Prime Video's Acclaimed 2026 Superhero Series Deserves A Rewatch After Just 4 Months

Published Oct 11, 2026, 11:00 AM EDT

Kyle is a senior writer at ScreenRant and has been part of the team for over two years. Having led coverage on The Walking Dead projects alongside Rick & Morty, Kyle is well versed in numerous genres.

Born in Glasgow, Scotland, Kyle is a passionate journalist who has a keen interest in TV and film. He has six years of experience studying journalism including a HND in Practical Journalism and a BA Honours in Journalism, Media and Communication and History. Alongside his love for TV and film, Kyle enjoys video games, football and Formula 1.

Prime Video has built a healthy library of superhero shows over the years, with Invincible and The Boys standing out as some of the most distinctive projects on the market. However, even as both hits continued in 2026, it was Spider-Noir that stood out as the platform's biggest superhero release this year, giving viewers something new to admire.

There has been no shortage of Spider-Man content in the 21st century, yet viewers simply haven't gotten bored of Marvel's flagship hero, as evidenced by Spider-Man: Brand New Day grossing over $2.5 billion and becoming the third highest-grossing film of all time. Still, it can be hard to constantly reinvent the hero, yet Prime Video managed this expertly.

Rather than offering a typical Peter Parker story focusing on the impossible balance of a personal life and heroism, Spider-Noir adapts a grittier comic series. The show's version makes some tweaks by switching Peter for Ben Reilly, a private investigator who secretly fights crime under the alias "The Spider."

With the series being set in the 1930s, Spider-Noir treats us to new interpretations of classic Spider-Man villains, and the mature story is like nothing we've seen on-screen before. Sure, Nicolas Cage also voiced Spider-Noir in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, but his performance here is vastly different and much more fleshed out.

Such a stylistic project had the potential to fail, yet Spider-Noir earned over 2.6 billion minutes watched in six weeks. Additionally, it won five Emmys and was nominated for 11 in total, while receiving a 92% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 90% audience score. To top it all off, Spider-Noir found streaming success again in August, several months after its debut.

The biggest reason for this is due to how rewatchable it is, having two different ways of viewing the show. Alongside a traditional color release, Spider-Noir also has a black-and-white version for those interested in a true noir experience, and if you haven't already, now is the perfect time to give it a second viewing, especially after the project's cancelation.

Spider-Noir's Two Versions Feel Like Completely Different Shows

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While Spider-Noir could've easily played it safe by releasing its color version and calling it a day, the black-and-white option cemented it as a modern classic, since both aesthetics offer completely different experiences. Having watched it in black-and-white the first time around, I was completely immersed in the 1930s timeline, which added an extra gloomy tone.

Considering Ben Reilly is constantly battling his inner conflicts, this bleak atmosphere works extremely well in black-and-white, feeling like a show that would be right at home several decades prior. It also makes episode 6 seem like a mini horror movie since there's a particularly unsettling atmosphere, and the Spider-Man costume looks flawless even without color.

After experiencing the story entirely through this lens, the shift to color is mind-blowing, as it changes the way you see 1930s New York. Suddenly, the city feels much more lively, the visuals are incredibly punchy, and the colors are particularly vibrant in an era where superhero projects are being criticized for their gray appearance.

Spider-Noir achieves all of this while still feeling retro, meaning the show doesn't lose its edge by watching it in color, even if the black-and-white vibe is a little more atmospheric. There really is no wrong way to watch this absolute gem — otherwise, there wouldn't be an option. That said, each version does provide an entirely different experience.

Naturally, many viewers may have stuck to one version and moved on afterward, but four months later, it's time to give the other way a go. Perhaps some people were waiting for season 2 before giving it a rewatch, since it would be the ideal way to digest both versions while also getting a refresher.

Sadly, Prime Video canceling Spider-Noir makes this plan null and void, meaning there is simply no reason to wait. Until you've witnessed this story in both color and black-and-white, you haven't seen everything Spider-Noir has to offer, and this one-of-a-kind project certainly deserves the full experience.

Spider-Noir Set The Stage For A Spidey-Heavy Future

As ever, Spider-Man is performing well in the mainstream, be in on film, on TV, or in the world of gaming. Spider-Noir was the continuation of this, but it also set the stage for plenty more Spider-Man, as the franchise already has a pretty stacked future lined up.

Just two months after Spider-Noir dropped, Spider-Man: Brand New Day maintained the IP's positive momentum, cementing its name in cinematic history. Not only was it a commercial giant, but it earned strong reviews across the board and confirmed the appetite people have for the masked hero and his various counterparts.

Up next is Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man season 2, which will follow in Spider-Noir's footsteps as a quirky and slightly unorthodox series. The comic-like art style really allows it to shine, and it features lots of changes to the usual Spider-Man roster we're used to, just like the Prime Video hit.

Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse's June 2027 release date makes it arguably the most highly anticipated Spider-Man movie in years, and with it featuring the return of Nicolas Cage's character, Spider-Noir couldn't have set it up any better. Fans will be more invested than ever in this vintage superhero thanks to his solo show, making it a timely project.

After the success of Brand New Day, it's hard to imagine Sony waiting too long to bring Tom Holland's version back to the big screen, and with Insomniac's game series still a hit, we're bound for plenty more Spider-Man in the coming years.

Thankfully, Spider-Noir proved there are plenty of ways to keep the franchise relevant, ensuring a bright future lies ahead for one of the most popular superheroes of all time.

Prime Video Canceled Spider-Noir Way Too Quickly

Aaron Epstein/Prime

All things considered, Prime Video certainly jumped the gun on canceling Spider-Noir, as it had so much potential to continue. Although the finale was satisfying and tied up most loose ends, it still would've been exciting to see other classic Spider-Man villains in this universe, while fleshing out the rest of the side cast.

Ben and Felicia's dynamic was extremely compelling, and even if it didn't end up in a fully-fledged romance, seeing more of the two would've been thrilling. Likewise, Robbie Robertson and Janet Ruiz were fantastic supporting characters who we are unlikely to see again on-screen any time soon, which is a major blow.

Looking at the positive reception to this show alongside the viewership figures suggests the only reason it was axed was for financial reasons or it being a 1-season story that was never meant to run longer. However, seeing as plenty of limited series have been renewed for second seasons upon a successful launch, there's no reason Spider-Noir had to end.

It isn't all bad news though, as Spider-Noir's cancelation made way for a Spider-Man Clone Saga series on Prime Video, which has been confirmed. In addition, other Spider-Man shows are supposedly being developed for the platform, meaning Spider-Noir at least served as a blueprint for a successful project.

Whether these other shows can match the quality and originality of Spider-Noir is another question entirely, but it at least gives Spider-Man fans something to look forward to. Still, losing Nicolas Cage's series is a real blow given how great it was, and Prime Video should've spent more time before making such a bold decision.