“It’s no secret that I love the character.”

THE BIG PICTURE

 Nicolas Cage may reprise his role as Spider-Man Noir from Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse .
Spider-Man Noir operates in a gritty 1930s New York, offering a very different take on the colorful Spider-Man we know.
Cage expressed his love for Spider-Man Noir and discussed the exciting mashup of classic inspiration with Stan Lee’s iconic character.

One of the highlights of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse — and there were many highlights — was Nicolas Cage‘s performance as Spider-Man Noir in the film, one of the many Spider-variants who helped a young Miles Morales out on his journey to becoming Spider-Man. Although Cage didn’t return for the sequel — Across the Spider-Verse — we may not have seen the last of him in the role, as he exclusively told Collider at SXSW.

Spider-Man Noir is an alternative version of Spider-Man from a universe set during the 1930s. Characterized by his black-and-white aesthetic, Spider-Man Noir operates in a gritty, noir-themed New York City.

Unlike the more familiar, colorful Spider-Man, this iteration is a hard-boiled detective who battles crime in a shadowy, corrupt world, blending superhero elements with classic noir fiction tropes, such as moral ambiguity and a focus on crime drama. Late last year it was announced that Prime Video’s long-in-development Spider-Man Noir live-action series had tapped Steve Lightfoot as showrunner. Will Cage finally make the jump to the small screen and reprise the role in the spin-off series?

Speaking with Collider’s Steve Weintraub at SXSW 2024, where he was promoting his upcoming project, Arcadian, Cage was asked about the prospects of reprising his role — and it sounds very promising for fans of the actor’s interpretation of the character.

Confirming that he has had discussions over the role, Cage went on to explain what it was exactly that made him such a fan of the character.

“Well, I can say that we have been talking. It’s no secret that I love the character. I think the character provides another mash up of sorts. I can combine my favorite golden age performances, i.e. Robinson, Cagney, Bogart, with a character that is, I guess, widely considered [to be] Stan Lee’s masterpiece. I see it as a kind of foray into a pop art mash up of, sort of, a [Jungian] Lichtenstein, mash up by way of Bogart and Cagney, but nothing’s definitive yet. It’s just conversation.”

Who is Spider-Man Noir?

Spider-Man Noir is featured in the comics of the same name, which started in 2009, and features Peter Parker in an alternative 1930s timeline and universe. This iteration dives into a world where Parker, bitten by a mystical spider, uses his newfound powers to fight against the backdrop of the Great Depression.

The series merges the classic Spider-Man heroics with the gritty, shadow-filled world of noir, presenting a starkly different, yet compelling narrative of the beloved character, highlighted by its distinct visual style and darker tone.

Stay tuned to Collider for further details on Cage’s potential return as Spider-Man Noir and our full interview with Cage for Arcadian.