Giving “Spider Noir” viewers the choose-your-own-adventure option between watching the Prime Video series in color or black-and-white brought something new to the world of superhero shows.
“Black-and-white was an opportunity for fans of the comic book world to get a taste of German expressionism, hard lighting and an aesthetic they might not be familiar with,” showrunner Oren Uziel told Variety’s chief awards editor Clayton Davis during Amazon’s “Spider Noir” event on June 5. “If you’re a fan of film noir, it’s a chance to see a Humphrey Bogart-like character in a very vibrant, poppy, saturated color palette.”
The first season of “Spider Noir,” currently streaming on Prime Video, tells the story of how detective Ben Reilly (Nicolas Cage) became the web-slinging hero Spider-Noir. Set in 1930s New York, the series is inspired by the “Spider-Man Noir” Marvel comic books.
Jay L. Clendenin/ For Prime Vide
The Oscar-winning Cage admitted he had to “get the snob hat off” after not starring in a TV show before “Spider Noir” (he was featured in a 1981 ABC pilot “The Best of Times” that was never picked up for series.) When his teenage son sat him down to watch “Breaking Bad,” he realized how much could be gained from long-form storytelling.
