Nicolas Cage Says He Wanted to Play His 1930s Superhero Detective in Spider-Noir Like a “Spider Pretending to Be a Person

News
1

image
image650×366 29.9 KB
Nicolas Cage as Spider-Noir (Ben Reilly) in the upcoming Prime Video series:

The Character & Concept

  • Cage plays Ben Reilly, an alternate-universe Spider-Man known as Spider-Noir, set in 1930s New York City.

  • The twist: this Ben Reilly is a jaded, down-on-his-luck private detective who’s reluctantly returning to superhero work.

  • Cage’s approach is unusual: he wants to portray Spider-Noir as a “spider pretending to be a person”.

    • In his mind, Ben Reilly is more spider than human after his experiences.

    • He studies human behavior at the movies to mimic it in public, but in private, he’s his true self.

Tone & Style

  • Black-and-white noir aesthetic, complete with fedoras, bowler hats, and shadowy streets.

  • Cage describes his performance as 70% Humphrey Bogart, 30% Bugs Bunny, balancing classic noir gravitas with Cage’s trademark eccentricity.

  • The show emphasizes mature, jaded storytelling, focusing on Spider-Noir’s detective work and moral struggles.

Villains & Threats

  • Classic Spider-Man foes reimagined for the noir setting:

    • Sandman

    • Silvermane

    • Electro

    • Cat Hardy / Black Cat

Release Dates

  • MGM Plus (US): May 25, 2026

  • Prime Video (Global): May 27, 2026