Sony surprised everyone at CCXP 2025 when it officially unveiled the identity of Nicolas Cage’s live-action Spider-Man Noir for the upcoming ‘Spider-Noir’ series, an identity that is not Peter Parker. Rather, the dark detective behind the frosted-glass office door is Ben Reilly, a fact that has sparked confusion, theories, and perhaps even excitement among Spider-Man fans.
The studio might have just retained the traditional comic-book name Noir. They could have tied this new version directly to Cage’s animated Spider-Verse take. They instead opted to give it a name that has strong Spider-Man mythology roots. One that almost certainly indicates a creative change with bigger implications. Why Ben Reilly? And what does this imply for Sony’s entire Spider-Man landscape?
Why Peter Parker Is Out And Ben Reilly Is In
For nearly a century of in-universe history across comics and animated adaptations, Noir Spider-Man has just been a darker, more morally bruised version of Peter Parker because of the Great Depression. Even the Cage’s trench-coat-clad Spider-Man Noir from the Spider-Verse films was no exception. This is why the announcement is such a drastic twist. Ben Reilly is not just a placeholder. In the comics, Ben is a clone of Peter Parker.
Related: How DC Turned Frankenstein Into A Better Hero Than Marvel’s Monster Tale
He is a character who has spent his life in agony after finding out he was not the real Peter. This led him to adopt the name Scarlet Spider to create his own identity. His existence is tied to themes of identity, legacy, and what it means to be Spider-Man. So, announcing Ben Reilly is definitely intentional. Reilly is a continuation of Peter Parker, but not of his legacy. He is known as a separate character, which lets Sony access decades of mythology without treading on Peter Parker.
For years, fans have wondered whether Sony is constrained by contractual obligations and how and when they can utilize Peter Parker. The circumstantial evidence is strong but persuasive. Madame Web introduced a baby who is clearly Peter Parker, but he was never named. Peter Parker does not appear in any leading roles in Sony projects. Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield were reintroduced in ‘No Way Home’ only because of Marvel’s involvement.
So, Ben Reilly is the ideal workaround. He is a Spider-Man, but not the Spider-Man we know. Placing the story in a noir-inspired 1930s universe provides Sony with a playground in which they can reinterpret, rather than simply adapt, existing characters. If Sony wants a darker, meaner, chain-smoking, morally ambiguous Spider-Man who punches more than he quips? Ben Reilly lets them do that without betraying the Peter Parker archetype.
How Noir’s New Identity Changes Everything
The big question fans now ask is simple: Is this meant to be the same Spider-Man Noir Cage voiced in the animated films? The response might be: not so much, but perhaps. It’s the same vibe with a new origin. Sony probably wants Cage to carry the same vitality that made the animated Noir so popular without having to pass through the mazes of multiversal canon. Ben Reilly permits that.
In case you missed it: All The Marvel TV Show Moments That Will Decide The Fate Of ‘Avengers: Doomsday’
He allows Cage to appear as Spider-Man Noir without the Rubik’s Cube gag, a literal black and white world, and a literal connection to Miles Morales. So, will this Noir be a clone? Probably not. Although the name Ben Reilly is synonymous with the clone arc, ‘Spider-Noir’ appears to be more concerned with the symbolism of Ben Reilly than the sci-fi baggage. So, this Noir might not be a Peter Parker clone.
Sony’s decision isn’t random. It is not a shock value retcon. It is a tactical shift that is meant to provide the ‘Spider-Noir’ series with some freedom without losing the essence of Spider-Man. Ben Reilly balances the mythos and contemporary franchise constraints perfectly. And as Nicolas Cage returns to portray him, fans are in for a treat. This isn’t Peter Parker’s Noir. This is Ben Reilly. And that makes this version even more worth watching.
