How Prime Video’s New R-Rated Spider-Man Series Mixes 3 Different Genres In 1 Explained By Creator & Stars

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Although called Spider-Noir, the Prime Video series is much more than just a film noir story – it blends multiple genres together.

This series, created by Oren Uziel, offers a fresh take on the Spider-Man story. It’s a new version, distinct from the one in Into the Spider-Verse, and again features Nicolas Cage. This time, the Spider-Man character is Ben Reilly, not Peter Parker, and he’s a private detective in 1933 New York City. He used to be a superhero called The Spider, but he quit after his fiancée, Ruby J. Williams, was killed by a criminal.

Five years after retiring, Ben Urich, known as Spider-Noir, is pulled back into action. He’s hired to investigate a singer named Cat Hardy, suspecting she’s being unfaithful, but quickly uncovers a dangerous connection between her and the powerful mob boss, Silvermane, along with his super-powered enforcer, Flint Marko. As Ben digs deeper, he discovers New York is home to more people with extraordinary abilities and learns of Silvermane’s violent plans, forcing him to become The Spider once again.

Joining Nicolas Cage in Spider-Noir are Brendan Gleeson as Silvermane, Li Jun Li as Cat, Jack Huston as Flint, Abraham Popoola as Lonnie Lincoln/Tombstone, Lamorne Morris as Robbie Robertson, and Karen Rodriguez as Ben’s assistant Janet. The series, which first aired on MGM+ and then Prime Video in both black and white and color versions, has received excellent reviews and is currently a hit with viewers on streaming platforms.

Before the release of the show, Grant Hermanns from ScreenRant spoke with the cast and creator, including Li Jun Li, Jack Huston, Abraham Popoola, Lamorne Morris, Karen Rodriguez, Brendan Gleeson, and Oren Uziel, about Spider-Noir. The show’s creator explained that discussions with Sony about blending action, comedy, and noir were surprisingly smooth, and he praised Sony and the other producers for immediately understanding and supporting his vision.

I was really intrigued when Uziel described how they approached blending genres – he put it perfectly, like ‘smashing two genres together!’ He’s hoping audiences will love it as much as they love chocolate and peanut butter – that ideal combination where you end up with something even more amazing. And when it came to the action sequences, he explained they really focused on making sure everything felt organic and flowed naturally with the rest of the story.

We aimed to include as much large-scale action as the story needed. Sometimes that felt right, and other times we focused on the detective aspects, the noir style, and the snappy dialogue that fit the genre. It felt like a natural, instinctive way to approach the storytelling.

Everyone Had A Blast With Spider-Noir’s Creative Freedom & Working With Nicolas Cage

ScreenRant asked about Nicolas Cage’s performance in Spider-Verse. They pointed out his talent in both animated and live-action roles, and recalled a previous discussion about Ben Reilly being like a spider inhabiting a human body. They were curious to hear about the collaborative process with Cage to develop a unique portrayal of the character, distinct from his Spider-Verse appearance and typical noir detectives.

From the start, we aimed to create a Spider-Man film that felt like a classic film noir, imagining what it would be like if the hard-boiled detective archetype was also Spider-Man. Nic and I both know noir films well, so we explored how Spider-Man’s abilities would change those familiar scenarios. Working with Nic, we really delved into his character’s core – what makes him tick – and started to envision him as someone increasingly defined by his spider-like qualities, using his physical abilities to bring that to life. It’s been a privilege to collaborate with him.

You know, as a huge fan of classic noir, I was instantly intrigued by Karen. That ‘smart secretary’ trope is just so good! But what’s really cool about this character is that she’s totally original – not pulled from the comics like most of the others. Getting to work with Oren, Steve, and Harry to build her from the ground up in this really unique, high-end world was an amazing experience. We really dug deep to figure out who she is and what makes her tick.

I’m so thankful for the three actors I worked with – they were incredibly welcoming and supportive from the start. The whole experience was fast-paced; I was hired just a week before filming began, which was a bit chaotic, but also exciting. They really wanted me to be myself and bring my own unique perspective to the role, and the set fostered that kind of authenticity. My scene partners were amazing, and I think you can see how much fun I had and how comfortable I felt being vulnerable. I’m grateful to the entire team for giving us the space to do our best work and for encouraging us every step of the way.

As a critic, I’ve often heard actors talk about how much they value creative freedom on set – that ability to really collaborate and contribute to a project. It sounds like it’s one of the most fulfilling aspects of the job, honestly.

Karen Rodriguez: It is necessary as f–k, and you don’t always get it. You don’t always get it.

ScreenRant asked Abraham how it felt to be playing the same character in three different Marvel universes, noting that this role meant he was appearing in multiple versions of the Marvel world.

I’m truly honored and excited! It’s incredible to be a part of this, especially as someone who’s loved these stories for years. I’m doing everything I can to live up to this amazing opportunity.

ScreenRant asked what it was like to keep track of all the complex story details while acting opposite Nicolas Cage, who was essentially playing a spider inhabiting a human body.

Working on this film was fantastic. One of the initial challenges was figuring out just how far we could push the tone, especially in the first scene with the car arrival. We were having so much fun, we were practically falling over laughing after each take! The director gently suggested we maybe dial it back a little, but honestly, it felt right to me. We all agreed we had the freedom to explore and, if something felt too over-the-top, we could always adjust. It was a really collaborative process, and I’d always admired this actor. He’s incredibly fearless and committed, with really unique and brilliant instincts. That really suited the character, who was, well, a bit unpredictable, let’s say! I knew his talent and wasn’t afraid to go to any place with him. Honestly, we had a blast both on and off camera.

Be sure to dive into some of our other Spider-Noir content with:

  • Oren Uziel on why the Prime Video series pulled some deep-cut Marvel villains for its roster
  • Li Jun Li & Jack Huson on how Spider-Noir offers a tragic reinvention of 3 classic Marvel villains
  • Brendan Gleeson on why the show changed Silvermane’s backstory
  • Lamorne Morris on giving Robbie Robertson his biggest live-action role to date
  • Morris on when Robbie learned of Ben’s true identity as The Spider
  • Uziel on his ideas for Spider-Noir season 2

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2026-05-30 00:30