Prime Video’s Upcoming Detective Series Breaks A Long-Standing Rule Of TV

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Prime Video’s new detective series, starring Nicolas Cage as Spider-Noir, is set to be a unique offering on television. It blends classic noir storytelling with elements that Marvel fans will recognize, creating a fresh take on the genre.

Fans first got a hint of Nicolas Cage as Spider-Man Noir in the 2018 animated film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, where he actually voiced a different Peter Parker. Now, in Spider-Noir, Cage plays Ben Reilly, a down-on-his-luck private investigator working in 1930s New York City—and the city’s sole superhero. Reilly is haunted by a past tragedy as he navigates his work.

When the new series launches on MGM+ and Prime Video, viewers can choose to watch it in either color or black and white. The recently released trailer for Spider-Noir is available in both versions, giving a preview of how each looks. While the two trailers are edited identically, the change in color significantly alters the viewing experience.

For the first time in decades, a television show is challenging a long-standing industry practice. Traditionally, projects are made either as live-action or animated, with only rare exceptions. The fact that a large-scale, live-action series like Spider-Noir is being released in both formats is completely new, and wouldn’t have been possible before streaming services became popular.

With an Academy Award-winning actor making his television debut as Spider-Noir, this show is poised to be a standout release in 2026.

Other TV Shows Have Had Black & White Episodes, But Spider-Noir Is Different

Many beloved older shows, such as The Twilight Zone and I Love Lucy, were originally filmed in black and white. Interestingly, even newer shows sometimes create special black-and-white episodes before returning to color. This stylistic choice is particularly effective for shows in genres like science fiction, mystery, and fantasy, such as The X-Files, Fringe, WandaVision, and Black Mirror.

People who enjoy those classic shows usually don’t stick with black and white for very long, quickly returning to color. However, with Spider-Noir, viewers will have a choice: a completely black and white version, or a full-color version. Both versions of the season will be the same in every other way.

Chris Miller and Phil Lord, the executive producers, recently explained to the Asian Journal how they brought their complex vision to life. Phil Lord highlighted Amazon’s commitment to the incredibly challenging color correction process, and their willingness to invest in it, as key to the project’s success.

Chris Miller then described how the show’s creators managed to produce two versions of the same program, explaining to the publication:

While filming, the monitors displayed a black and white image, so we focused on ensuring the footage looked good in black and white, even though we were actually recording in color. This meant we had to do a significant amount of work to adjust and refine the color in post-production.

Unlike some classic shows like It’s a Wonderful Life and I Love Lucy which were later colorized, Spider-Noir was filmed with two distinct versions simultaneously. This innovative approach resulted in a truly one-of-a-kind look for the series.

Black & White Vs. Color: Which Version Should You Watch First?

Now that Spider-Noir is available on Prime Video, viewers have a choice: which version should they watch first? While most movies and TV shows are made in color these days, there’s been a surprising number of excellent black-and-white films released in the last twenty years.

Ultimately, which version someone prefers will likely depend on their personal taste. Fans of classic Spider-Man comics, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, or the movie Into the Spider-Verse might enjoy the color version first. However, those who love noir films or were intrigued by the trailer might prefer starting with the black-and-white version.

As of today, the “Authentic Black & White Trailer” has received 6.6 million views on YouTube, while the “True-Hue Full Color” trailer has been viewed 4.5 million times. Nicolas Cage recently revealed to Esquire which version he prefers, saying…

I get why they offered both versions – I actually suggested it initially. I recall when Amazon first considered this, they were hesitant about using only black and white. I pointed out that they didn’t have to limit it to black and white; color was a good option too, since it was meant for everyone. People unfamiliar with black and white imagery could still appreciate the color version, and it looked great. However, the black and white version was what really appealed to me.

Cage believes teenagers will enjoy the film’s vibrant colors, but he also hopes that even those watching in black and white will be inspired to explore and appreciate older films as an art form.

The animated series Spider-Noir will have eight episodes and premiere on Prime Video on May 27th, following an initial airing on MGM+ on May 25th. You won’t need to have prior knowledge of other Spider-Man stories to enjoy it, as it exists outside of the main Marvel Cinematic Universe and isn’t connected to Into the Spider-Verse. Nicolas Cage was not involved with the Spider-Verse sequel as of last year.

Whether Spider-Noir will be renewed for another season is still uncertain. Throughout his career, Nicolas Cage hasn’t appeared in a long-running TV series, but this Prime Video show could be the first. He’s involved not only as the lead actor, but also as an executive producer.

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2026-05-21 03:39