Prime Video’s Spider-Noir Will End a Live-Action TV Drought

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Beginning in 2009, Marvel Comics created a unique version of Spider-Man within its multiverse, reimagining him as a gritty, old-fashioned detective. This character, known as Spider-Noir, appeared in the animated film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, and now Nicolas Cage stars as him in a new live-action series for MGM+ and Prime Video, also titled Spider-Noir. This marks Cage’s first leading role in a television series and the first time a live-action Spider-Man has appeared on TV in nearly 50 years.

Sony Pictures secretly enlisted Phil Lord and Chris Miller to create animated Spider-Man stories for the big screen. Eager to boost their Marvel projects without relying on Disney, Sony committed to a five-year deal with the duo, giving them the chance to build a Spider-Man universe for television. However, the pandemic, the 2023 strikes, and other commitments—including their upcoming film, Project Hail Mary—caused delays. Now, Spider-Noir is finally set to premiere, ending a long gap since CBS cancelled The Amazing Spider-Man, even though it had good viewership.

Spider-Man Debuted In Live-Action on a Children’s Show, Followed by a 1970s TV Series

Spider-Man was the first Marvel character brought to life on screen in 1974, appearing in short, playful segments called Spidey Super Stories on the show The Electric Company (originally from Timely Comics). Stan Lee then sold CBS the rights to create a pilot episode disguised as a movie for prime-time television. This successful partnership continued with a Doctor Strange movie, two Captain America films, five seasons of The Incredible Hulk, and three follow-up movies. Despite this, most of Hollywood at the time considered superheroes to be silly and for children.

The film appeared to prove that it didn’t appeal to a broad adult audience. By modern standards, the special effects, particularly the stunts, look dated. However, when it originally aired in 1977, it was a huge success, giving CBS its best ratings of the year. Despite this, the network didn’t fully embrace the show, commissioning only two seasons with a total of 13 episodes. To add to this, CBS scheduled the episodes to compete directly with major events on other networks. Remarkably, even without a consistent broadcast schedule, the show consistently delivered strong ratings for CBS. Ultimately, three of the episodes were combined and released internationally as feature-length “movies.”

While the show had some initial success, it unfortunately set a pattern that hindered comic book adaptations for years to come. Producers shied away from the fantastical elements that make these stories exciting – things like supervillains. Audiences want to see Spider-Man battle iconic foes like the Green Goblin, not just ordinary criminals. It’s ironic that the very attempts to make the show more realistic now feel cheesy when we look back on it. Despite being canceled by CBS, The Amazing Spider-Man was popular enough that other studios competed for the chance to continue the series.

Television Put Live-Action Marvel on the Map, but Sony Made Spider-Man a Movie Star

Let me tell you, the road to getting Spider-Man on the big screen was a mess. Starting way back in the early 80s, the rights bounced around between five different studios, triggering nearly two decades of legal fights! It all began in 1985 when Columbia Pictures – then owned by Coca-Cola, believe it or not – snagged the rights, but producer Menahem Golan couldn’t actually get a movie made. Eventually, in 1998, after years of battling, the rights reverted back to Marvel, just as they were climbing out of bankruptcy. But they needed cash, still owed Columbia money from that old TV deal, so they quickly sold everything to Sony Pictures for a cool $7 million. It was a complicated journey, to say the least!

After the challenges faced by earlier superhero adaptations like The Amazing Spider-Man, the 21st century ushered in a new era for the genre. Advances in filmmaking, studio leadership, and especially visual effects technology transformed what was possible. By the time Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man arrived, audiences were ready for movies that combined genuine emotion with imaginative storytelling. Spider-Man quickly became a beloved character, proving that superhero films could be both critically acclaimed and financially successful, appealing to viewers of all ages.

With so many new Marvel movies coming out, it’s easy to forget the films that started it all. Movies like X-Men and especially Blade were important, but Spider-Man really launched Marvel into blockbuster status. When Sony recast the role, replacing Tobey Maguire with Andrew Garfield, many considered it a mistake. However, Andrew Garfield’s appearance in Spider-Man: No Way Home was just as enthusiastically received. Sony turned Spider-Man into a major movie star, which explains why they’ve held onto the rights so tightly. That’s why some people were surprised to see Spider-Man return to television in a live-action series – it felt like a move backwards.

The Path to Spider-Noir Involved Complicated Rights Issues That Are Still a Mystery

For years, the agreement between Sony and Marvel regarding Spider-Man was kept private. Details emerged in 2014, revealing the complex negotiations behind the scenes. The deal covered not only film and TV production rights, but also how profits from merchandise would be shared. Initially agreed upon in 2004, the contract was updated in 2011 after Disney acquired Marvel. The agreement specified which Marvel characters Sony could use independently, which could be shared (like Kingpin), and which were off-limits to both companies. Financially, Disney compensated Sony to gain full control over merchandising and the rights to produce shorter-form animated Spider-Man TV shows (under 45 minutes).

For years, legal issues prevented anyone from making a live-action Spider-Man TV show or movie. However, since 1998, Sony—recognizing Spider-Man as their biggest movie asset—has deliberately kept him off television. In the films Sony did make, they imposed strict rules about how Spider-Man was portrayed, controlling everything from Peter Parker’s race to preventing him from smoking, drinking, or using torture. Leaked details of recent negotiations suggest some of these demands have been relaxed, and it’s likely more remain confidential. Interestingly, Nicolas Cage plays Ben Reilly, a Spider-Man alternate version, in Spider-Noir, not the Peter Parker we know from Into the Spider-Verse.

Marvel Studios and Columbia Pictures focus on creating entertaining movies and shows, but their parent companies are primarily driven by profit and staying competitive. This conflict briefly caused a breakdown in their agreement to share Spider-Man in 2019. The upcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day confirms reports from 2020. Spider-Noir demonstrates that one studio continues to tightly control the live-action TV rights. However, the Silk TV series never materialized, Marc Guggenheim’s Jackpot movie remains unmade, and Sony’s attempts at live-action spinoff films haven’t been successful.

Spider-Noir is significant because it marks Spider-Man’s return to live-action television after nearly five decades. If the show does well, Disney might need to work even more closely with Sony, potentially including more characters beyond Spider-Man in their joint projects. Even though Marvel now has the Fantastic Four and X-Men, Spider-Man is still the most valuable hero for both companies. Sony launched Spider-Man’s success in film, benefiting Marvel, and Spider-Noir could be the first step towards a broader TV partnership between the two studios.

Spider-Noir will premiere on MGM+ in the U.S. on May 25, 2026, followed by a global release on Prime Video on May 27. Notably, previous seasons of The Amazing Spider-Man TV show have never been available to own on DVD or Blu-ray, or through any streaming service.

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2026-02-16 05:39