The multiverse can be a complicated place, so let’s set the record straight. Nicolas Cage has a new Prime Video show coming called Spider-Noir, in which he plays a hard-boiled, Spider-Man-inspired character. He also voiced an almost identical character in the animated Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. However, both of those Nicolas Cage Spider-Men are their own characters. There’s no crossover.
“Same character, different universe,” Oren Uziel, the showrunner of Spider-Noir, told Empire. “It’s a different flavor of that character, even though it’s still Nic’s voice. It’s not a continuation of Into the Spider-Verse. Once Phil [Lord] and Chris [Miller] introduced the idea of the multiverse, I think you’re allowed to take things and make them your own.”
Those of us who have been paying attention probably already figured this out. In Into the Spider-Verse (and, most likely, the upcoming third film, Beyond the Spider-Verse), Cage’s Noir character is a variant of “Peter Parker.” In Spider-Noir, the trailers specifically call him “Ben Reilly,” another Spider-character we’ve seen in the movies but not the previously introduced Cage character. In fact, Uziel said they wanted to make the lead character of the TV show very specifically “a version of Spider-Man that no one had ever seen before.”
This makes sense for a lot of reasons. The main one is that Uziel wouldn’t want to undermine any storytelling happening in the animated films. That process unfolds at a much different pace than live-action television, so making the two Nic Cages different Spider variants is just easier. Another reason would be that you wouldn’t want to alienate any audience members who haven’t seen the animated films. If people feel like a show has homework, they might stay away. Best to start fresh for everyone watching.
But also, that doesn’t mean there couldn’t be a crossover at some point in the future. The Peter Parker Spider-Noir is very likely to be in Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, which is coming out after both the new Spider-Man movie, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and Spider-Noir. Surely there could be some cute crossovers or cameos in the animated sequel next year. But, for now, things are staying simple.
Spider-Noir will be released May 25 on MGM+, then May 27 on Prime Video.
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