Spider-Man's TV future just received its most exciting update in years, as Sony and Amazon's big plans were reportedly revealed. Earlier this year, the first live-action Spider-Man TV show premiered with Nicolas Cage's Spider-Verse spin-off show, Spider-Noir. The 1930s-set detective noir series took Cage's Ben Reilly swinging through an alternate New York in a critically-acclaimed tale that won five Creative Arts Emmys. Sadly, Spider-Noir's Season 2 prospects were dashed when Amazon Prime Video canceled the show just months after it premiered in May.
There is good news for the world of Spider-Man on live-action TV, as The Ankler reports that Sony Television and Amazon Prime Video are developing four different streaming ventures and aim to move forward with "one or even two of them." The report revealed the creative teams behind each of the four projects in development, although plot details remain under wraps at this time:
- Kelvin Yu (American Born Chinese)
- Alison Tatlock (Better Call Saul)
- Ben H. Winters (Tracker)
- Ben Nedivii & Matt Tolpert (For All Mankind), Megan McDonnell (WandaVision)
The Ankler's report noted that Spider-Noir "ultimately fell victim to its price tag," indicating that it was simply too expensive to continue at Amazon Prime Video. Unconfirmed rumors claimed that Spider-Noir's budget may have been as high as $400 million, making it one of the most expensive TV shows ever.
Sony isn't the only one with big plans for Spider-Man to continue on TV, as Disney has its own plans for new stories with the web-slinger beyond the expected theatrical sequel to Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Disney and Marvel Studios still hold the rights to Spider-Man in animated TV, although the studio is reportedly at a "standstill" with Sony over bringing a live-action Spider-Man to Disney+.
Marvel Animation is well into development on Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man Season 2 ahead of its premiere in January 2027, and Season 3 has already been greenlit for an unknown release date. Disney Jr. also has the preschool-friendly Spidey and His Amazing Friends still on the go and renewed through Season 7, securing its future until roughly 2029, and possibly longer.
What Are Sony & Amazon Planning For Their 4 Spider-Man TV Shows?
It's encouraging to hear that Spider-Noir's cancellation hasn't soured Sony and Amazon Prime Video on Spider-Man's TV potential, as the latest updates suggest that both are still just as determined to find a show that works. However, if the budget and viewership were truly to blame for Spider-Noir's cancellation, there is a high chance of major financial cutbacks for the next show.
Over recent years, Marvel Studios has conditioned fans to expect the red brand's streaming content to stream on Disney+, leaving Amazon Prime Video something of an uphill battle in building its Spider-Man-focused franchise. Still, the right show and a strong enough marketing campaign may be all it needs to get started.
Only time will tell what Sony and Amazon have planned, although heavy hitters like Peter Parker and Miles Morales will probably be reserved for the big screen. The focus of these four projects will likely be on major Spider-Man Variants from the Spider-Verse franchise, such as Spider-Gwen (Gwen Stacy), Spider-Man 2099 (Miguel O'Hara), and Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew).
Before Spider-Noir, Sony was working on a live-action TV show called Silk: Spider Society from The Walking Dead showrunner Angela Kang, centered around the Korean-American web-slinger Cindy Moon, aka Silk. While that project was ultimately abandoned, perhaps a new Silk concept may be considered.
The studio hired Spider-Verse directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller to oversee its TV endeavors several years ago, but that doesn't mean that the animated Spider-Man saga will be coming to streaming. The contract that licensed Spider-Man to Sony requires episodes to run over 44 minutes, which would become rather expensive and time-consuming given Spider-Verse's intricate animation.
