It’s been five years since Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse flung the multiverse wide open, setting the stage for a slew of alt-universe Spider-People to tell their own stories. It’s taken a while for any spin-off to get off the ground, but with Sony Pictures’ partnership with Amazon Studios, the Spider-Verse is finally getting a little bigger.
A live-action series following Spider-Man Noir, one of the runaway favorites of Spider-Verse, has been in the works for some time. A crew of Marvel alums has slowly been assembled, suggesting a series on par with the adult-focused pulp of Netflix’s Marvel shows. Punisher alum Steve Lightfoot has been chosen as co-showrunner, sharing duties with 22 Jump Street writer Oren Uziel. As for the series' star, the Noir team is keeping things simple and selecting the actor who lent his voice to the character in Spider-Verse.
After months of wishful thinking, Nicolas Cage will officially reprise his role as Spider-Man Noir. Spider-Man Noir doesn’t have a definitive release date yet, but the series will premiere on MGM+ before landing globally on Prime Video. Harry Bradbeer, who helmed episodes of Fleabag and Killing Eve, will direct the first two episodes.
Spider-Man Noir will mark Cage’s first real television role. Cage starred in over 100 films after appearing in a TV pilot early in his career, and there’s a sense he might be transitioning to the small screen for good.
“I may have three or four more movies left in me,” the actor told Vanity Fair in 2023. “I do feel I’ve said what I’ve had to say with cinema. I think I took film performance as far as I could.”
Instead, Cage is ready to “switch formats” and explore what’s possible with television. “Maybe it’s time to look at the immersive streaming experience,” Cage said, citing Bryan Cranston’s performance in Breaking Bad as an appealing roadmap. The Emmy-winning actor got the chance to develop a complex character over half a decade, and Cage may do the same with Spider-Man Noir.
Created by writers David Hine and Fabrice Sapolsky, and designed by artists Carmine Di Giandomenico and Marko Djurdjevic, Spider-Man Noir is one of the darkest additions to the Spider-Verse. In the comics, he’s a variant of Peter Parker, and while his origins mirror Peter’s where they count, his adventures in Depression-era New York are tinged with drug abuse, corrupt politicians, and all-powerful Spider Deities.
Noir will follow the title hero years beyond his prime. Set in 1930s New York, the aging, down-on-his-luck private investigator will be forced to grapple with his past life as the city’s one and only superhero. Whether his adventures will set the stage for more multiversal adventures remains to be seen, but Spider-Man Noir is already shaping up to be an exciting addition to the Spider-Verse either way.
