Sony's sloppy Spider-Man universe gets even messier with Spider-Noir

Aside from the success of the Spider-Verse, it appears that Sony is experimenting indiscriminately in an attempt to find a winning formula.

For years, the consensus suggested that the Spider-Man film rights might be better suited under Marvel's stewardship; however, Into the Spider-Verse emerged and showcased Sony's ability to craft remarkable narratives centered around its iconic web-slinger. The film's stunning animation and its innovative focus on a new protagonist made it a standout in the realm of superhero adaptations. This was further evidenced when Sony successfully released a larger, more ambitious sequel just a few years later.

Central to the appeal of the first two installments in the Spider-Verse franchise was their ingenious incorporation of lesser-known Spider characters, who struck a chord even with viewers unfamiliar with comic lore. Characters like Hailee Steinfeld's Spider-Gwen, John Mulaney's Spider-Ham, and Nicolas Cage's Spider-Man Noir became beloved figures. Motivated by this success, Sony endeavored to replicate this magic with other characters from Spider-Man’s universe, such as Venom and Madame Web, with mixed results.

The latest effort from Sony is Amazon's live-action Spider-Noir series, which is another attempt to leverage the Spider-Man brand independently of Marvel. The show presents a comedic narrative with only tenuous connections to the Spider-Verse films and serves as a playful homage to the hard-boiled crime dramas of Hollywood's Golden Age. Visually, Spider-Noir stands out as a delightful experience, especially when viewed in black and white (there is also a colorized option). Nevertheless, the series suffers from a significant lack of narrative depth, revealing that Sony may have strayed from the core elements that contributed to the success of its most celebrated Spider-Man projects.

Instead of reprising Cage's role as a live-action version of his monochromatic Spider-Verse character, Spider-Noir follows the story of Ben Reilly—a brooding vigilante from an alternate universe known to New Yorkers as "The Spider." After the tragic death of his girlfriend, Reilly abandons his career as a hero, opting for a life as a private investigator.

Reilly's secretary, Janet (played by Karen Rodriguez), has worked with him for five years and is aware of his uncanny sense of danger as well as his photographic skills. However, she is frustrated with his failure to secure new clients and his months of unpaid wages. Just as Janet considers resigning, Reilly stumbles upon what appears to be a straightforward investigation, which leads him to the enigmatic nightclub singer Cat Hardy (Li Jun Li). The situation quickly escalates to involve local mob boss Silvermane (Brendan Gleeson) and his band of inept henchmen, culminating in Reilly's encounter with superpowered individuals such as Flint Marko (Jack Huston).

Much of Spider-Noir bears little resemblance to Marvel's 2009 Spider-Man: Noir comic series, with scant similarities to Cage’s Spider-Verse character. While this approach could be effective if the series provided a compelling narrative or fully embraced a dramatic tone, Reilly's journey is marked by numerous familiar Spider-Man tropes—including the ever-familiar themes of power and responsibility—which have seen extensive adaptations. Additionally, the series often resorts to a brand of humor that detracts from its noir aspirations.

Despite the often-quippy nature of Spider-Men across various universes, Cage's performance here sometimes falters, illustrating the challenges of translating this character to live action. He portrays Reilly with a mix of aging wit, Cagney-esque bravado, and an offbeat charm that fails to resonate convincingly with the introduced romantic interests. Although there are moments where Reilly's introspection shines through, these instances are frequently undermined as the narrative rushes toward its overly predictable conclusion.

Cage's portrayal of his Spider-Verse character thrived on an unconventional energy that harmonized with the multiverse's varied themes. The humor derived from Spider-Man Noir's grave disposition and colorblindness played off the surrounding chaos. In contrast, Spider-Noir lacks the emotional and thematic substance necessary for Reilly to be perceived as a well-developed character, serving instead as a disjointed amalgamation of superficial ideas.

It is unfortunate that while the aesthetic appeal of the series is evident, and it is clear that Cage is enjoying his role, these elements alone are insufficient to elevate Spider-Noir into a must-watch series. Instead, it illustrates that Sony may be misinterpreting the lessons learned from its successful ventures, highlighting how far it remains from rediscovering its winning formula.

Spider-Noir features additional performances by Lamorne Morris, Abraham Popoola, Lukas Haas, Andrew Lewis Caldwell, and Jack Mikesell. All eight episodes premiered on MGM Plus on May 25th and are available for streaming on Amazon Prime starting May 27th.