Back in December, up and coming actor Dane DeHaan of ‘Chronicle’ landed the role of Harry Osborn in Marc Webb’s ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2’. Now, after the film has already started production and the first set photos have leaked onto the internet, we’ve learned that they’ve added another major player from the Spidey Universe to the already stunning cast of characters in this sequel in the form of Harry’s father. According to Variety, Norman Osborn has just joined the latest adventure on the big screen for Peter Parker.

In Sam Raimi’s trilogy, Willem Dafoe played Norman Osborn, but now ‘American Beauty’, ‘October Sky’, and ‘The Muppets’ star Chris Cooper will be stepping into the role of Harry’s father and one of Spider-Man’s greatest enemies. Cooper has much experience on his resume playing a hard-ass dad, but this might take that to a whole new level. Since not much plot details are known about ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2’ at this point, it’s unclear whether we’ll see Norman’s alter ego, The Green Goblin, in this installment, but it would probably be a safe bet to assume that a pumpkin bomb or two will be thrown around before the end of the trilogy, hopefully alongside the Sinister Six.

I’m pleased with this casting choice for one of the most notorious men in the Marvel Universe. Cooper can bring a certain intensity that’s absolutely necessary to play Norman Osborn. While Dafoe certainly did a stellar job previously, I have no doubt that Cooper won’t have a problem stepping up to the challenge. Out of all the questionable casting choices that Marc Webb has made with his Spider-Man films up to this point like Jamie Foxx as Electro or Shailene Woodley as Mary Jane Watson, this one stands out as practically a spot on choice along with DeHaan as Peter’s best friend and sometimes enemy. We’ll see how all the director’s choices pay off when the film hits theaters next year.

What do you think about Chris Cooper filling the shoes of Norman Osborn? Do you think his maniacal laugh is enough to get him through the role of one of the greatest supervillains of all time? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2’ starring Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx, Shailene Woodley, Dane DeHaan, Chris Cooper, Paul Giamatti, and Sally Field is set to hit theaters in 3D on May 2, 2014.