After coming to life in 2009, comic book anti-hero Spider Noir/Ben Reilly is finally coming to screens in live action with a twist: the movie will be shown in black and white. 

The story takes place in 1930s New York, with Ben Reilly being a former vigilante known as “The Spider-Man” with a past that comes back to haunt him. The gloomy aesthetic of the setting and the character is why the film’s creator, Oren Uziel, and the executive producers want a version of it to be “Authentic Black and White” and “True-Hue Full Color,” according to Yahoo Entertainment.

Although the original comics themselves were in color, several directors and actor Nicholas Cage, who plays Ben Reilly in the film, wanted the movie to be in black and white. However, Cage also noted that he doesn’t have a “preferred” option. According to Cinema Blend, Cage said in an interview with Esquire, “The truth is, they both work, and they’re beautiful for different reasons. The colour is super saturated and gorgeous. I think teenage viewers will appreciate the colour, but I also want them to have the option.”

This movie isn’t meant to be light and feel-good like many of the other Spider-man movies were made to be. According to Joey Paur of Geek Tyrant, it’s supposed to be “a battle-scarred hero navigating corruption and crime in a city that looks like it’s permanently stuck at midnight.” Which helps strengthen the reasoning behind wanting a version of the film in black and white.

While some of the fans may have mixed reactions on the color scheme, many students like the producers’ decisions. Addison Richards, freshman, says, “I agree with what they’re doing, it brings back an old Spider-man vibe while also going along with the setting of the story.” 

Even with this one decision, the film has already been given a plethora of buzz before it has even been released. Tune in to Prime Video May 27, 2026 to see the spider hero in action in black and white or in your preferred viewing style.