TV news: Marvel and Nicholas Cage collaborate in darker, 1930s Spider-Man spin-off

On May 27, Marvel’s latest series Spider-Noir is releasing on Prime Video and MGM+, starring Nicholas Cage.

The series offers a different Spider-Man story to the one fans are familiar with, taking place in a grittier, alternate world.

Featuring a vintage, detective-noir aesthetic, the series will be released in black and white and full colour versions.

A darker version of the classic hero

Sony’s standalone series is a far cry from the friendly, neighbourhood highschooler many are used to.

Set in 1930s New York, Cage plays Ben Reilly, a private investigator and former superhero known as ‘The Spider’.

Older, grizzled and jaded, the series finds the hero down on his luck after a personal tragedy forced him to retire his webslinging ways.

However, years later, the aging Reilly encounters an exceptional case that leads him to return to his heroic alter ego.

Nicholas Cage is Spider-Noir

Cage’s lead role is not the first time he portrays this character.

The actor provided the voice for Spider-Noir in Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s animated feature Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018).

Lord and Miller are executive producers on the 2026 live-action series, and are joined by frequent Spider-Man film producer Amy Pascal.

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The Spider’s ensemble

Along with the alternate Spider-Man, the series will feature new iterations on the hero’s frequent foes, including Sandman and Tombstone.

Another villain to look out for is the Irish mob boss Silvermane, portrayed by Brendan Gleeson (The Banshees of Inisherin).

Lamorne Morris (New Girl) and Li Jun Li (Sinners) also appear alongside Cage to portray Robbie Robertson, Reilly’s best friend, and Cat Hardy, a femme fatale interpretation of the Marvel character Black Cat. 

All eight episodes of Spider-Noir are scheduled for release on May 27 on Prime Video, with an MGM+ release two days earlier.

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