EXCLUSIVE: Spider-Noir showrunner Oren Uziel discusses the development of Nicolas Cage’s new dark Spider-Man series.

      Few superhero franchises are as influential in pop culture as Spider-Man. With upcoming films such as Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse generating excitement, Sony is now broadening the web-slinger’s universe into streaming with the new live-action series, Spider-Noir, developed by Oren Uziel, for MGM+ and Prime Video.

      Set in the 1930s, this noir thriller features Nicolas Cage as Ben Reilly, a private investigator who has given up being “The Spider.” But when superpowered criminals start causing chaos in New York City, Reilly must face his past and don the superhero mantle once again.

      In an interview with Digital Trends, Uziel shares his experience as a first-time showrunner for Spider-Noir, his collaboration with Cage, and the unique story he aimed to create within the Spider-Man universe.

      This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

      Digital Trends: Thank you for taking the time to meet with me today. It’s a pleasure to speak with you.

      Uziel: It’s great to meet you.

      Digital Trends: How are you today?

      Uziel: I’m good. Excited to be back in New York. It’s a fantastic city, and I haven’t visited in quite a while.

      Digital Trends: You've had a long career as a screenwriter in Hollywood, but Spider-Noir is your first role as a showrunner. Can you tell me about the experience?

      Uziel: It was surprisingly smooth yet incredibly challenging. I pitched the idea, wrote the pilot, initiated the writers’ room, and began preparations, all in the proper sequence without major delays. However, showrunning is a massive responsibility.

      Having a co-showrunner was beneficial, as he was experienced and provided guidance. I’ve been in the industry for a while and know quite a bit, but I found that TV is similar to film, just with more episodes and additional logistics. It’s certainly a demanding job.

      Digital Trends: What prompted you to take on the role for Spider-Noir?

      Uziel: I’m a huge fan of noir and Spider-Man. I’ve had the opportunity to work with Phil Lord, Chris Miller, and Amy Pascal—producers on this project—many times before.

      When they approached me with the idea of combining Spider-Man with noir, set in 1930s New York, I was immediately intrigued. It felt like the first TV project I really wanted to approach with the necessary passion required to succeed.

      Digital Trends: I really appreciate the style and execution of Spider-Noir. Can you share what specific inspirations you drew from for the series, both within and outside of the comics? What story were you looking to tell?

      Uziel: It’s definitely a blend of two genres. It doesn't solely derive from the comic book world or the noir genre. We leaned more into noir because of the setting and narrative style. We often discussed the idea of creating a Humphrey Bogart film where Bogart is essentially Spider-Man.

      The classic private detective story is present, but we aimed to subvert expectations. It's easier to do this when the protagonist has powers beyond those of a typical detective.

      Additionally, we wanted to explore a Spider-Man narrative that hasn’t been told before. Here, he is significantly older and facing very different challenges than the typical high school version.

      Digital Trends: With Nicolas Cage in the lead, known for his intense acting style, what was the experience of working with him on this series? How does his portrayal differ from previous versions of Spider-People we've seen?

      Uziel: There are several aspects to consider. For one, he is older; he’s not portraying a youth. Nic is incredibly prepared; he is a consummate professional. You might expect him to be larger than life given his reputation, but he can also be quite straightforward and reflective.

      He engaged deeply with the material, memorizing his lines quickly. By the first table read, he had learned every script by heart, diving into ways to differentiate his character from previous interpretations.

      Both of us aimed to avoid simply redoing another version without infusing our own perspective. We contemplated what happened to Reilly that impacted his humanity, asking, “What if being The Spider posed greater challenges to his humanity than previously recognized? And how does being more Spider than human affect his daily life?”

      Digital Trends: You can tell Nic truly immersed himself in the role, and it seems to be one of his best performances yet.

      Uziel: Thank you for saying that. I believe that once he understood the vision we had, his initial hesitations about doing TV, which were linked to the idea of sitcoms, diminished. He grew excited about the project and constantly contributed fresh references to enhance the character, often drawing inspiration from classic noir icons.

      Digital Trends: In today's landscape where comic book adaptations are abundant, some argue that superhero fatigue has set in. What makes Spider-Noir stand out