Where Is All The Buzz For Spider-Noir?

Key Takeaways

Spider-Man Noir will bring one of the break-out stars of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse to a live-action streaming series.
Although this will be a twist on the Spider-Verse Spider-Man Noir, it will dive deeper into the ‘broken down’ hero’s alternative Great Depression-era universe.
Despite the huge potential of seeing a different Spidey in a different time, several factors could be suppressing the buzz among fans.

As someone who has spent countless hours poring over comic books and following the cinematic adventures of our favorite web-slinger, I must admit that my anticipation for “Spider-Man Noir” is tempered by the recent events surrounding Sony’s Spider-Verse.

The animated film “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” featured numerous standout moments, and among them, none were more noticeable than when Spider-Man Noir made an appearance. Regrettably, even Spider-Ham couldn’t compete with the gritty black-and-white version of Peter Parker voiced by Nicolas Cage, who undeniably dominated every single scene he was in.

In the initial live-streaming series of Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, titled “Spider-Noir“, Cage will reprise his role. This alternate version of Spider-Man, a gritty private investigator shaped by the harsh realities of 1930s New York City, promises an exciting and captivating addition to Sony’s ever-growing spider web. However, despite its intriguing premise, there seems to be a noticeable absence of enthusiasm surrounding it.

Spider-Man Noir Breaks Through The Spider-Verse

Wherever I go, the wind follows. And the wind… smells like rain.

It’s a common phrase from Spider-Man Noir in the movie “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.” This animated masterpiece was groundbreaking, receiving acclaim for its innovative, comedic narrative and breathtaking, dynamic animation. Its blend of affectionate homage and playful disregard for its origin stories made it hard to resist. The idea behind the film resulted in a plethora of unforgettable characters, but only one stood out as the most quotable: Spider-Man Noir.

In the vibrant realm of Miles Morales, Steven Cage’s portrayal of Peter Parker was a gritty, straight-talking character, standing out like black and white against colorful backdrops. Unlike his counterparts from other universes, Spider-Man Noir was more ruthless. His wry comments, delivered by Cage with an air reminiscent of Humphrey Bogart, offered glimpses into his life in a grimy, alternate New York City. He grappled with the mystery of this colorful universe and developed an unusual fascination for a Rubik’s Cube. Spider-Man Noir was a captivating character in the movie, and his success can be attributed to his deep understanding of his role.

Now, “Spider-Noir” is gearing up to explore a grittier side of its New York City setting over eight episodes on MGM+. In this iteration, the damaged and disheveled private investigator will be Ben Reilly – a character with ties to Spider-Man lore that keeps Peter Parker out of the rougher parts of town. It seems like Noir’s hometown life will mirror his description from “Spider-Verse”: grimy and dark.

In my alternate reality, it’s the year 1933, and I find myself donning the hat of a hard-boiled detective. When I’m not solving mysteries, you can often find me sipping on an egg cream, a peculiar yet refreshing beverage that suits my quirky taste. But what really gets my adrenaline pumping is taking down the Nazi scourge. Quite a hobby, isn’t it?

Viewers can anticipate an increase in the depiction of a 1930s-inspired New York cityscape filled with tenacious journalists and challenging mob figures in the show. This new setting revolves around a Spider-Man who seems to be gaining traction. However, despite its promising aspects, the series isn’t creating much excitement among audiences.

Spider-Man Noir Is Not The Peter Parker Fans Know

The concept of the multiverse is fascinating, but it presents a challenge in managing audience expectations. Among the many live-action portrayals of Spider-Man, Tom Holland’s version stands out as the most successful. As fans eagerly anticipate what will happen to MCU’s Spider-Man, they might find the sideways version of the hero, played by Cage in the multiverse, a bit overwhelming following the joint adventure of Spider-Man: No Way Home with Parker.

In the animated movie “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”, the gritty, hard-boiled version of Spider-Man, known as Noir, was quite entertaining. There’s no question that he was a unique take on the character. In his universe (Earth-90214), Noir was a product of harsh circumstances. This translates into a significant amount of moral and ethical dilemmas in the comics, as hinted at in the movie’s dialogue. When he was first bitten by a spider, this Spider-Man had no qualms about using lethal force. His initial motivation for becoming a crimefighter was to avenge the murder of his uncle Ben Parker and friend Ben Urich. We’ll have to wait for the series to see how the live-action Noir obtained his powers and reacted to them, but it seems like things didn’t turn out well for him.

Have Fans Already Seen Enough Of Spider-Man Noir?

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Despite being animated, one might struggle to envision how a protagonist who allows matches to burn his fingertips merely for sensation would sustain interest across multiple episodes or if audiences are eager to witness such a character. However, it’s important to note that Spider-Man Noir had limited screen time in “Across the Spider-Verse.

The Lord and Miller Question

In 2019, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller secured a massive agreement with Sony to transfer the Sony Spider-Man Universe for television. Now, five years later, there are whispers that their contract won’t be extended. This news follows the postponement of the final film in the Spider-Verse trilogy, which has yet to secure a new release date. Composer Daniel Pemberton strongly denied speculation that Beyond the Spider-Verse had been abandoned due to creative disagreements. Moreover, Spider-Noir is set to debut the Spider-Man Universe on streaming platforms after the withdrawal of the highly anticipated Silk: Spider Society.

Phil Lord and Chris Miller have an intriguing journey in Hollywood, marked by undeniable triumphs like “21 Jump Street” and “The Lego Movie,” but also by notable flops such as “Solo: A Star Wars Story.” Their initial project almost didn’t materialize when they were dismissed from “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” not once, but twice in the early 2000s – an event that occurred at Sony Pictures. Despite their impressive work on the “Spider-Verse” films, it seems fans might be approaching the future of the “Spider-Verse” series and Lord and Miller’s position at Sony with a degree of caution. However, it appears that things aren’t running as smoothly as expected, particularly considering recent developments in the world of cinema.

Sony’s Stalling Spider-Verse

Looking at it from one perspective, Sony’s management of the Spider-Man franchise has been more than vindicated by their decision to restart after some believed the early termination of the Andrew Garfield-led Amazing Spider-Man series was hasty. The successful integration of Tom Holland into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, beginning with Captain America: Civil War and continuing in his standalone movies alongside fellow Marvel characters like Tony Stark, Nick Fury, and Dr. Strange, has consistently proven popular at the box office.

Spider-Man is a good luck charm for the MCU. But the confidence it gave Sony to set up their own Spider-Man Universe has fallen legendarily flat. The studio’s rights provide access to one of the best character lists in comic books, but only the Venom and Spider-Verse films have flown outside the core Spider-Man movies. Solo features Morbius and Madame Web haven’t just crashed but led Sony’s Spider-Verse to be called the worst comic book movies have to offer. It’s understandable if Spider-fatigue is hitting the Spider-Man Noir buzz — but that’s probably more from the quality of output than the quantity of the web-slingers on screen.

Adding Color To The Noir

Regardless of the circumstances surrounding the upcoming series, Spider-Noir’s outcome remains uncertain for now. Filming is scheduled to wrap up in spring 2025, but a release date has yet to be announced. However, it will come after Sony’s next venture into expanding its Spider-Man film universe, Kraven the Hunter. The movie is generating excitement due to its potential challenge for R-rated comic book films following the varying success of Deadpool & Wolverine and Joker: Folie à Deux in 2024.

At present, it appears that spectators aren’t showing much enthusiasm for Spider-Noir. However, it’s likely the web-slinger will go along with whatever comes his way, as he puts it in Into the Spider-Verse, “We don’t choose the dance floor. We just dance.

2024-11-12 00:05