The cast of Spider-Noir opened up to the FENNEC team about bringing a version of Spider-Man to life, inspired by classic film noir, morally complex characters, and old-school detective cinema.
There’s something about Spider-Noir that just feels cool immediately, and the second the cast started talking about it, you could tell this isn’t your typical superhero show.
This live-action series tells the story of Ben Reilly, a seasoned, down-on-his-luck private investigator in 1930s New York, who is forced to grapple with his past following a deeply personal tragedy as the city’s one and only superhero.
It’s darker and moodier like an old detective movie in the best way possible. And when we chatted with the cast, everyone seemed genuinely excited about how different this version feels.
Abraham Popoola, who plays Tombstone, grew up watching the old-school Spider-Man cartoon before school every morning, yes, that famous meme one! He said that Spider-Man has basically been part of his life forever, and it felt special to hear him talk about joining the franchise now.
But his version of Tombstone isn’t your regular bad guy. Abraham described him as someone carrying a lot of trauma and survival instincts from his past, which makes him feel more real and intimidating. Instead of trying to be like famous gangster villains, he wanted to make this Tombstone feel unique in the world of Spider-Noir.
And that seems to be the vibe for the whole series.
For Brendan Gleeson (Silvermane), it was the project’s noir influences and morally complex characters that drew him in. He added that the writing helped create a world full of intrigue and uncertainty and described Silvermane as someone desperately trying to hold onto power while fully aware his time is running out.
Brendan admitted his relationship with Spider-Man was very different growing up in Ireland, as the comics were too expensive, but the character remained recognisable. He took a highly personal approach when developing Silvermane, creating a backstory rooted in Dublin’s poverty during the early 20th century.
From there, he imagined Silvermane eventually building power in America. Part of the inspiration even came from his own family’s cultural details, which he has brought into the character’s personality.
When asked about his biggest highlight from filming, he immediately pointed to Nicolas Cage breaking into song in the middle of a scene.
Jack Huston (who plays Sandman) said that what stood out most when they first read the scripts was how rich the story felt without relying on the superhero stuff. Like, yes, these characters have powers, but the emotional side and the world-building come first.
He added that this version of Sandman feels completely fresh compared to the ones we’ve seen before, which is saying a lot considering how many great adaptations already exist.
At the same time, Li Jun Li’s Black Cat sounds exactly like the kind of character fans are going to obsess over once the series comes out. She described her as the femme fatale of the series, but also as someone deeply human beneath all that mystery and danger.
What’s really interesting is how none of the characters in this show seem to be fully good or fully evil. Everyone seems damaged and kind of stuck in a morally grey area, which usually makes characters way more interesting anyway.
In terms of the visuals, the cast mentioned that the black-and-white version hits differently.
When I asked whether fans should watch the black-and-white or colour version first, they initially refused to choose, because both give totally different experiences. Eventually, everyone agreed that black-and-white first is probably the way to go.
And after hearing them talk about it? Yeah, I kind of need to see this immediately.
Produced by Sony Pictures Television for Prime Video, Spider-Noir will roll out globally on the 27th of May, 2026.
