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Spider-Noir teaser comes in colorized "True Hue" and black and white

February 13, 2026
•Ars technica
Spider-Noir teaser comes in colorized "True Hue" and black and white

Here's something that caught my attention — Marvel’s new Spider-Noir series drops two teasers: one in classic black-and-white, and another in what the showrunners call 'True Hue,' a colorized version. Nicolas Cage is starring as Ben Reilly, a gritty private eye with a secret superhero alter ego, fitting perfectly into the 1930s noir aesthetic. According to Jennifer Ouellette writing in Ars Technica, Cage’s take mixes about 70% Humphrey Bogart and 30% Bugs Bunny — think flamboyant and a little wild. What’s cool here is that Marvel’s noir line, created in 2009, reimagines familiar heroes during the Great Depression era, and Cage’s character isn’t Peter Parker but a different version, making the vibe darker and more atmospheric. Ouellette points out that the show’s setting and style are heavily inspired by classic noir films, which is a fresh twist for Marvel fans. So, get ready — this isn’t your typical superhero story. It’s a moody, stylized ride that’s worth watching for the visuals and Cage’s unique flair.

Nicolas Cage has carved out a quirky niche for himself in recent years with such films as Color Out of Space (2019), Pig (2021), The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022), Dream Scenario (2023), and Longlegs (2024), among others. Now he's starring in Spider-Noir, a new live-action series based on the Marvel Comics character. Cage plays an aging private investigator and disillusioned superhero in 1930s New York. Prime Video released the first teaser in two forms: one in black and white—very Raymond Chandler-esque—and another in color, which the showrunners are calling "True Hue."

Marvel Comics created its "noir" line in 2009, reinterpreting familiar Marvel characters in an alternate universe, usually set during the Great Depression in the US. A version of the Spider-Noir character, voiced by Cage, briefly appeared in the animated masterpieces, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) and Across the Spider-Verse (2023). (He is set to reprise that role in the upcoming Beyond the Spider-Verse.)

Co-showrunner (with Steve Lightfoot) Oren Uziel is a film noir fan, so that Marvel series naturally appealed to him. The live-action series is still set in 1930s New York, but the spidery superhero is not Peter Parker. (Uziel thought the Parker character was too associated with a boyish high school type, which didn't really fit the noir vibe.) So Cage is playing Ben Reilly, a hard-boiled PI with a secret superhero identity, The Spider. Cage has described his portrayal as "70 percent Humphrey Bogart [specifically The Big Sleep] and 30 percent Bugs Bunny," which seems pretty on point for Cage's distinctively flamboyant style.

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Nicolas Cage has carved out a quirky niche for himself in recent years with such films as Color Out of Space (2019), Pig (2021), The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022), Dream Scenario (2023), and Longlegs (2024), among others. Now he's starring in Spider-Noir, a new live-action series based on the Marvel Comics character. Cage plays an aging private investigator and disillusioned superhero in 1930s New York. Prime Video released the first teaser in two forms: one in black and white—very Raymond Chandler-esque—and another in color, which the showrunners are calling "True Hue."

Marvel Comics created its "noir" line in 2009, reinterpreting familiar Marvel characters in an alternate universe, usually set during the Great Depression in the US. A version of the Spider-Noir character, voiced by Cage, briefly appeared in the animated masterpieces, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) and Across the Spider-Verse (2023). (He is set to reprise that role in the upcoming Beyond the Spider-Verse.)

Co-showrunner (with Steve Lightfoot) Oren Uziel is a film noir fan, so that Marvel series naturally appealed to him. The live-action series is still set in 1930s New York, but the spidery superhero is not Peter Parker. (Uziel thought the Parker character was too associated with a boyish high school type, which didn't really fit the noir vibe.) So Cage is playing Ben Reilly, a hard-boiled PI with a secret superhero identity, The Spider. Cage has described his portrayal as "70 percent Humphrey Bogart [specifically The Big Sleep] and 30 percent Bugs Bunny," which seems pretty on point for Cage's distinctively flamboyant style.

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Spider-Noir teaser comes in colorized "True Hue" and black and white | Speasy