Spider-Man Noir Already Confirms a Massive Change to the Character’s Canon Origin

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Sony revealed the first look at its upcoming live-action Spider-Noir series at CCXP 2025. The show, coming to Prime Video, is set in a darker part of the Marvel universe. It follows a Spider-Man from another reality, where he and the people around him operated in a tough, 1930s New York City. While Spider-Noir first appeared in comic books in 2009, many fans will recognize the character from appearances in the Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions video game (2010) and the animated film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018).

With Nicolas Cage reprising his role as Spider-Man Noir – a character he previously voiced in Into the Spider-Verse – many fans assumed the new series would continue that same storyline. However, a recent look at the series’ poster suggests it might not be connected to the Spider-Verse films after all.

Spider-Noir’s Spider-Man Will Not Be Peter Parker

Spider-Man Noir is usually depicted as an alternate version of Peter Parker, a fact established in both comic books and his introduction in the movie Into the Spider-Verse. He famously introduces himself as Peter Parker, explaining he was bitten by a radioactive spider, but his story takes place in 1933 where he works as a private detective, enjoys egg creams, and frequently fights Nazis.

The Spider-Man from the Noir universe is a lot like the classic Spider-Man (from Earth-616), but his upbringing in a harsher, more depressing world has made him a grittier character. However, promotional material for Spider-Noir shows this version of Spider-Man will actually be known by a different name. The poster features his shadowy figure standing by a door with the sign, “B. REILLY PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR.”

As a huge Spider-Man fan, I immediately recognized this as a reference to the classic Clone Saga! For those who don’t know, Ben Reilly is actually a clone of Peter Parker, created by a villain called the Jackal. It was all part of a really complicated plan to make Peter’s life miserable because of what happened with Gwen Stacy. This whole thing kicked off the Clone Saga, which was this massive storyline that ran through the Spider-Man, The Amazing Spider-Man, and Web of Spider-Man comics for years – from 1994 to 1996, it was a huge deal!

The clone initially had all of Peter Parker’s memories and thought he was the real Peter. When he discovered he was a clone, he created a new identity by combining the names of Peter’s aunt, May Reilly, and uncle, Ben Parker. Marvel later surprised fans by revealing that Ben Parker was the original Peter and that the Spider-Man readers knew had actually been a clone. However, this twist was unpopular, and it was eventually revealed to be a deception orchestrated by the Green Goblin.

The comic book version of the Noir universe doesn’t include characters like Ben Reilly or the Jackal. Because the Noir universe is generally realistic – with only limited sci-fi or fantasy – it’s unlikely the Spider-Noir series will adapt the full Clone Saga storyline. Early details suggest the series will stick to this grounded approach. It appears the name ‘Ben Reilly’ is simply being used as an alias for Peter Parker, but the reason for this change remains unclear.

Peter Parker Is One of Marvel’s Most Important Characters

Even though Spider-Man isn’t currently appearing in Sony’s live-action Marvel movies, Sony can still use the character. The recent change to his name might simply be a branding decision. Both Disney and Sony want to protect Spider-Man’s popular image with audiences. There’s a lot of talk that the new animated series, Spider-Noir, will be rated for mature audiences due to the dark and violent nature of the original comics.

Spider-Man Noir is different from most Spider-Men – he carries guns and isn’t afraid to kill his worst enemies. In his early comics, he even killed the Vulture after he murdered Uncle Ben. Some might be uneasy seeing Peter Parker, even an alternate version, act so violently. While Spider-Man did appear in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, his opponents there were monsters, not human criminals.

Giving Spider-Man the real name Ben Reilly in Spider-Noir would let him act like Peter Parker without running into problems with how Peter’s main character is usually shown. Other Spider-Man variations, like Aaron Aikman and Takuya Yamashiro, demonstrate that Peter’s alternate versions don’t have to share his last name. Therefore, the Spider-Noir version of Ben Reilly could simply be another version of Peter Parker who was originally given a different name.

Spider-Noir’s Connection to the Spider-Verse Films Is Still Unclear

The name given to Spider-Man in Spider-Noir suggests he won’t be the same character as the one seen in Into the Spider-Verse and its sequel, but there are ways to explain this difference. The Spider-Noir version could be more imaginative than the original comics, perhaps even being a clone of the Peter Parker from the Spider-Verse movies. Actor Nicolas Cage has even played dual roles before, portraying identical twins in the 2002 film Adaptation.

Some fans believe Ben Reilly might actually be Peter Parker in disguise, or the other way around. Living as a detective in a dangerous city is risky, so keeping his true identity secret could be a smart move. However, it’s also possible this is just a plot hole – the idea of the multiverse is complicated, and the different universes are often confusing, as you can see from the way they’re numbered.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) refers to itself as Earth-616, but the movie Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse labeled the MCU as Earth-19999. Interestingly, the Spider-Verse films actually used Earth-616 to describe the universe of Peter B. Parker. However, this adds to the confusion because neither of these designations is correct – the true Earth-616 is the world featured in Marvel’s main comic book series.

While dedicated fans might be bothered by complicated details, most viewers aren’t focused on the intricacies of the multiverse, and sometimes the writers aren’t either. The next Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse movie could even change details like Spider-Man Noir’s name – perhaps to Ben Reilly – if necessary. However, it’s most likely that Spider-Noir won’t have a direct connection to the events of Spider-Verse.

Spider-Noir Should Remain Separate From the Spider-Verse Films

Just because Nicolas Cage voiced Spider-Noir doesn’t automatically mean it’s the same character in the Spider-Verse movies. Voice actors often play the same superhero in different projects. For example, the Spider-Man in the Insomniac Spider-Man games is voiced by the same actor as in Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order, Marvel’s Midnight Suns, Marvel Rivals, and other games – even though those stories aren’t connected.

Given the existence of a vast multiverse, it’s likely that some versions of the same person are incredibly alike – for example, the Spider-Noir and Spider-Verse versions of Ben could share many similarities. The film could playfully acknowledge this by including details from previous iterations of the character, like his love of egg creams or his interest in Rubik’s Cubes.

It’s likely best to keep these projects separate so that both Spider-Noir and Beyond the Spider-Verse have the freedom to develop the character without conflicting with each other. This also opens the possibility for Nicolas Cage to appear as a live-action version of himself in Beyond the Spider-Verse, potentially interacting with his animated counterpart, similar to what we saw in Across the Spider-Verse.

Spider-Noir Will Be Unlike Any Other Marvel Project

Fans of Spider-Man immediately started examining every detail of the Spider-Noir poster. Even though the series was announced in 2023, very little is known about it. The main storyline and most of the actors involved are still a mystery. Deadline has reported that Lamorne Morris will play journalist Robbie Robertson, but the roles of other confirmed cast members haven’t been revealed yet.

The film Spider-Noir is scheduled for release in 2026, so we can expect to hear more about it soon. While some of Sony’s Spider-Man related movies, like the Venom trilogy, have done well, many others haven’t been successful with critics or audiences. Morbius and Madame Web, in particular, were heavily criticized and became popular subjects for online jokes and reaction videos due to their strange creative decisions. However, there’s still reason to feel optimistic about Spider-Noir.

Unlike previous Sony Spider-Man Universe movies, this one will actually feature Spider-Man. Even more exciting, Spider-Noir appears to have a distinct and original style. Instead of trying to copy the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it’s aiming for a unique look and atmosphere that hasn’t been seen in big superhero films before. This different approach allows it to avoid direct competition with Disney’s hits and could finally help Sony overcome its struggles with live-action Marvel adaptations.

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2025-12-09 02:15