The Original Spider-Man Movie’s Green Goblin Mask Prototype Is Terrifying

Now that Spider-Man: Homecoming is out in theaters, it’s time to start looking back at previous iterations of the character’s silver screen portrayals. While the Marc Webb and Andrew Garfield version might have underwhelmed Sony executives at the box office, it’s only because Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire set the tone with three wonderful movies that also performed well financially.

Okay, maybe the third one wasn’t “wonderful,” per se, but those first two are pretty damn good. Maybe the first one could have been even better if they were a little more true to the comics when it came to Green Goblin.

And, it turns out, they almost went with a more comics-accurate portrayal of Willem Dafoe‘s Green Goblin with a blend of prosthetics and puppetry, as evidenced by these recently unearthed screen tests for tech from Spider-Man.

Well, that’s straight up nightmare fuel.

It’s pretty amazing to see the effects people test the range of expressions the mask can make. While it doesn’t have the sterile, intimidating factor of the helmet/mask Defoe’s version of Norman Osborn uses in the movie, the movement of facial features is pretty unnerving.

It makes sense that this mask wasn’t used in the final picture considering Osborn was using a flight suit and that the Oz formula did not physically mutate him, a la Ultimate Spider-Man. A high-tech goblin mask that can frown and grimace doesn’t really work in the context of what was established in Raimi’s movie.

But it’s still pretty frightening, and it’s cool to see that the filmmakers attempted to make a comics-accurate Goblin mask even if they didn’t use it in the finished product.

Spider-Man: Homecoming is in theaters now.

A young Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Tom Holland), who made his sensational debut in Captain America: Civil War, begins to navigate his newfound identity as the web-slinging super hero in Spider-Man: Homecoming. Thrilled by his experience with the Avengers, Peter returns home, where he lives with his Aunt May (Marisa Tomei), under the watchful eye of his new mentor Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.). Peter tries to fall back into his normal daily routine – distracted by thoughts of proving himself to be more than just your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man – but when the Vulture (Michael Keaton) emerges as a new villain, everything that Peter holds most important will be threatened.

The cast includes Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Zendaya, Donald Glover, JacobBatalon, Laura Harrier, Tony Revolori, Tyne Daly, Bokeem Woodbine, with Marisa Tomei, and Robert Downey Jr. It also includes Jon Favreau, Martin Starr, Kenneth Choi, Michael Mando, Selenis Leyva, Isabella Amara, Jorge Lendeborg, Jr., JJ Totah, and Hannibal Buress.

MORE SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING: Did Felicia Hardy Make An Appearance In Homecoming? / Sony Releases Amazing Fantasy #15 Homage Poster / Homecoming: All The Rumors Debunked / Homecoming Has Massive Marvel Cinematic Universe Plot Hole

[h/t] THR