Even though Marvel’s Phase Four was deemed underwhelming for the most part, Spider-Man: No Way Home was one of its redeeming qualities and one of the biggest MCU entries of all time. But following the return of some of the most beloved Marvel characters, many have speculated if any other stars like James Franco, known for the Raimi Trilogy were ever considered to return for the threequel.
But many believe that even if he was once considered for returning to the role of Harry Osborn alongside Norman Osborn, the controversies surrounding the actor might have ruined his chances.
James Franco’s controversial past might have ruined his chances to return as Harry Osborn
Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy is responsible for creating several fan-favorite characters, and one of them involves James Franco‘s Harry Osborn, who later becomes the Green Goblin in the threequel. Although Spider-Man 3 did ruin certain aspects of the character and made him a goofy side villain for the most part, Raimi was able to deliver a heartfelt end to Franco’s Harry Osborn. But considering that many favorite characters from previous Marvel entries returned to craft one of the biggest MCU films, fans wonder if Franco was ever considered for a return.
However, considering the actor’s troublesome history with several s*xual misconduct allegations surrounding him, it might have been the reason why Disney avoided including Franco in the mix. But reflecting on these allegations, The 127 Hours star finally talked about the whole situation and shared his viewpoint regarding these accusations.
James Franco regrets his past actions
After garnering immense success in the realm of acting, and even earning an Academy Award nomination under his belt, James Franco shifted his focus to helping aspiring filmmakers and actors. However, during his time as a mentor and teacher at his now-defunct filmmaking and acting school, the actor’s career soon suffered a huge setback after being named in several s*xual misconduct allegations. The actor later spoke out on the subject and expressed his regret over his past decisions by stating,
“So it wasn’t a ‘master plan’ on my part. But yes, there were certain instances where, you know what, I was in a consensual thing with a student and I shouldn’t have been. I suppose at the time, my thinking was if it was consensual, OK. At the time I was not clearheaded.”
Despite James Franco’s exclusion from the ambitious Spider-Man: No Way Home, it didn’t impact the viewing experience for fans, as they were enthralled after witnessing several other iconic characters back.
Spider-Man: No Way Home is available to stream on Disney Plus.
Source: Page Six
