Spider-Noir: should you watch the Nicolas Cage series in black and white or in colour?

Since 27/05/2026, Spider-Noir has been streaming on Prime Video, and the series led by Nicolas Cage has already won its bet: excellent reviews, word of mouth that keeps growing, and above all something nobody had ever attempted for a Marvel series. Every episode exists in two distinct versions: one in black and white, faithful to the soul of 1930s film noir, and one in colour, more accessible. The result is that thousands of viewers ask themselves exactly the same question before pressing play on episode one: which one do you choose? Here is the full answer, with the critics' verdict, the twist nobody saw coming, and the precise instructions so Prime Video does not catch you out.

One series, two versions: a first for Marvel

That is what makes Spider-Noir stand out. The series was shot in 4K with modern cameras, old-school filters and lighting effects, then the footage was graded twice to produce two complete versions: 'Authentic Black and White', the full monochrome cut, and 'True-Hue Full Color', the colour one. These are not two different edits, since the story is identical, but two radically opposed visual experiences, released side by side in more than 240 countries.

This is no gimmick. The world of Spider-Man Noir was born in the Marvel Noir comics in 2009, a full-blown tribute to film noir and Great Depression pulp, as told in our complete profile of Spider-Man Noir, the 1930s detective. Offering the series in carefully crafted black and white respects the character's DNA; offering colour alongside it opens the door to a wider audience. Amazon settled the debate by refusing to settle it, and now it is down to you.

The critics' verdict: the surprise series of the year

Plenty of people were curious about Spider-Noir, some downright sceptical. The result silenced the doubters: the series sits at roughly 91% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, with an average of 7.5/10, an excellent score for a superhero production in 2026. Its eight episodes of 40 to 50 minutes plunge you into an alternate Great Depression New York, riddled with mobsters, mysteries and the macabre, where an ageing vigilante comes out of retirement.

As for Nicolas Cage, he delivers exactly what he promised before the premiere: a character who is '70% Humphrey Bogart, 30% Bugs Bunny'. His world-weary detective, soaked in whisky and cutting one-liners, moves between straight noir and knowing absurdity. That blend is precisely what splits the handful of unconvinced critics and delights everyone else. For his very first leading role in a television series, the actor makes a spectacular entrance into the line of actors who have played the web-slinger, which we trace in our rundown of every actor who has played Spider-Man. And the wink to history is delicious: nearly fifty years after the very first live-action adaptation of 1977, it is once again the small screen giving Spider-Man one of his boldest moments.

If you want to brush up on the production background, from the role of Spider-Verse architects Phil Lord and Christopher Miller to how the project came together at Sony and Amazon, our feature on everything you need to know about the Spider-Man Noir event series remains the perfect companion to this guide.

The twist nobody saw coming: Cage is not playing Peter Parker

This is THE reveal that had every fan talking the moment it landed: the hero played by Nicolas Cage is not called Peter Parker. The series makes the bold choice of handing the mask to Ben Reilly, a name that instantly strikes a chord with comics readers. In the classic universe, Ben Reilly is Spider-Man's most famous clone, the tragic hero of the notorious 1990s Clone Saga. If that character means nothing to you, our profile of who Ben Reilly, Spider-Man's clone, really is will bring you up to speed, and our feature on the Clone Saga that still divides fans explains why that one name is a love letter to the comics. In Spider-Noir, the choice sets the story completely free: no continuity to protect, no Peter Parker to handle with care, so anything can happen.

Facing him, the series lines up a rogues' gallery that will thrill the connoisseurs. Brendan Gleeson plays a magnetic Silvermane as the crime boss, alongside reworked takes on familiar figures: a period Sandman played by Jack Huston, whose classic version we break down in our analysis of Sandman, a villain more complex than he looks, a 1930s Tombstone played by Abraham Popoola, well worth comparing with Tombstone, the godfather of the New York underworld from the comics, plus the electric Megawatt. Add Li Jun Li as Cat Hardy, a journalist with the venomous charm of the finest femmes fatales, and you get the tastiest cast a Spider-Man production has served up in a long time.

The hero of the series

Articulated Spider-Man Noir Figure

The trench-coated vigilante of the 1930s, as an articulated figure. The piece every fan of the series will want standing next to the screen before starting the next episode.

54,90 € See the figure

Black and white or colour: which version do you choose?

Now to the question that brought you here. Both versions have real arguments in their favour, and the choice comes down mostly to what you want from the series.

The case for black and white: the experience the genre was built for

Let us be blunt: it is in its 'Authentic Black and White' version that Spider-Noir shines brightest, and most critics agree on that. Black and white gives every alley a smoky, grimy texture that fits the world perfectly, turns the play of shadows into a character in its own right, and brings the series closer to the great film noirs it draws on. The backlighting, the cigarette smoke, the sickly neon: everything was lit for this look. If you like the idea of a 1930s crime thriller with a web-slinger in it, this is the definitive version, the one that fully embraces the character's visual heritage, in the direct line of his cult animated appearance, which we cover in our feature on Into the Spider-Verse, Marvel's animated stroke of genius, where Nicolas Cage was already voicing Spider-Man Noir, so the circle is complete.

