Nicolas Cage’s ‘Spider-Noir’ Is Not Part of the MCU — Here’s Which Universe It Actually Belongs To

The question has been bouncing around fan forums and comment sections since the project was first announced, and the answer is a little more layered than a simple yes or no. ‘Spider-Noir’, the highly anticipated live-action series starring Nicolas Cage, is generating enormous buzz ahead of its Prime Video debut, and a big part of that conversation centers on exactly where it fits in the ever-expanding web of Marvel universes.

To settle it plainly, ‘Spider-Noir’ is not part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Nicolas Cage’s ‘Spider-Noir’ TV show is not part of the MCU of Earth-616, and the production involves no participation from Marvel Studios whatsoever. Instead, this is a Sony and Amazon joint venture carving out its own distinctive corner of the Marvel multiverse, one that has more in common with rain-soaked detective fiction than superhero blockbusters.

Where ‘Spider-Noir’ Actually Sits in the Marvel Multiverse

Set in a dark corner of the Marvel multiverse, ‘Spider-Noir‘ will follow a variant of Spider-Man from an alternate reality in which he and his supporting cast were active in a gritty 1930s-era New York City. That aesthetic alone sets it apart from anything currently running under the MCU banner.

Produced by Sony Pictures Television exclusively for MGM+ and Prime Video, the hotly anticipated series will debut domestically on MGM+’s linear broadcast channel on May 25, then globally on Prime Video on May 27 as a binge release, in more than 240 countries and territories. This is a Sony production through and through, with Amazon serving as the distribution muscle behind it.

The series is based on the Spider-Man Noir comic books, which are part of the Marvel Noir universe, a branch inspired by film noir and pulp fiction. That source material has always operated as its own self-contained world, which is exactly the creative spirit the show is honoring.

The Spider-Man Noir TV series is also not canon to Sony’s Venom Universe, better known as Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, and will most likely be part of a completely different world. So fans hoping to place it alongside the Venom films will also need to recalibrate their expectations.

Nicolas Cage as Ben Reilly and the ‘Spider-Verse’ Connection

One of the most interesting wrinkles in this whole conversation is Nicolas Cage’s history with the character. Spider-Noir first appeared on screen in ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ as a version of Peter Parker from a different reality, voiced by Nicolas Cage, and his appearance was received well by fans. Sony clearly saw a future there.

In ‘Spider-Noir’, Cage plays Ben Reilly, referred to simply as “The Spider,” an alternate version of the Spider-Man Noir character, and an aging version of the hero who is living in an alternate NYC that is styled in 1930s Noir. The name change from Peter Parker to Ben Reilly is a significant creative decision that points to a composite character drawing from multiple corners of Spider-Man comics history.

Despite Cage reprising the same basic character, ‘Spider-Noir’ is not connected to the events of the Spider-Verse movies. It just features the same character. Phil Lord, one of the executive producers behind both the ‘Spider-Verse’ films and this series, has been candid about the distinction, describing the show as operating in a different universe entirely.

This marks the first time any Spider-Man show has received a TV-14 rating, as all previous series starring the wall-crawler were rated TV-Y, TV-Y7, or TV-PG. That alone signals how fundamentally different this take on the character is intended to be.

The Sony and Amazon Prime Video Partnership Behind the Show

Oren Uziel and Steve Lightfoot are ‘Spider-Noir’s executive producers and co-showrunners, and developers of the series with Phil Lord and his creative partner Chris Miller via their banner Lord Miller, under their overall deal, and Amy Pascal via Pascal Pictures. The creative pedigree behind the camera is substantial.

Cage stars in the series as Ben Reilly, a private investigator in 1930s New York, who becomes The Spider, joined in the cast by Lamorne Morris, Brendan Gleeson, Abraham Popoola, Li Jun Li, Karen Rodriguez, and Jack Huston as series regulars. It is a serious ensemble assembled around Cage’s lead performance.

For a special and unique viewing experience, ‘Spider-Noir’ will be available to stream in two ways, in “Authentic Black and White” and “True-Hue Full Color” for audiences to choose their own adventure to watch. That dual-format offering is a genuinely bold creative statement, reinforcing the show’s commitment to its noir atmosphere rather than defaulting to standard superhero spectacle.

What the Show’s Standalone Status Means for Its Future

The fact that ‘Spider-Noir’ sits completely outside both the MCU and Sony’s Spider-Man Universe actually works in its favor creatively. Rather than trying to emulate the MCU’s success, it will explore a compelling setting and aesthetic that no other major superhero films have attempted. That freedom to build its own mythology is rare in the current landscape.

Ben Reilly was the superhero known as “The Spider,” and after a personal tragedy, he stepped away from his heroic alter ego. That kind of internal character drama, rooted in grief and identity rather than multiverse-saving stakes, is exactly the territory that standalone storytelling allows a show to explore properly.

Executive producer Phil Lord told Deadline that the show is not intended as an overly downbeat watch, describing it as “a big character drama, an amazing mystery, big event television, but also light on its feet.” The tone sounds closer to a prestige crime series than anything in the conventional superhero playbook, and that distinction is a genuine selling point.

Now that ‘Spider-Noir’ has officially launched, are you watching the series in black and white or full color, and does Cage’s take on Ben Reilly feel like the grounded, genre-defying superhero story you have been waiting for?