Critics Are Already Raving About Nicolas Cage’s ‘Spider-Noir,’ and the Rotten Tomatoes Score Backs Them Up
When Amazon announced that Nicolas Cage would lead a live-action Marvel series rooted in 1930s crime fiction, the reaction was somewhere between genuine intrigue and cautious skepticism. Cage had already left his mark on the character through animated voice work in ‘Into the Spider-Verse,’ channeling the gravel-voiced spirit of Depression-era noir with pitch-perfect timing, and the question hanging over the project was whether an entire live-action series could sustain that level of eccentric energy across eight full episodes.
‘Spider-Noir‘ is set within an alternative universe during the 1930s, with Cage playing Ben Reilly, known simply as The Spider, rather than anything resembling the friendly neighborhood figure audiences have grown comfortable with over decades of adaptations. The series assembles a strong supporting cast including Brendan Gleeson, Lamorne Morris, Li Jun Li, and Jack Huston, while reimagining classic Marvel names like Black Cat, Sandman, and Silvermane as femme fatales, fall guys, and Depression-era racketeers.
Now, with the show premiering on MGM+ on May 25 before arriving globally on Prime Video on May 27, the critical verdict has finally come in. ‘Spider-Noir’ has debuted on Rotten Tomatoes with an 88% Tomatometer rating drawn from 24 critic reviews, a figure that positions it among the strongest opening tallies for any live-action series centered on a Marvel spider-character, and one that has continued to climb as additional assessments are submitted.
The critical reception has described the show as tonally effective, surprisingly funny, and a fresh entertainment for fans of Spidey, film noir, and Cage at his most over-the-top. Writing for Discussing Film, Ernesto Valenzuela argued the show carves out a distinct identity in an overcrowded superhero landscape, while Screen Rant praised it as a must-see series that requires no prior Marvel homework, noting that knowing the broad strokes of Spider-Man mythology is more than enough to dive in.
Much of the early enthusiasm centers on Cage himself, who reportedly blended the grit of classic Hollywood tough guys with a sarcastic, almost cartoonish humor to construct Ben Reilly as something entirely his own. Behind the camera, the series carries real creative pedigree, with executive producers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller developing the project alongside co-showrunners Oren Uziel and Steve Lightfoot, while Harry Bradbeer directed and executive-produced the first two episodes.
The series also makes Marvel history on the age-rating front, earning the highest classification ever applied to a Spider-Man television project with a TV-14 designation that reflects its darker territory around violence, psychological strain, and themes of alcoholism. Adding to its novelty, ‘Spider-Noir’ will be available simultaneously in two formats, giving viewers the choice between an authentic black-and-white presentation designed to evoke the grainy, high-contrast texture of classic cinema and a hyper-saturated color version that leans into the visual language of the Technicolor era.
With critical momentum building and audiences preparing to decide between monochrome atmosphere and vibrant pulp, ‘Spider-Noir’ appears to have arrived as something genuinely uncommon in superhero television. Whether that early goodwill holds once general audiences get their hands on all eight episodes remains to be seen, but the early numbers are hard to dismiss. Are you planning to experience ‘Spider-Noir’ in black and white or color, and is a retired Depression-era Ben Reilly the version of the web-slinger you never knew you needed?
