- Primary Subject: Nicolas Cage’s live-action Spider-Noir series and its titular character's identity
- Key Update: Nicolas Cage revealed that his version of Ben Reilly will be called "The Spider" rather than Spider-Man.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: February 11, 2026
- Quick Answer: Nicolas Cage’s character is named "The Spider" to honor 1930s noir pulp heroes. The name reflects a gritty, radio-drama aesthetic influenced by Humphrey Bogart.
Nicolas Cage's Spider-Man will have a different superhero name in the highly anticipated Spider-Noir series. Here's why fans will not be seeing a traditional moniker for the character.
The upcoming series will see the Oscar-winning actor play the Spider-Man variant in live-action form after voicing him in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Fans have been wondering what they can look forward to in the series and how it will differ from the usual Spider-Man variants we've seen on screen so far.
Why Spider-Man Will Have a Different Name in Spider-Noir Series
In a recent interview with Esquire, Cage revealed that his Ben Reilly character will have the moniker of "The Spider" in the upcoming Spider-Noir series.
It's a massive change from what we've traditionally known of the character. The new name is inspired by the famous noir characters in the 1930s, such as The Shadow.
"[Deepening his voice.] 'Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men … The Shadow knows!' I loved all that. I even loved Radio Mystery Theater with E.G. Marshall as the narrator. I used to listen to those radio shows even though I had a television set. You rely on your own imagination, not unlike reading a book," the actor said.
Cage also shared that this version of Spider-Man Noir is inspired by Humphrey Bogart and Bugs Bunny.
"For me, this character was 70 percent Bogart, and 30 percent Bugs Bunny. I was basically Mel Blanc doing Bogart, with that sarcastic sense of humor. But it’s a hundred percent me," he said.
"You'll see some other influences start to emerge as well. I did look at [James] Cagney, and I looked at Edward G. Robinson. But when you watch Bogart, and you watch everybody around him, he almost seems like a cartoon character. The same thing happens here. But it's brilliant, and you can't take your eyes off the guy. It's what makes him so compelling and charismatic. He just didn't sound like anybody else. It almost seemed larger than life."
What is Spider-Noir About?
Spider-Noir tells the story of Ben Reilly (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.
Aside from Cage, the main cast also includes Lamorne Morris, Li Jun Li, Karen Rodriguez, Abraham Popoola, Jack Huston, and Brendan Gleeson. Guest star cast includes Lukas Haas, Cameron Britton, Cary Christopher, Michael Kostroff, Scott MacArthur, Joe Massingill, Whitney Rice, Amanda Schull, Andrew Caldwell, Amy Aquino, Andrew Robinson, and Kai Caster.
The series is currently slated to premiere in Spring 2026. It will debut domestically on MGM+'s linear broadcast channel, then globally on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories thereafter.
It will be available to stream in two ways, "Authentic Black & White" and "True-Hue Full Color," for audiences to choose from.
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