Prime Video has pulled the plug on Spider-Noir after just one season, bringing Nicolas Cage’s first regular television role to an unexpectedly early end. The eight-episode Marvel series had built a strong reputation with viewers and critics, earning an impressive 92% critics’ score and 90% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. It also picked up 11 Emmy nominations, making it the most-nominated Prime Video program of the year. The cancellation therefore arrives at an especially surprising moment, with the series entering the opening weekend of the Emmy ceremonies carrying more awards recognition than any other Prime Video show.
Variety reported the decision, which means the noir-inspired Spider-Man story will not continue into a second season. The show’s performance makes the cancellation particularly notable, as Nielsen’s streaming content ratings credited it with around 2.6 billion minutes watched during its first six weeks. For a series that successfully separated itself from the conventional superhero formula, the end after one season is an abrupt conclusion.
Why Spider-Noir Stood Out
Rather than placing another version of Spider-Man in a contemporary superhero setting, Spider-Noir took the character into 1930s New York. The series followed Cage’s Ben Reilly, a veteran private investigator whose life is transformed after a deeply personal tragedy. Against the backdrop of the Great Depression, he becomes the city’s only superhero while being forced to confront the parts of his past that continue to haunt him.
That period setting gave the show an identity of its own. The Depression-era crime atmosphere, detective-story influences and darker visual style helped distinguish Spider-Noir from the increasingly familiar look of modern superhero television. Cage’s performance became another major part of that appeal, particularly because the role allowed the actor to bring his eccentric screen presence into a world built around hard-boiled crime storytelling.
The ensemble around Cage included Lamorne Morris, Li Jun Li, Karen Rodriguez, Abraham Popoola, Jack Huston and Brendan Gleeson. The show first premiered on MGM+ on May 25 before becoming available to Prime Video viewers on May 26. Its release strategy gave the series exposure across both platforms, while the strong Rotten Tomatoes scores indicated that its unusual approach found an audience.
11 Emmy Nominations Make the Cancellation Stranger
The awards recognition is perhaps the most striking part of the decision. Spider-Noir received 11 Emmy nominations across creative and technical categories, including production design, title design, cinematography, sound mixing, sound editing, stunt performance, original dramatic score, special visual effects, stunt coordination, prosthetic makeup and original music and lyrics.
That spread demonstrates that the show’s recognition went beyond Nicolas Cage’s casting. The nominations touched several departments responsible for creating its distinctive period atmosphere and superhero action. Its visual identity and technical execution clearly became part of the reason the series attracted attention during awards season.
The Nielsen figures add another important piece to the picture. The reported 2.6 billion minutes watched during the show’s first six weeks gave Spider-Noir a substantial streaming footprint. When combined with its critical and audience scores and Emmy recognition, the decision to stop after one season becomes a particularly interesting example of how success on a streaming service does not automatically guarantee another chapter.
Nicolas Cage’s Marvel TV Experiment Ends
For Cage, Spider-Noir represented a new chapter in his career. Although the actor had already played a memorable version of Spider-Man’s universe through his work as Spider-Man Noir in the Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse films, the series marked his first regular television role. This time, he moved from an animated supporting character to the central figure in a live-action story.
The character also gave Cage an opportunity to explore a very different version of the Spider-Man mythology. Ben Reilly’s private-eye persona, the 1930s setting and the show’s crime-driven storytelling allowed the series to function as both a superhero adaptation and a period detective drama. That combination was one of its most distinctive qualities.
With the cancellation, viewers are left with only the first season to explore that version of the character. The decision also closes the door, at least for now, on a storyline that appeared to have considerable room for expansion.
What This Means for Amazon and Sony
The cancellation is also significant beyond the show itself because Spider-Noir was the first Marvel-related series to emerge from Amazon’s agreement with Sony Pictures Television. The partnership covers live-action television projects based on characters and stories from Sony’s Spider-Man universe, giving Amazon access to a much larger collection of Marvel-related properties.
The first project’s ending does not mean the broader partnership is finished. According to the source material, a second series from the deal is already in development and is expected to be announced soon. That suggests Amazon and Sony are continuing to explore the larger universe even though Spider-Noir will not receive another season.
Sony’s broader commitment to Spider-Man-related entertainment remains substantial. The studio continues to work with Marvel Studios on the Tom Holland-led Spider-Man films through Columbia Pictures while also developing projects connected to its wider collection of characters. The theatrical side of that strategy remains a major business, making the expansion into streaming an important additional avenue for the studio.
Questions & Answers
Has Spider-Noir been cancelled?
Yes. Spider-Noir has been cancelled after one season and will not return for a second season on Prime Video.
How many Emmy nominations did Spider-Noir receive?
The series received 11 Emmy nominations across creative and technical categories, making it Prime Video’s most-nominated program of the year.
How did Spider-Noir perform on Rotten Tomatoes?
The series holds a 92% critics’ score and a 90% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, according to the source.
How many episodes does Spider-Noir have?
The first season consists of eight episodes.
Who stars in Spider-Noir?
Nicolas Cage leads the series as Ben Reilly. The cast also includes Lamorne Morris, Li Jun Li, Karen Rodriguez, Abraham Popoola, Jack Huston and Brendan Gleeson.
Where is Spider-Noir set?
The series is set in 1930s New York during the Great Depression, combining superhero storytelling with a period crime-noir setting.