The case for colour: comfort and detail

The 'True-Hue Full Color' version is no fallback colourisation. It reveals details that black and white swallows: the fabrics of the period costumes, the signage of 1930s New York, the patina of the sets. It is also the more comfortable option for family viewing, or for anyone who instinctively shies away from monochrome. Our advice for enjoying both worlds: watch the first episode in black and white to taste the experience as its creators intended, then switch to colour if the look wears you down. Twenty minutes will tell you which camp you are in.

How it works on Prime Video, and the autoplay trap

You still have to know where the choice is hiding, because Prime Video does not put it front and centre. On the series page, the episode list shows only the colour version by default, which leads plenty of viewers to think it is the only one available. In practice, it is when you launch each episode that the platform offers you the choice between 'True-Hue Full Color' and 'Authentic Black and White'. On the TV app, be careful: you have around ten seconds to make your choice, after which playback starts automatically in a default version.

You can also change your mind along the way: during playback, open the settings and look for the 'Alternate Versions' option to switch from one to the other without losing your progress. One last trap, and not a small one: if you let autoplay run unchecked, Prime Video may alternate versions from one episode to the next, black and white, then colour, then black and white. For a consistent experience, select your version manually on every episode. And if you want to round off your evening with a web-slinger film, our guide to where to watch the Spider-Man films on streaming lists the platforms carrying each one.

The Spider-Noir spirit

Spider-Man Noir Mask

The shadowy mask of the vigilante of the night, for cosplay, for the collection, or for a series night in keeping with the mood. The accessory that turns a viewing into an immersion.

34,90 € See the mask

From niche comics to worldwide recognition

It is worth measuring how far the character has come. Spider-Man Noir was born in 2009 in a low-profile mini-series, a hard-boiled rereading of the arachnid myth. He could have stayed a curiosity for collectors; instead he became a cult figure thanks to animation, then to this live-action series streaming around the world. His popularity owes a great deal to his design, with the trench coat, the fedora and the aviator goggles making him one of the most instantly recognisable silhouettes in the whole multiverse, alongside the variants we explore in our analysis of Across the Spider-Verse. One thing is certain: this success raises the stakes for the animated conclusion of the multiverse saga, whose stakes we recap in our feature on what fans really want from Beyond the Spider-Verse.

Spider-Noir's triumph also confirms a lesson Marvel is learning film after film: the web-slinger's alternative suits and moods fascinate audiences, from high-tech outfits to the darkest costumes, an evolution traced in our retrospective on the symbolic evolution of Spider-Man's costumes. The hero's dark aesthetic has never been more fashionable, and today it reaches well beyond the screen, from collectable Spider-Man figures to the Spider-Man T-shirts inspired by his most stylish outfits.

The web-slinger's summer of 2026 is only getting started

Spider-Noir is only act one of a historic summer for Spider-Man. On 29/07/2026, Tom Holland returns to cinemas in Brand New Day, and we follow every reveal in our feature on the release date and cast of Spider-Man 4, not forgetting the most talked-about mystery of the moment, Sadie Sink's secret role. On the television side, animation is not standing still either, with the series we cover in our article on Spider-Man: Freshman Year. The character has never been on so many screens at once.

To spend this summer in the web-slinger's colours, or rather in black and white, take a look at the Spider-Man masks and the fancy dress and costumes for themed nights, the Spider-Man posters to put that noir mood on your walls, or the Spider-Man gift selection if a fan of the series has something to celebrate soon. Anyone who likes an understated look will also find plenty among the Spider-Man clothing, where black rules this season: the Spider-Noir effect, already.

That noir mood on the wall

Spider-Man Noir Watercolour Poster

For under 17 euros, the print that extends the atmosphere of the series: a dark Spider-Man rendered in watercolour, perfect above the sofa where you binge-watch.

16,90 € See the poster

Our final verdict

So, black and white or colour? If you take away one thing: start in 'Authentic Black and White'. It is the version the series was designed for, the one that turns a good superhero thriller into a genuine cinema experience, and you can always switch to colour through the alternate versions if you feel like it. With its possessed Nicolas Cage, its unexpected Ben Reilly, its period gangsters and its coal-smoke New York, Spider-Noir proves there are still fascinating blind spots to explore in the web-slinger's universe.

And if the series makes you want to dig into the mythology, carry on with our complete guide to the Spider-Man films, from viewing order to the different universes, then with the profile of Peter Parker, the one the series, for once, had the nerve to leave in the shadows.