Nicolas Cage stars as Spider-Man Noir, after voicing a version of the character in Sony's animated film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018), with Lamorne Morris, Brendan Gleeson, Li Jun Li, Abraham Popoola, Jack Huston, and Karen Rodriguez also starring. The series was revealed to be in development in February 2023 with Uziel involved, and Lightfoot was hired that December. Cage's casting was confirmed in May 2024 when the series was ordered and titled Noir before it was retitled Spider-Noir that July. Filming had begun by August 2024 in Los Angeles and is scheduled to last until February 2025.
Spider-Noir is set to debut on MGM+, and will consist of eight episodes.
Premise
Spider-Noir follows an aging, down on his luck private investigator in 1930s New York City who is grappling with his past life as the only superhero in the city.[1]
Sony Pictures Entertainment chairman Tony Vinciquerra stated in March 2019 that Sony's shared universe of Spider-Man–related properties,[12] known as Sony's Spider-Man Universe (SSU),[13] would be expanding to television with a set of Marvel Comics projects developed by Sony Pictures Television. The studio was "essentially internally auditioning" characters from the 900 it could access to decide which medium they would appear in.[12] After their work on Sony's animated film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018), Phil Lord and Christopher Miller signed an overall deal with Sony Pictures Television in April 2019 to develop multiple television series for the studio, including their Marvel-based series, which could potentially include characters from Into the Spider-Verse as well as live-action properties. Select projects would be produced in conjunction with Amy Pascal, a frequent producer of the Spider-Man films.[14] The intention was for Lord and Miller to reboot the Spider-Man property for television.[15] By September 2020, Sony was in talks with Amazon Prime Video for the latter to be the streaming distributor for Sony's "suite" of Marvel-based television series.[16]
Sony Pictures Television was revealed in February 2023 to be developing a television series based on the Spider-Man Noir character for MGM+ and Prime Video. Oren Uziel developed the series with Lord, Miller, and Pascal, all of whom serve as executive producers, with Uziel writing the series.[2] In December, Amazon hired Steve Lightfoot, who previously served as showrunner of Marvel Television's Netflix seriesThe Punisher (2017–2019), to serve as co-showrunner and an executive producer alongside Uziel.[17] Amazon officially ordered and titled the series Noir in May 2024, when Harry Bradbeer joined to direct and executive produce the first two episodes.[1] Lord Miller president Aditya Sood and Dan Shear, the EVP and head of television, also executive produce the series,[11][18] which is produced by Sony Pictures Television, Lord Miller, Pascal Pictures, and Amazon MGM Studios.[2][1] That July, the series was retitled Spider-Noir to better highlight its connections to the Spider-Man universe,[3] when it was revealed to consist of eight episodes.[19] Lesley Goldberg of Puck News reported in August 2024 that Sony was not expected to renew its overall deal with Lord and Miller after the duo disagreed with the studio on the series' budget.[15]
Writing
Spider-Noir is set in an alternate world based on 1930s New York City,[2][1] with Sony Pictures Television president Katherine Pope describing the series as a reimagining of the Spider-Man Noir character in the SSU.[1] Upon the reveal of the series' development, Variety reported that it would be set in its own universe and that the series would focus on a different main character rather than Peter Parker, who is the identity of Spider-Man Noir in the comics.[2] Miller said in May 2023 that development, along with the writers' room, was put on hold because of the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike that began earlier that month, and that work would resume after the strike concluded;[20][21] the writers' strike ended in late September 2023.[22]
Casting
Lord and Miller said in May 2023 that there was potential for Nicolas Cage to portray Spider-Man Noir in the series after he previously voiced a version of the character in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.[20] Cage was in talks for the role by February 2024,[23] and was confirmed to star by May.[1] In July 2024, several actors were cast in the series, including Lamorne Morris as Robbie Robertson,[3]Brendan Gleeson in an undisclosed villain role,[4]Li Jun Li,[7] and Abraham Popoola.[8] Gleeson's casting was confirmed in September,[5] when Jack Huston joined the cast as a series regular.[9] Later that month, Lukas Haas, Cameron Britton, Cary Christopher, Michael Kostroff, Scott MacArthur, Joe Massingill, Whitney Rice, and Amanda Schull were all cast in undisclosed recurring roles,[11] along with Karen Rodriguez joining as a series regular.[10]
Spider-Noir is set to debut in the United States on MGM+ before releasing globally, including in the United States, on Amazon Prime Video.[27] The series will consist of eight episodes.[19]
