Apr 28, 2026 5:09pm IST
Is ‘Spider-Noir’ Connected To The MCU? Fan Theories Decoded
When the first glimpse of “Spider-Noir” surfaced back in February in the form of a teaser trailer, it arrived in two distinct versions: one in the authentic ‘Black & White’ and another in ‘True-Hue’ colour. While these dual trailers were originally meant to showcase the show's unique style, they immediately sparked a wave of fan theories that have only grown with the release of the latest footage dropped two days ago.
Safe to say, the first full trailer marks a total change of pace. While the earlier clips focused on the moody atmosphere of 1930s New York, this new footage leans heavily into the spectacle. Seeing Nicolas Cage’s grizzled detective, Ben Reilly, back in action has sent the internet into overdrive with theories about how this gritty world might link up with the broader Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and Tom Holland’s next film, ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’.
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What do we see in the trailer
The new trailer puts the focus squarely on the action. We see Reilly swinging through the shadows and taking on criminals for the first time in years. The story reveals that he walked away from being a hero after the tragic loss of his love, Ruby, and he clearly finds returning to this violent life a struggle. It doesn’t help that he’s facing a gallery of dangerous rogues: Sandman (Jack Huston), the high-voltage Megawatt (Andrew Lewis Caldwell), and the fire-starting Jimmy Addison (Jack Mikesell). These villains all seem to answer to the powerful crime boss Silvermane (Brendan Gleeson). True to the private investigator genre, Reilly has to piece together a conspiracy while trying to keep the city and himself from burning down.
Living the Noir Dream
The show is a direct adaptation of the popular “Spider-Man Noir” comic books, and it leans hard into the classic tropes. A major highlight is the arrival of the classic femme fatale, Cat Hardy (Li Jun Li). As a nightclub singer with links to the criminal underworld, she’s a clear nod to the famous Black Cat from the main comics and plays a key role in luring Reilly into the central mystery.
Fans have questioned whether Nicolas Cage, now in his 60s, can handle the physical demands of a superhero role. However, Cage is no stranger to intense action. He famously did his own stunts and fight choreography for the movie “Kick-Ass”, and the “Spider-Noir” trailer suggests he hasn’t lost his edge, featuring gritty street fights and impressive web-slinging.
Joining the dots: The MCU connection
Despite the 1930s setting, many believe “Spider-Noir” is secretly tied to Tom Holland’s next film, “Spider-Man: Brand New Day”. On paper, they shouldn't be related; “Spider-Noir” belongs to Sony’s universe, while Holland’s Spidey is a Disney/Marvel Studios property.
The big ‘aha!’ moment for fans is the appearance of Man-Spider. This monstrous mutation where Peter Parker turns into a literal giant spider is a major part of the Brand New Day trailer and pops up briefly in the Spider-Noir footage too. Because this mutation is such a specific piece of Spider-Man lore, people are convinced it’s a sign of a crossover.
While they are officially separate, we’ve seen ‘multiverse magic’ happen before. With Tom Hardy’s Venom and the previous Spider-Men (Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield) all showing up in the MCU recently, a multiversal link between Cage and Holland isn't impossible.
We will see the truth when ‘Spider-Noir’ hits Prime Video on May 27, followed by ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ in cinemas on July 31.
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