Spider-Noir Season 1 Review
Spider-Man has been shown in many ways, but “Spider-Noir” puts him in a different light, and fittingly, that light is mostly shadow. Nicolas Cage is in top form, the setting casts the powers of Spider-Man and his antagonists in an unexpected light, and the black-and-white presentation is simply fantastic. Season 1 gets an 8.5 out of 10 from me.
All eight episodes of Season 1 were released on May 25, 2026 on MGM+, and on May 27, 2026 on Prime Video, in two versions: “Authentic Black and White” and “True-Hue Full Color.” The series was developed by Oren Uziel, who runs it together with Steve Lightfoot, with Phil Lord and Christopher Miller as executive producers. It comes from Sony Pictures Television and Amazon MGM Studios, and the episodes run about 42 to 49 minutes. Here is my full breakdown across our five categories (2 points maximum each).
Table of Contents
What Is Spider-Noir Season 1 About?
Spoiler-light: it is New York in 1933. Ben Reilly, played by Nicolas Cage, is a worn-out private investigator who used to be a masked hero called The Spider. When a new case pulls him back into the city’s underworld, the old life catches up with him. The case leads through nightclubs, newsrooms and the mob of crime boss Finn Byrne, played by Brendan Gleeson, and puts Ben up against two old Spider-Man enemies in new forms, Sandman as Flint Marko and Tombstone as Lonnie Lincoln.
It is a detective story first and a superhero story second, and that is exactly what makes it different.
Spider-Noir Season 1 Story – 1.5/2
Good Points: A Noir Case With a Spider’s Edge
A Detective Story With Powers
The story follows a classic noir case: a client, a secret, a corrupt city. Adding the powers of Spider-Man on top gives each step a different feel, because Ben has to decide how much of his abilities he can show in a world that does not know about them.
The Small Deduction
The noir beats are familiar, and you can see some turns coming. The season tells a largely complete story, but it also leaves a few threads open. That is why the story gets 1.5 out of 2 from me.
Spider-Noir Season 1 Cast – 2/2
Special Praise: A Great Cast With Nicolas Cage in Top Form
Nicolas Cage as Ben Reilly in the black-and-white version of Spider-Noir (Picture Source: Spider-Noir / Prime Video, MGM+)
Nicolas Cage as Ben Reilly
Nicolas Cage is in top form. He plays Ben as a tired detective with a flair for the dramatic, funny and sad in the same scene, and he fits the noir style as if the role had been written for him. Cage has said he approached the performance as 70 percent Humphrey Bogart and 30 percent Bugs Bunny, and you can see it.
A Great Supporting Cast
Lamorne Morris plays Robbie Robertson, Li Jun Li plays nightclub singer Cat Hardy, Karen Rodriguez plays Janet Ruiz, Brendan Gleeson plays mob boss Finn Byrne, Jack Huston plays Sandman and Abraham Popoola plays Tombstone. The cast is great all the way down.
Spider-Noir Season 1 World – 1.5/2
Good Points: A Different Light on a Familiar World
Powers in a Different Light
The setting is very interesting, because it shifts the abilities of Spider-Man and his antagonists into a different light. Sandman and Tombstone are not costumed supervillains in a modern city here, but dangerous people in a 1930s underworld, and their powers feel more threatening and more personal.
The Small Deduction
1933 New York is a great setting, and the series uses it well, but with only one season it could only scratch the surface of what this world offers. That is why the world gets 1.5 out of 2.
Music Score and Effects – 2/2
The Black-and-White Look
I loved the black-and-white version, and I think the artistic presentation is fantastic and better than the color version. The series was filmed with black-and-white cameras and filters, and cinematographer Darran Tiernan builds the picture from hard shadows, smoke and light. The series won a Creative Arts Emmy for it.
Score and Sound
Kris Bowers and Michael Dean Parsons wrote the score, and the lead single “Saving Grace” is by Kirby. The series also won Creative Arts Emmys for title design, sound editing, special visual effects and stunt coordination, five wins from 11 nominations in total.
Originality – 1.5/2
A Fresh Take on Spider-Man
Spider-Man as a 1930s noir detective is a fresh idea, and playing the Spider-Man story in black and white is a bold choice that most superhero productions would not make.
The Small Deduction
The noir tropes themselves are familiar, so the originality sits in the combination and not in each part. That is why it gets 1.5 out of 2.
What’s Next After Spider-Noir Season 1?
The news is not good: Prime Video and MGM+ cancelled the series on September 4, 2026, so there will be no Season 2. Nicolas Cage has also said he will not work with Amazon again after refusing to sign an AI waiver for the series; we covered the story here.
There is still a way to see Cage as Spider-Man Noir again: his animated version of the character returns in “Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse,” scheduled for June 18, 2027. That is a separate universe from the live-action series.
Gamersuniverse Score:
8.5 out of 10 stars⭐
| Category | Points | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Story | 1.5/2 | A classic noir case with a Spider-Man twist. |
| Cast | 2/2 | Nicolas Cage in top form, with a great supporting cast. |
| World | 1.5/2 | 1930s New York puts the powers in a different light. |
| Music Score and Effects | 2/2 | A fantastic black-and-white presentation. |
| Originality | 1.5/2 | A fresh take, built from familiar noir parts. |
| Total | 8.5/10 | A stylish, shadow-soaked take on Spider-Man. |
Spider-Noir Season 1 is a great, stylish series. Nicolas Cage is in top form, the setting shows Spider-Man and his antagonists in a different light, and the black-and-white presentation is better than the color version, in my opinion.
It is a shame that the story ends here after only one season, but the season is worth watching for the look alone. If you have the choice, watch it in black and white.
Score Summary
- Story: 1.5/2
- Cast: 2/2
- World: 1.5/2
- Music Score and Effects: 2/2
- Originality: 1.5/2
Total: 8.5/10
Who Is Spider-Noir Season 1 For?
- Nicolas Cage fans who want him in a role that fits his style.
- Fans of film noir who like hard shadows, detectives and corrupt cities.
- Spider-Man fans who want to see the character and his enemies in a different setting.
- Maybe skip it if you want a modern, action-heavy superhero show: this is a slower, moodier series.
Did you watch Spider-Noir in black and white or in color? Tell us in the comments.
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Picture Source: Spider-Noir / Prime Video, MGM+
