SPIDER-NOIR Featurette Reveals Sandman, Tombstone, Silvermane and Megawatt in Gritty New Series
A fresh look at Spider-Noir has dropped, and it’s giving us our first real taste of the rogues gallery haunting this shadowy corner of the Marvel universe.
The new featurette reveals four classic villains reimagined for a 1930s crime drama, and the result feels like something ripped straight out of a smoky detective novel.
This version of the world doesn’t clean up these characters for superhero spectacle. Instead, it leans into something rougher and more grounded.
Brendan Gleeson steps in as Silvermane, portrayed as a powerful crime boss with presence. Abraham Popoola’s Tombstone looks intimidating in a way that fits the era’s brutal underworld. Jack Huston takes on Flint Marko, better known as Sandman, while Andrew Lewis Caldwell takes on the role of Megawatt.
Sandman has had his time in the spotlight before, showing up in Spider-Man 3 and later returning in Spider-Man: Far From Home, and Tombstone is also set to appear in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. But Silvermane and Megawatt stepping into live-action for the first time is fun to see.
At the center of it all is Nicolas Cage, who steps into the role of Ben Reilly. But don’t expect the traditional Spider-Man identity here. In this world, he goes by something much simpler and more mysterious: The Spider. The footage hints at a man weighed down by his past, operating more like a tired detective than a high-flying superhero.
The official synopsis reads: “Spider-Noir is a live-action series based on the Marvel comic Spider-Man Noir. Spider-Noir tells the story of Ben Reilly (Nicolas Cage), a seasoned, down-on-his-luck private investigator in 1930s New York, who is forced to grapple with his past life, following a deeply personal tragedy, as the city’s one and only superhero.”
Prime Video’s press release digs even deeper into his story: “Back in the day, Ben Reilly was the superhero known as The Spider. After a personal tragedy, he stepped away from his heroic alter ego. Only an extraordinary case could call this down-on-his-luck private investigator to drop the ordinary man act and put his mask back on.”
That points to something very character-driven. It’s not just about stopping villains, it’s about whether this version of The Spider even wants to be a hero again.
Cage previously voiced the Spider-Man Noir variant in the animated Spider-Verse films, and he’s even set to return in Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse. But this live-action take feels like a completely different beast, trading multiverse chaos for grounded noir storytelling.
The supporting cast also includes Lamorne Morris playing Robbie Robertson, Li Jun Li as Cat Hardy, and Karen Rodriguez as Janet.
The first two episodes are directed by Harry Bradbeer, who also executive produces alongside co-showrunners Oren Uziel and Steve Lightfoot. They’re joined by producers Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, and Amy Pascal.
Spider-Noir hits MGM+ on May 25, 2026.