In ‘Spider-Noir,’ Nicolas Cage and Lamorne Morris helm a visual superhero spectacle

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In 2024, Nicolas Cage and showrunner Oren Uziel had a private lunch at Bottega Louie in downtown Los Angeles, similar to a confidential meeting you might see in an old detective film.

Nicolas Cage is taking on the role of Spider-Man in a new live-action series called “Spider-Noir.” The show premieres May 25th on MGM+ and will be available to stream on Prime Video starting May 27th. This version of the character builds on his voice work in the acclaimed 2018 animated film, “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.”

Uziel’s version of “Spider-Man Noir,” which inspired the series, reimagines Peter Parker as an older character, specifically with actor Nicolas Cage in mind. Cage portrays Ben Reilly, a 1930s-style private investigator operating in a New York City-inspired, film noir world (though the show is actually filmed in Los Angeles). As this hero, known as the Spider, Reilly wears a mask and uses his ability to swing between buildings to combat crime.

Television

Even if you can’t travel this summer, you can still escape to different worlds through books like ‘Spider-Noir,’ ‘Little House on the Prairie,’ and ‘Lanterns.’

In a recent interview, Uziel explained that when he first met Nick, Nick was assessing his skills in both comic book and noir styles. Uziel was surprised by Nick’s deep passion for and extensive knowledge of noir – comparable to his own. Once Uziel demonstrated his abilities, they quickly established a comfortable working relationship.

For Nicolas Cage, starring in a TV series is a first – despite a long and varied career, he hadn’t previously worked in television. He explains that he wanted to wait for the right project before making the move to the small screen.

For 45 years, acting in movies was my passion, Cage explained in a video interview. But while working on ‘Dream Scenario,’ he realized he’d achieved most of his goals as a film actor and wondered how to keep himself creatively engaged. Now 62, he feels it’s time to explore different artistic mediums and expand beyond film.

“Spider-Noir” appealed to him because it blended the snappy dialogue and atmosphere of classic film noir—inspired by actors like Humphrey Bogart and Edward G. Robinson—with the over-the-top villains and fantastical settings of comic books. This unique combination was applied to Spider-Man, widely considered Stan Lee’s most famous character.

Cage describes the mashup as reminiscent of a Roy Lichtenstein painting. He often draws inspiration from different art forms, like music and painting, and in this instance, he was particularly influenced by Lichtenstein’s Pop art.

Nicolas Cage acknowledges that reviving the fast-paced, comedic acting style of classic films for a large-scale modern series was a gamble for the producers, but also a sign of their faith in him. He says it required courage, trust, and genuine affection to make it happen.

I wanted to combine the voice I created for an animated film with my own physical performance,” Cage explains. “Amy Winehouse drew inspiration from classic jazz singers with her ‘Back to Black’ album, and I thought, ‘Why not look to the great actors of the past and their unique style?’ I’ve always been interested in experimenting and challenging myself, even if it means taking risks.”

Cage believes film noir’s lasting appeal for movie lovers comes from its distinctive look and the morally complex stories of crime and forbidden romance it tells.

Nicolas Cage describes noir as strikingly realistic, pointing out that it avoids simple good-versus-evil storylines. He says it embraces shades of gray, with complex and layered characters. While the stories often involve people doing terrible things to each other, he believes that’s simply a reflection of the darker side of human nature.

Beyond simply sounding like someone from the era, Nicolas Cage brought a playful energy to his performance. He particularly noticed this dynamic in his scenes with Li Jun Li, who plays Felicia Hardy, a mysterious nightclub singer. According to Cage, Felicia enjoys teasing his character, Ben, and he enjoys the interaction.

Nicolas Cage observes that when watching Humphrey Bogart in films like ‘The Big Sleep’ and ‘The Maltese Falcon,’ Bogart seems amused by the immoral behavior of the characters around him. Cage explains that Bogart appears to find their wickedness hilariously enjoyable, even as he prepares to take action against it.

Sony Pictures Television, the studio behind “Spider-Noir,” and Prime Video are releasing the series in two distinct versions: a classic black and white and a full-color option. The black and white version is a tribute to the style of 1940s film noir, while the color version is meant to appeal to viewers who aren’t used to black and white. Nicolas Cage remembers suggesting this dual release to Jennifer Salke, then the head of Amazon MGM Studios.

People were discussing classic films, and I understood why it’s a challenge. It’s hard to convince a 12-year-old to watch something like ‘Captains Courageous’ with Spencer Tracy. While some kids might be interested – a good movie is a good movie – it’s difficult to get an entire generation of teenagers who aren’t used to older films to appreciate black and white movies.

One reason the color version of the show works so well is Lamorne Morris, a seasoned TV actor and Emmy winner, who plays journalist Robbie Robertson – Ben’s close friend – and looks fantastic in his vibrant suits and ties.

