of Peter Parker”, he had indeed confided during an interview for The Paly Voice in 2007.
“I went there, and had a bigger try than a traditional audition, because they put us in the movie. So they spent a lot of money on sets and cranes, which is unusual. for an audition. I went there, I took the test and I waited and biting my nails for 6 weeks. And then I found out that I had not been selected, and I was disappointed.”
Sony Pictures
Fortunately for him, and even if he did not have the opportunity to fight crime in a red and blue suit on the streets of New York, James Franco was nevertheless able to inherit a capital character in the trilogy of Sam Raimi. He played Harry Obsborn, Peter’s best friend and son of the “Green Goblin” Norman Osborn, whose costume and torch he also used in the third film.
“Director Sam Raimi called me back”, he recalls. “We hit it off really well, and he asked me if I wanted the part of Harry. No one else tried it.”
(Re) discover the trailer for “Spider-Man: No Way Home”, in theaters tomorrow …
