Lord & Miller Help Shape Nic Cage’s Dark ‘Spider-Noir’

Amazon Prime Video and MGM+ are teaming up this May for the debut of Spider-Noir, a new Marvel series starring Nicolas Cage. The live-action drama is set in 1930s New York City and follows Cage as Ben Reilly, an aging private detective forced to confront the double life he once lived as the masked vigilante known only as the Spider. The first two episodes will premiere on MGM+ on May 25, followed by a wider release on Amazon Prime Video on May 27, 2026.

Cage’s comeback as the noir-style Spider-Man has drawn attention across Hollywood. He previously voiced the black-and-white version of the hero in Sony Animation’s 2018 hit Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and is expected to return for the sequel, Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, in 2027. This new take marks the first time the Oscar-winning actor will bring the brooding detective to life in a live-action format.

Writers and producers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, who co-created the animated Spider-Verse films, spoke about the differences between the two versions in an interview with MovieWeb. Lord described the new Spider as “flesh and blood,” while Miller said Cage’s portrayal belongs to “a different universe” but keeps many of the same ideas that made the animated version a fan favorite. Their comments suggest the series will ground the character in realism while honoring his comic-book roots.

For Cage, this will mark the fourth comicbook superhero he’s portrayed, a list that also includes Ghost Rider, Big Daddy (Kick-Ass), and Superman (Teen Titans Go! To the Movies). He’s a bit of a comicbook fan you might say. 

The show’s trailer hints at a darker tone than previous Spider-Man projects. In one sequence, Cage’s character brawls with a group of gangsters in a bar before drowning his frustration in alcohol. This version of the Spider appears older, wearier, and far more damaged than his animated counterpart, giving audiences a grittier, more personal look at the cost of heroism. The series has been given a TV-14 rating, marking the most mature take on any Spider-Man television property to date.

Although plot specifics remain under wraps, early footage and cast commentary indicate that Spider-Noir will expand Marvel’s multiverse in tone and style. With a moody atmosphere, sharp dialogue, and Cage’s trademark intensity, the series could offer one of the boldest interpretations of Spider-Man yet released for streaming.

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