As soon as Morris learned about a project featuring Cage and Spider-Man, he suspected it would include “Spider-Man Noir” and he was determined to be involved. He then got a surprising phone call offering him the chance to audition for a role on the show – one he described as one of the most unexpected of his career.

He admitted he doesn’t enjoy auditions, and wasn’t confident going into this one. However, he really wanted the role. Instead of a traditional audition, he was invited to a meeting where the team presented the opportunity to him. He was so enthusiastic, he jokingly asked how much it would cost him to join the project.

For Morris, accurately portraying a Black journalist during the Great Depression and a time of segregation required thorough research. This research led him to discover Ted Poston, a pioneering Black journalist who worked for a major publication.

Morris noticed a resemblance between Ted Poston, known as the ‘Dean of Black Journalists’ and a former New York Post employee, and Robbie Robertson. He believes Robertson’s persona might have been inspired by Poston, though he leaves it to fans to decide. Morris specifically modeled his own performance after Poston, feeling they had a similar artistic approach.

Morris thinks Robertson is a unique and admirable hero. He explains that real-life heroes aren’t necessarily the ones with superpowers. Instead, they’re the people who empower others by sharing knowledge and information.

Morris vividly remembers a powerful scene he shared with Nicolas Cage late in the show. Sitting on a park bench, he received praise from Cage, whom Morris considers a legend, and that moment felt incredibly rewarding.

Morris explains that when acting opposite a talented performer, you need to focus on the scene and not get caught up in being a fan. He’s proud of his work in that particular scene, but what really thrilled him was a small, approving wink from Nick afterwards – a sign that his performance was landing well and that the scene was going to be strong.

As a huge fan, I’ve always been fascinated by Nicolas Cage’s process, and hearing about his work on this project is no different! Apparently, on set, he’d move in these incredibly strange, spider-like ways to really show what his character was going through physically. The director, Uziel, said it was very much a ‘Nick Cage thing’ and he loved it. Even when Cage was just playing Ben Reilly normally, you could still feel that something was…off, that there was spider DNA influencing every move. It sounds amazing!

Cage enjoys long-form TV because it gives him plenty of time to work with the creators and really develop his character throughout the show’s production.

Nicolas Cage remembers emailing Oren and suggesting they explore the idea of his character going to the movies as a way to appear more human. They then improvised some dialogue right before filming, late one night while in a diner. Cage started talking about controlling thoughts and impulses, deliberately pausing to emphasize, ‘most of the time.’ He described a potentially dangerous side to the character, suggesting he might act on predatory instincts, ‘like a spider.’

Nicolas Cage admits he wasn’t much of a TV watcher until his son, Kal, urged him to check out “Breaking Bad.” He explains, “My son sat me down and said, ‘Watch this show.’ I hadn’t really watched any recent television at that point.”

Nicolas Cage remembers being captivated by a scene in Breaking Bad where Bryan Cranston’s character, Walter White, just stared at a suitcase for a long time. Cage was completely hooked, wondering what was inside and if Walter would open it. He realized that a movie doesn’t allow for that same kind of drawn-out suspense – you simply don’t have enough time to build it.

Unlike feature films, which usually have a focused production schedule, television demands a much longer commitment. According to Uziel, Nicolas Cage was understandably hesitant about the extended shoot. While ‘Longlegs’ might only take a week to film, this project required five or six months of work for Cage, who was a central figure in many scenes and held the leading role.

Cage fully embraced this new way of working, even though it took some getting used to. He explains that unlike movies where you work with one director for an extended period, this project had four different directors. With each new director, he had to quickly establish a working relationship and find a rhythm, which is challenging because there wasn’t much time to build that rapport.

This isn’t Nicolas Cage’s first time bringing a comic book character to life. Before ‘Spider-Noir,’ he starred as the supernatural biker in ‘Ghost Rider’ (2007) and ‘Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance’ (2011).

He admits the character isn’t exactly family-friendly. Explaining his powers – like setting his head on fire or the ‘Penance Stare’ – leads to awkward questions. It often involves explaining he made a deal with the devil, all while trying to offer a distraction with candy. Despite the dark backstory, the character is visually striking and stands out from the others.

Cage believes superheroes uplift people, just as they did for him growing up. Characters like the Ghost Rider and Hulk, despite being frightening, sparked his intellectual curiosity by demonstrating that good could come from unexpected and even scary sources.

Nicolas Cage believes these characters resonate with people on a deep, psychological level, almost like a hidden part of themselves. He’s even seen first responders, like paramedics, wearing superhero shirts under their uniforms. He describes this as a shared, subconscious energy – a way for people to privately draw strength from these iconic figures.

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2026-05-20 13:33