Most superheroes enjoy animated and live-action depictions with varying results. While live-action films and series tend to enjoy greater prestige and financial success, many fans started their Marvel journey with cartoons. Animated movies likeSpider-Man: Into the Spider-Verseoften capture the comic book source material better than its competitors. Unfortunately, many audiences have an unshakable urge to see the things they enjoyed animated in live action, regardless of the negative consequences. Spider-Man Noir might discover that issue whenNoirhits Amazon Prime.
Sony has a strained relationship with comic book movie fans.Spider-Verseseems to be their main success, but they were involved in everyMarvel Cinematic Universe filmfeaturing the character. Every Sony effort comes with an expectation of failure, while Marvel projects are judged on their merits. This well-earned negative reputation may never fade, even as the studio unleashes new and unique attempts.
Oren Uziel and Steve Lightfoot
Streaming Services
MGM+ and Amazon Prime Video
Noirearned its series order this month from MGM+ and Amazon Prime Video.Sony and Amazon conceptualizedthe series last February, but the writer’s strike delayed any further work. The announcement explained the show’s premise. Nicolas Cage, reprising his role fromInto the Spider-Verse, stars as a private investigator in 1930s New York. He’s past his prime and down on his luck. His superhero days are behind him, but that aspect of his life continues to impact him. Many fans have noticed the bizarre absence of the names “Peter Parker” and “Spider-Man.” This abnormal approach to branding suggests a massive departure from the film franchise that introduced many audiences to Spider-Man Noir. The biggest alteration will be the fact that fanswill see Nic Cage in the rolethis time becauseNoirwill be filmed in live-action.
The character debuted in animation
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verseunquestionably introduced most fans to Spider-Man Noir. The character first appeared in the comics in 2009 as one of the first Marvel Noir projects. Later innovations introduced hard-boiled versions of characters likeDaredevil and the Punisher, but Spider-Man Noir has proven to be the only consistent standout. His first appearance outside the comics came in the 2010 video gameSpider-Man: Shattered Dimensions. That Beenox title introduced many casual fans to the Spider-Verse concept eight years before the beloved movies. The game lets players control four versions of Spider-Man with four radically different gameplay experiences. Many newcomers met Noir, 2099, and the Ultimate universe’s Spider-Man through this game. Noir next appeared in the third season ofUltimate Spider-Man2015. These smaller depictions expanded Noir’s popularity beyond the comics, but they still paled in comparison to his big-screen debut.
The overwhelming majority of fans know Spider-Man Noir through his appearance inInto the Spider-Verse. He appears as a drastic deviation from the mainstream Peter Parker most fans knew. While Peter B. Parker and Gwen Stacy play more central roles,Noir joins Spider-Hamand Sp//dr in a different camp. They exist to demonstrate the radically different takes on Spider-Man that can emerge from the multiverse concept. Noir is meant to cause the audience’s jaw to drop, just as it does when they see a cartoon pig or a mecha wearing their hero’s colors. That juxtaposition in tone and aesthetic works, but a solo series will have to dig into the heart of the character.
Sony’s live-action efforts have struggled
Every entryin Sony’s Spider-Man Universehas been an unmitigated disaster. They’re notorious “so bad it’s good” movies for those who love to laugh at unintentionally hilarious moments. Unfortunately, the constant failure will likely taint any new attempt to solve this problem.Noirwill likely exist outside the current SSU, especially since the character lives in an alternate universe. The series will, however, still represent another messy attempt to capture the potential success this brand should bring. Fans love the striking animation of theSpider-Versemovies. Their aesthetic beauty and unique design elements helped to establish characters like Noir as fan favorites. Moving away from that presentation threatens to lose appeal. A stylized live-action depiction will likely never captureeverything theSpider-Verseonce represented. It has to contend with the negative expectations and comparisons against the original depiction.
Spider-Man Noir will make his live-action debut inNoir. The series could be a leap forward for Sony’s attempts to cash in on this franchise. It could also be another embarrassing mess dragging a beloved character through the mud.Nic Cage’s attachmentto the project will draw excitement, but it’s no seal of quality. While the original creators, Phil Lord and Chris Miller, stepped in as executive producers,Noirremains an unusual pitch. The transition could turn a dynamic character into something less interesting, but it could also open a new door to everySpider-VerseSpider-Person.
