United Kingdom, May 18 -- Nicolas Cage turned down the chance to play Spider-Man villain Green Goblin.

The actor, 62, admitted he instead chose to star in arthouse comedy-drama Adaptation over Sam Raimi's blockbuster superhero film at a pivotal moment in his career.

Nicolas reflected on the decision while attending the New York premiere of Spider-Noir, the live-action comic adaptation that finally brings him formally into the Spider-Man universe more than two decades after he passed on 2002's Spider-Man.

Nicolas, long known for balancing Oscar-winning performances with eccentric cult roles and large-scale action films, told People about his choice: "For me, that was the right choice at the time."

The Green Goblin role ultimately went ...