Released in 2018, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse quickly established itself as one of the best superhero movies of all time. While there was initial skepticism about the necessity of an animated Spider-Man film after three separate live-action iterations, Into the Spider-Verse won fans over with its stunning visual style and creative, heartfelt story that finally gave Miles Morales his just due. Unsurprisingly, sequel Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse followed suit, becoming one of the biggest movies of 2023. Earning just as much critical praise, it was an even larger box office hit, grossing $690.8 million.
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Across the Spider-Verse ends with a jaw-dropping cliffhanger audiences can’t wait to see resolved, but the wait for the threequel has been frustratingly longer than anticipated. At one point, Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse was supposed to hit theaters in 2024, but it’s been subject to delays and is now scheduled to debut in 2027. There’s still over a year before the highly anticipated trilogy finale premieres, but in the meantime, a new Spider-Man project will help make the wait a little easier.
Spider-Noir Helps Ease the Wait for Beyond the Spider-Verse
This summer sees the release of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s latest Spider-Man movie, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, but it’s a small-screen title that provides a much-needed reprieve for Spider-Verse fans. In May, TV series Spider-Noir arrives on Prime Video, starring Nicolas Cage in the titular role. The live-action show spawns from the animated movies, as Cage famously debuted as Spider-Man Noir in a voice-over role in Into the Spider-Verse. His comical interpretation of a jaded private investigator turned superhero made him a fan favorite and an easy pick to lead a spinoff series.
Cage is not playing the same character he voices in the Spider-Verse films; in Spider-Noir, he’s a variant of Ben Reilly, not Peter Parker. However, this show shares plenty of DNA with the animated movies. In addition to Cage (whose presences helps establish an immediate connection between the two in audiences’ minds), Spider-Verse producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller are part of the Spider-Noir creative team, serving as executive producers. While they didn’t write or direct any of the episodes, it’s an encouraging sign that they’re involved with the show, establishing even stronger connective tissue between the series and the films.
Spider-Noir may not be continuing the story of the Spider-Verse films, but it should retain what made those movies so special. It has the potential to be the most exciting Marvel TV show of the year due to its unique storytelling approach and style. Much like how the Spider-Verse movies stood apart from the crowd with its own innovations, Spider-Noir is unlike anything we’ve seen before in the superhero genre. It’s fully indebted to classic film noir of yesteryear (complete with the option to watch it in black and white), as Cage’s Ben Reilly is a cynical gumshoe detective being pushed to the end of his rope. Audiences may be familiar with the thematic ground Spider-Noir is covering (a hero facing an existential crisis), but the narrative is being told in such a distinct manner that it feels fresh and original.
The inventiveness on display is why Spider-Noir is the perfect project to fill the gap between Spider-Verse movies. In order for comic book adaptations to remain relevant in an evolving pop culture landscape, creative teams need to be willing to think outside the box and put their own stamp on well-worn formulas. Spider-Noir and the Spider-Verse films couldn’t be more differently stylistically, but they occupy the same space in spirit, demonstrating there’s still plenty to do with superhero stories. In that sense, audiences will get a taste of why they fell in love with Spider-Verse when watching Spider-Noir. And if Cage’s Ben Reilly proves to be as big of a hit as his Peter Parker, perhaps there will be room for him to make a cameo in Beyond the Spider-Verse, bringing this full circle.
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