Spider-Noir Co-Showrunner Reveals Where Peter Parker Is in Nicolas Cage’s Noir Series

So, if you thought Nicolas Cage showing up as a Spider-Man variant was odd enough, wait till you hear how the new 'Spider-Noir' series is handling things. Forget Peter Parker swinging around Manhattan—he's not even in this universe (at least for now) and, honestly, the creative choices are a little wild in a 'Hollywood nerds talking about their favorite Bogart movies' kind of way.

No Peter Parker Here—And That’s On Purpose

Spider-Noir co-showrunner Oren Uziel basically laid it out: they wanted nothing to do with Peter Parker as their lead. Cage is playing Ben Reilly this time—a gritty, older spin on the whole Spider-hero idea, who prefers trench coats and private eye gigs to high school drama.

Uziel told EW: 'Peter Parker is so synonymous to me with a young character and a coming-of-age story.' And since the series is set in 1930s, Prohibition-era New York, let's just say the coming-of-age stuff isn't the vibe. That Ben Reilly move? Whole new flavor for Spider-Man, definitely not something we've seen on screen before (unless you count animated cameos and those random comics).

What The Show Actually Is

Here’s the setup: Nicolas Cage plays a washed-up vigilante who now operates as a gumshoe in the thick of Depression-age New York. And the whole thing is designed to play almost exactly like an old-school noir flick—think more Bogart, less Queens teenager learning about responsibility. They’re even releasing it in both black-and-white and color, just in case you want your superheroes extra moody.

Uziel described it like this: 'We're really trying to make an old Bogart movie… it’s just that Bogart happens to be Spider-Man.' That pretty much tells you where their heads are at.

So, Is Peter Parker Out Forever?

Not quite. Uziel hinted that Peter Parker isn’t technically off the board—he just doesn’t exist here 'yet.' Of course, that leaves the door cracked open for some future cameo, but season one? It’s all Ben Reilly’s show.

Cast Breakdown

• Nicolas Cage as Spider-Man... but not Peter Parker; he's Ben Reilly, the grizzled detective version.
• Brendan Gleeson grabs the crime boss role as Silvermane.
• Lamorne Morris steps in as Robbie Robertson (reporter/laudable sidekick energy).
• Li Jun Li plays lounge singer Cat Hardy.

The show pulls its noir attitude from movies like 'Casablanca,' 'Chinatown,' and 'L.A. Confidential,' which, if you know those, gives you a solid idea of how harsh and smoky this Manhattan is supposed to feel.

A Quick Word About Nic Cage On Set

If you were wondering, yes, Cage dove into this thing completely. He reportedly showed up with film history deep-dives, dropping references to Humphrey Bogart performances and asking the crew to shape scenes after specific movie moments. On set, he’d actually say stuff like: 'This bit is gonna be Bogart from The Big Sleep.' There are not many actors who would—or could—get away with that.

Release Details

Prime Video’s rolling out all eight episodes starting May 27. Pick your poison: black-and-white for full 'noir authenticity,' or color if you must.

So, if you wanted a classic Peter Parker web-slinging spectacle, that’s not this show. But if you want to see Nicolas Cage do his best hard-boiled detective—who just happens to crawl on walls—this might be the weird swing you’ve been waiting for.