"Spider-Noir" weaves superhero thriller with noir-style story
Nicolas Cage says his new series "Spider-Noir" will offer viewers a distinct experience, with the option to watch it in black and white - "like an old movie" - or in highly saturated color designed to increase visual intensity. He hopes the noir presentation will engage younger audiences, who may be less familiar with black and white films.
Film Noir, a style of American cinema from the 1940s, is known for its cynical protagonists, crime-based plots and existential themes. Cage said he created his performance as the title character specifically for black and white, calling the dual-format release "a bit revolutionary."
The series, developed by Oren Uziel for Prime Video and MGM+, is based on the Marvel Comics character Spider-Man Noir. It follows an older, tougher Peter Parker - here called Ben Reilly - working as a private detective in 1930s New York and confronting his past.
Cage stars alongside Lamorne Morris as newspaper editor Robbie Robertson, Li Jun Li as nightclub singer Cat Hardy and Brendan Gleeson as Irish mob boss Silvermane.
After being inspired by the character's popularity in Sony's animated "Spider-Verse" films from Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, Uziel was eager to bring the duo on board as producers of "Spider-Noir."
"I think the character really stood out in those ["Spider-Verse"] movies, and they [Lord and Miller] were excited about trying to create a standalone show for him," Uziel said.
Cage, Uziel and Gleeson hope the series will bring together Marvel and noir audiences, introducing younger viewers to the genre and drawing noir fans into the world of superheroes.
"I hope it opens up a world in both directions," Gleeson said, noting his optimism that "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" fans will gravitate toward some film noir and vice versa.
The series premieres this Wednesday (27) on Prime Video. Watch the trailer below.
"Spider-Noir" - Trailer | Prime Video
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Source: CNN