Sony may have struck out with its attempted live-action Spider-Man spin-offs, including Morbius, Madame Web, and Kraven the Hunter, but Spidey’s home arguably hit a bona fide home run with the Spider-Verse saga. Both Into the Spider-Verse and Across the Spider-Verse introduced fans to an entire multiverse of new Spider-Man variants. One of them was Spider-Noir, a version of Spidey from a black-and-white 1930s timeline voiced by none other than former Ghost Rider Nicolas Cage.
With Cage now enjoying a major career resurgence, it also makes perfect sense that Spider-Noir is the first Spider-Verse character to get a proper spin-off. The original Spider-Man Noir comics have plenty of engaging source material to draw on, plus the idea of seeing Spider-Man in an old-school WWII-era setting is just too good to pass up. The resulting Prime Video and MGM+ series, Spider-Noir, is a pretty fun throwback to vintage superhero capers, even if it sometimes dips a bit too much into over-the-top cheese.
What Is ‘Spider-Noir’ About?
Taking place in the 1930s toward the end of the Prohibition era, Spider-Noir stars Cage not as a version of Peter Parker, who he played in the Spider-Verse films, but as Ben Reilly, an alcoholic detective who has sworn off being “The Spider” after a tragedy. The Spider’s absence in New York has led to the rise of career criminals like the mob boss Silvermane (Brendan Gleeson), who practically runs New York’s streets. Eventually, Reilly is forced to bring his superhero alter ego out of retirement when a trio of superpowered criminals begins to run amok, including Sandman (Jack Huston), Tombstone (Abraham Popoola), and Megawatt (Andrew Lewis Caldwell).
The Spider-Man Noir comics are notorious for featuring a grim and gritty version of everyone’s favorite friendly neighborhood web-slinger. (If you’re familiar with how Uncle Ben dies in that continuity, it’s no wonder that version of Spidey is closer to The Punisher than most of his other onscreen appearances.) While Cage’s new version of the antihero doesn’t have too many hang-ups about bad guy casualties, Spider-Noir‘s Ben Reilly is a far cry from the character he’s based on, constantly cracking jokes and ending up in comedic situations.
Tonally and stylistically, Spider-Noir is less a Michael Curtiz picture and more like an Ed Wood movie. That’s largely due to its sci-fi theming and comedic pulp undertones; even Michael Dean Parsons‘ score has a science-fiction sound thanks to some great use of a theremin. In more ways than one, Spider-Noir feels like an homage to the original Lone Ranger, Adam West‘s Batman, and even Sam Raimi‘s own take on Spider-Man in how it presents its pulpy throwback to superheroes of yesteryear, but, perhaps because of that vibe, it creates the sense that the show could take itself just a little more seriously.
‘Spider-Noir’ Being Released in Both Black-and-White and in Color Is More Than a Gimmick
Many probably expected Spider-Noir to be released in black-and-white from the get-go, considering that’s how the character was first presented in Into the Spider-Verse (hence his hilarious obsession with a Rubik’s Cube). However, Amazon surprised everyone when it was revealed that two versions of Spider-Noir would be released at launch, one in classic black and white and the other in “True Hue” color. So which is the better one to watch?
Watching the series in black-and-white feels right, and not just because that’s how the character was first introduced. Director Harry Bradbeer shows a marvelous sense of contrast in the show’s lighting, with the blacks and whites really popping out of the screen. Good lighting is hard to come by these days (looking at you, Game of Thrones Season 8 and Obi-Wan Kenobi), so seeing some stellar lighting in a high-profile series like this is a nice change of pace.
Does that mean the black-and-white version is superior, making the in-color version unnecessary? Well, no, because the high contrast also makes “True Hue” pop, making for a consistently great-looking show. Apart from the lighting, Spider-Noir‘s cinematography also has a great deal of fun with its low shots and Dutch angles. That goes double for the show’s rock-solid action scenes, with the easy standout being a good old-fashioned bar fight. With long takes and some excellent physicality from all the actors involved, it’s a fight sequence that is truly on par with some of Daredevil‘s most unforgettable battles.
Nicolas Cage Is Having the Time of His Life in ‘Spider-Noir’
While this Ben Reilly may not be the intense and jaded combatant that his comic book counterpart is, Cage knows the exact tone that Spider-Noir is going for and has an absolute blast with it. Whether he’s doing his signature Cage freak-outs or is trying to perform more subtle undercover work, he proves the perfect lead for Spider-Noir and its genuinely unique take on Spider-Man. Chances are, the series will be the source of a lot more Cage memes and quotes, and that is by no means a bad thing.
Spider-Man is truly Marvel’s equivalent to Batman in terms of his iconic rogues’ gallery of villains, and that’s sadly where Spider-Noir stumbles. Gleeson’s Silvermane is perfectly passable as the Kingpin-type antagonist of the series, but there isn’t much to separate him from the average comic book crime boss. Huston’s Sandman and Popoola’s Tombstone are more sympathetic villains, but it’s nothing that Spider-Man fans haven’t seen before. Caldwell’s Megawatt is given the least development, and the performance is maybe a little too hammy, even for a series like this.
Nicolas Cage Channels ‘Bosch’ in Intense New Trailer for Spider-Man Detective Series
Ben Reilly will be on the case starting next month.
Spider-Noir‘s true secret weapon, though, is its strong supporting cast. Li Jun Li is a fantastic femme fatale who fits all the trademarks of Black Cat to a tee despite never suiting up in the character’s comic book outfit. Lamorne Morris also gets a lot of time to shine as Robbie Robertson, the whip-smart Daily Bugle journalist with the enthusiasm that Ben Reilly lost all those years ago. However, the series’ real breakout is Karen Rodriguez as Janet, who is just delightful as Reilly’s sarcastic assistant.
A few things hold Spider-Noir back from being a truly stellar return to form for the spectacular Spider-Man, including a somewhat inconsistent tone and some weak villains, but Cage’s effortless charisma and undeniable likability alone are enough to hold interest. It may not be for everyone, especially for hardcore comic fans expecting something much grittier, but it’s also hard to deny that Spider-Noir is just a heck of a lot of fun.
Spider-Noir premieres May 25 on MGM+ and May 27 on Prime Video.
- Release Date
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May 27, 2026
- Network
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MGM+
- Showrunner
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Oren Uziel, Steve Lightfoot
- Directors
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Harry Bradbeer
Pros & Cons
- Nicolas Cage is having a blast in the lead role.
- Li Jun Li, Lamorne Morris, and Karen Rodriguez make a great ensemble.
- Spider-Noir is consistently great-looking show in both black-and-white and color.
- Tonally, the series teeters a bit too much between pulp and cheese.
- The villains aren’t up to Spidey’s usual standards.
