With the Spider-Noir series releasing on Amazon Prime Video later this year, audiences will be introduced to a new Spider-Man hero with many differences from the MCU character fans know and love. Nicolas Cage will star in the show as Ben Reilly (a name which comes from a Spider-Man clone in Marvel comics) who goes by the superhero moniker The Spider.
The series, presented both in black-and-white and in color, will premiere on MGM+ on May 25 and release globally with all eight episodes on Prime Video on May 27. Spider-Noir is being helmed by showrunner Oren Uziel and is co-produced by Into the Spider-Verse's Phil Lord and Chris Miller.
What Makes Spider-Noir's The Spider Different from MCU Spider-Man?
They Have Different Names (Civilian and Superhero)
Tom Holland's Spider-Man in the MCU — an adaptation of the original version of the Marvel Comics character with the same name — is named Peter Parker. His superhero monicker is Spider-Man, much like the vast majority of iterations of the character. This actually includes the original Spider-Man Noir from the comics and in the animated Into the Spider-Verse movie.
Unlike Holland's character, Nicolas Cage's character is named Ben Reilly and goes by The Spider. This change reflects the style of noir storytelling the show emulates, as many other characters from projects like this are named similarly (ie. The Shadow, who Cage himself referenced in an interview with Esquire).
They Are Different Ages
Whereas Holland's Peter Parker has, thus far, been portrayed in the MCU as a high schooler — much like in both Tobey Maguire's and Andrew Garfield's respective Spider-Man franchises — Cage's Ben Reilly will be portrayed older.
In mainline Marvel comics, Peter Parker has not been a high schooler for many decades, and spent far more time as a college student or a working young adult than as a teenager. However, the movies' tendencies to stick with this high school version of the character likely have led to that being the definitive version in the minds of many audiences. As such, as Chris Miller explained, they needed to age Ben Reilly older to make him "older and jaded" to align with the intent of the Spider-Noir series.
They Have Different Supporting Casts
Spider-Noir and the MCU went in two very different directions when it comes to its Spider-hero's supporting cast. Like the MCU did for Spider-Man, The Spider's supporting cast will use Marvel comics as inspiration for supporting characters, though the adaptations do not appear to be one-to-one. Lamorne Morris will play Robbie Robertson — a veteran Daily Bugle journalist in the comics, who often ends up being the more levelheaded counterpart of J Jonah Jameson — who will be a friend of Ben Reilly's in the new series. Additionally, Li Jun Li will play Cat Hardy, an adaptation of Peter Parker's on-again-off-again rival-love-interest Felicia Hardy/Black Cat from Marvel Comics.
Meanwhile, the MCU adapted comics characters Ned Leeds into the version played by Jacob Batalon introduced in Spider-Man: Homecoming as Peter Parker's best friend. The movies also adapted Mary Jane Watson into Zendaya's Michelle Jones-Watson, or MJ, both of which are their respective Peter Parker's primary love interests.
They Have Different Costumes
Fitting the aesthetic and tone of its series, Spider-Noir will see The Spider in an all-black suit, complete with a fedora and trench coat. This closely resembles the version of the Spider-Man Noir suit from the Spider-Verse animated movies and from the Spider-Man Noir line of comics.
Meanwhile, the MCU has, for the most part, stuck to the classic red-and-blue superhero suit for Spider-Man, though it has had several iterations of it. Interestingly, Spider-Man: Far From Home's all-black, tactical "Night Monkey" suit arguably has more in common with the Spider-Noir costume than the most commonly used black Spider-Man suit in the comics (the one that either is, or is inspired by, Venom, depending on where in the comics' timeline it is being used).
Gillian Blum has been a writer at The Direct since 2022, reporting primarily from New York City. Though she covers news from across the entertainment industry, Gillian has a particular focus on Marvel and DC, including comics, movies, and television shows. She also commonly reports on Percy Jackson, Invincible, and other similar franchises.
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