‘Spider-Noir’ Season 2 Would Have Sent Ben Reilly Into a Wild World War II Story, Creator Reveals

‘Spider-Noir’ may be over, but fans now know that the story could have gone in a very different direction. The Prime Video series was canceled after its first season, leaving Nicolas Cage’s version of Ben Reilly with no chance to continue his strange journey. Now, creator and showrunner Oren Uziel has revealed what he wanted to do next, and the idea sounds almost like a completely new show.

Uziel spoke with Variety about the canceled series and explained that he did not want to simply keep Ben in the same place for another season. Instead, he was interested in moving the character to a new city and exploring a different side of the noir genre. That could have meant leaving New York behind and taking the Spider into Los Angeles, Europe, or even closer to the events that would lead into World War II.

“If I had my druthers, it would be probably another location,” Uziel told Variety. “There are so many L.A. noirs we could have dove into. There are European noirs we could have dove into. There are other places to go.” He also pointed out that the show’s timeline created plenty of room for a much bigger story. “You’re starting in 1933. Where is that heading? It’s heading toward just a most cataclysmic time — World War II. There was a lot of storytelling that could have happened there.”

That idea would have completely changed the atmosphere of ‘Spider-Noir.’ The first season used 1930s New York as the perfect setting for its detective story, mixing old-school crime drama with Spider-Man mythology. Moving Ben somewhere else could have allowed the writers to create new characters, new enemies and a different visual style while still keeping the noir feel that made the series stand out.

A European setting during the years leading up to World War II could have been especially interesting. Ben would have been operating in a world that was already becoming more dangerous, while the political situation around him continued to change. The show could have used that real history as the background for another strange case, although Uziel did not reveal a specific story that had actually been written.

The cancellation was particularly frustrating for fans because ‘Spider-Noir’ had performed well with critics and awards voters. The series earned 11 Emmy nominations and eventually won five awards. It also reportedly collected around 2.6 billion viewing minutes during its first six weeks, according to figures cited in reports about the show.

Despite that success, there is currently no clear path for the series to return somewhere else. When Variety asked Uziel about a possible revival on another streaming service, he admitted that he did not know whether it was possible. “We haven’t gotten there yet,” he said. “I literally do not know the legalities and complications of that. But I expect that it’s a complicated proposition.”

Uziel also confirmed that he will not be part of the next live-action Spider-Man project being developed by Amazon and Sony. Still, he made it clear that he enjoyed working in this world and would be happy to offer advice if the opportunity ever came up. “I would always love to advise and take part because I loved it,” he told Variety.

There is at least one easy way for fans to get something new from the existing series. ‘Spider-Noir’ was made in both black-and-white and color versions, so viewers can experience the story in a different way simply by switching formats. Uziel encouraged fans to revisit the version they may not have watched the first time.

The show’s cancellation also came despite reports that producers Christopher Miller and Phil Lord had been interested in keeping the story going. That makes the Season 2 ideas even more frustrating because there was clearly more room for Ben Reilly to explore.

For now, those plans remain just ideas. There will be no Los Angeles adventure, European mystery or World War II-era Spider-Noir story unless the character eventually finds another home. Still, Uziel’s comments show just how much potential was left on the table. ‘Spider-Noir’ may have lasted only one season, but Ben Reilly’s journey could have taken him far beyond the streets of 1930s New York.