There’s something perfect about Nicolas Cage putting on a fedora and stepping into the shadows of 1930s New York as Spider-Man. Not the bright, quippy, Midtown version. Not the friendly neighborhood kid juggling homework. This is Spider-Noir. A burnt-out private investigator named Ben Reilly. A man who’s seen too much, lost too much, and would probably rather light another cigarette than save the city again. And somehow, that makes it even more compelling.
The new series, Spider-Noir, marks Cage’s first leading role in a television drama, and it feels long overdue. He’s always had that old-Hollywood intensity, the kind that fits naturally in hard shadows and narrow alleyways. The teaser leans into that mood. Black trench coat. Rain-slick streets. A voice that sounds like it’s carrying the weight of a hundred bad decisions. The tagline says it all: “With No Power Comes No Responsibility.” It flips the Spider-Man myth on its head and dares you to see what happens when the hero doesn’t want the job anymore.
For longtime Marvel fans, this isn’t entirely new territory. Spider-Man Noir first swung into the panels of Marvel Comics as part of a darker, pulp-inspired reimagining of the character. He later stole scenes in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, where Cage voiced him with deadpan perfection. Now, we get the full live-action treatment. A Depression-era city. Corruption in high places. Jazz clubs and newsrooms. And a hero who’s more detective than acrobat.
Prime Video is making this even more interesting by offering the show in two formats: “Authentic Black & White” and “True-Hue Full Color.” It’s a smart move. Noir stories live and breathe in contrast, in shadows cutting across faces, in light barely catching the edge of a mask. But giving viewers the option to see it in color respects the original comics while inviting a wider audience in. Either way, the mood is the star.
The series arrives May 27, with all episodes dropping at once. That binge release feels right for a story like this. Noir works best when you stay in the atmosphere, when one smoky scene bleeds into the next. Cage as a reluctant hero. A city that might not deserve saving. And a Spider-Man who’s not swinging toward hope, but trudging back toward responsibility. Sometimes the darkest corners make the most interesting stories.