Li Jun Li, Jack Huston, and Abraham Popoola join us to discuss Spider-Noir, the upcoming live-action Marvel noir series set in a dangerous and shadow-filled 1930s New York.
Li Jun Li stars as Cat Hardy, Jack Huston takes on the role of Flint Marko / Sandman, and Abraham Popoola portrays Lonnie Lincoln / Tombstone as the series explores the criminal underworld surrounding Ben Reilly’s return to his former life as the city’s masked vigilante.
In this discussion, the cast reflects on entering Marvel’s noir-inspired world, bringing iconic comic characters into a grounded 1930s setting, and helping shape the atmosphere of one of Marvel’s most stylistically distinct live-action projects.
About SPIDER-NOIR
Based on the Marvel comic Spider-Man Noir, Spider-Noir stars Nicolas Cage as Ben Reilly, a seasoned and emotionally worn private investigator navigating corruption and violence throughout 1930s New York.
Following a deeply personal tragedy, Ben is forced to confront the past life he left behind as the city’s one and only masked superhero.
The series also stars Lamorne Morris, Karen Rodriguez, Brendan Gleeson, Li Jun Li, Jack Huston, and Abraham Popoola.
Spider-Noir is produced by Sony Pictures Television exclusively for MGM+ and Prime Video.
Watch the Full Interview
Topics Covered
- Playing Cat Hardy, Sandman, and Tombstone in Spider-Noir
- Bringing iconic Marvel characters into a 1930s noir setting
- Working within the darker tone of the series
- Joining Nicolas Cage in Marvel’s live-action noir universe
Marvel Through a Noir Lens
Unlike traditional superhero projects, Spider-Noir leans heavily into detective storytelling, organized crime, corruption, and emotional isolation.
The series embraces the atmosphere and visual identity of classic noir fiction while reimagining familiar Marvel characters within a grounded Depression-era setting.
That darker direction gives the series a unique identity that separates it from both modern superhero stories and the animated Spider-Verse films.
Reimagining Marvel Characters for the 1930s
One of the most interesting elements of Spider-Noir is how characters like Cat Hardy, Sandman, and Tombstone are adapted into a completely different era and storytelling style.
Rather than directly recreating the comic versions beat-for-beat, the series appears focused on reshaping these characters to fit the gritty criminal underworld and detective-driven tone surrounding Ben Reilly’s story.
That approach helps the world feel more grounded while still maintaining its connection to Marvel mythology.
Building the Criminal Underworld of SPIDER-NOIR
As Ben Reilly is pulled deeper back into his former life, the criminal underworld surrounding New York becomes a major part of the series’ atmosphere and tension.
The inclusion of characters like Tombstone and Sandman reinforces the series’ focus on organized crime, corruption, survival, and shifting loyalties inside a city consumed by darkness and violence.
That grounded noir approach could make Spider-Noir one of Marvel’s most visually and tonally distinct live-action adaptations.
#SpiderNoir #Marvel #NicolasCage
Publishing articles on film, television, and pop culture articles inclusive entertainment
