Marvel Is Closer Than Ever To Its Best Villain Casting

Tom Holland’s Spider-Man has been an amazing addition to the Marvel Universe, but it’s taken some time to bring him in line with the friendly neighborhood wallcrawler fans are used to seeing. Though he’s appeared in a whopping six films, it wasn’t until his third solo adventure that he felt like Spider-Man at all.

No Way Home brought the hero back to basics, and crucially (if briefly) brought his most famous villains into the MCU, setting the stage for a more straightforward new trilogy. Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which Holland has touted as “a fresh start” for the character, will build on that foundation. With Shang-Chi director Destin Daniel Cretton on board and a title borrowed from a divisive comic series, Brand New Day is shaping up to be the reboot that no one expected.

There’s not much known about Brand New Day yet, but speculation already abounds. Apart from Holland, Jon Bernthal, who plays the Punisher, is the only cast member confirmed so far, but there are definitely more surprises to come. Leaker Daniel Richtman recently suggested that the Savage Hulk would appear as a major antagonist, and this week, he’s adding one of Spider-Man’s most iconic villains to the mix.

Richtman claims that Marvel is “planning to introduce the MCU version of Norman Osborn” very soon. Though he didn’t reveal whether those plans will involve Brand New Day, it’d certainly make sense. Marvel already has the perfect actor on standby; all the studio needs to do is bring him from animation into live-action.

Earlier this year, Colman Domingo took his first steps in the Marvel world… technically. He’s the latest actor to bring Norman Osborn to life, but he did so in the non-canonical animated series Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. The series swung under the radar, but those who did tune in lauded the actor for his portrayal of the classic antagonist. In it, Osborn is a ways from becoming the maniacal villain, instead serving as a mentor to Peter Parker (Hudson Thames). But future seasons will explore the transition from ally to foe, and Domingo is down to do the same in live-action.

Domingo appeared on Josh Horowitz’s Happy Sad Confused podcast in January, where he revealed that he is keen to “get the live-action out” in a future Marvel film. “Wouldn’t that be kind of cool? I would love to tear that up on the big screen,” he said. And with rumors about Osborn swirling again, now seems like the perfect time to give Domingo — and his fans — what they’re hoping for.

Fancasting in the MCU generally doesn’t pan out well: the last time Marvel cast an actor at the top of fan wishlists, he went out with a whimper. Still, there’s a sense that Domingo’s jump to live-action wouldn’t be quite the same as John Krasinski’s cameo as Mister Fantastic in Doctor Strange 2. No shade to Krasinski, but his subdued take on Reed Richards didn’t exactly get fans excited for more. Domingo, on the other hand, has already shown us what he could do with a character like Osborn. His voice performance is full of personality, pathos, and energy, and adding a physical component would only make his version more compelling.

It’s an unconventional choice, but one that’d make great sense for the MCU. The Multiverse Saga has gone to wilder lengths to bring other characters into live-action; Domingo’s Norman Osborn already has a leg up.