Spider-Man 3: The Mask Of The Hobgoblin And A Potential Future Installment Explained

Spider-Man 3 includes an ominous Easter egg; the mask of The Hobgoblin, Green Goblin’s successor, and a classic Spider-Man foe.

Hobgoblin Lives

Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man movies are filled with Easter eggs with Spider-Man 3 including a hint to the Hobgoblin and a possible future installment. The Spider-Man trilogy is remembered for its exponential combination of heartfelt, realistic, and comic characters. Many fans overlooked one aspect of the film that echoed several hints and shoutouts to other characters’ continuity in Raimi’s films. One such moment was the Hobgoblin’s mask that was there in act 1 of Spider-Man 3.

The Hobgoblin was famously referred to as Roderick Kingsley. He was perhaps a major villain to Spider-Man in the comic world. After discovering Norman Osborn’s death, Kingsley modifies Osborn’s formula of Green Goblin and attempts to increase its efficiency. That’s how Kingsley became the Hobgoblin, with a modified costume. He is stronger than Norman and overall dangerous and unpredictable. Like Green Goblin, Marvel Comics also made Hobgoblin’s character a mystery that led to multiple fake reveals and red herrings as well. His true identity was revealed in Spider-Man: Hobgoblin Lives (1997).

The Continuity Of Raimi’s Spider-Man Trilogy

Hobgoblin’s costume was perhaps a modified version of Goblin’s costume. Roderick changed the color palette of Green Goblin’s costume and included a mask with a gold hue. He later added an orange cloak but retained the legendary aesthetic that was first used. Harry Osborn, in Spider-Man 3, creates a similar outfit and improves the costume’s efficiency. He refers to himself as the New Goblin after taking Norman’s formula. When Harry’s new technology is revealed early in the film, there appear two masks; Norman’s Green Goblin and Harry’s New Goblin. While the other mask looks similar to that of Norman’s, it looks more aggressive and also has a metallic gold color. That is what indicated it as Raimi’s Hobgoblin mask.

If Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy ever continued, it will be no surprise to discover Roderick Kingsley menacing as the Hobgoblin. As far as Raimi’s understanding of the comic sources is considered, it would make high sense to see Kingsley succeeding Harry and Norman like what he did in the comic world.