Sony Series Depicts Alternate Spider-Man Without Trademark Costume

Sony Pictures Television released an eight-episode series yesterday that presents a version of Spider-Man set in 1930s New York City. The production is available on streaming platforms and includes an optional black-and-white viewing mode. The series centers on Ben Reilly, a former World War I veteran turned private investigator played by Nicolas Cage.

After being bitten by a spider during a military experiment in Germany, Reilly acquires wall-climbing ability, danger sense, and the capacity to shoot black webbing.

A 71-page license agreement summary released in a 2014 hack of Sony Pictures Entertainment governs the use of the character. The document requires that Spider-Man “does not use foul language beyond PG-13” and “does not abuse alcohol,” provisions the new series does not follow.

Because the agreement also limits certain traits, the lead character is named Ben Reilly rather than Peter Parker and is referred to on screen as The Spider. He wears a woolen mask with illuminated circular eyes and a trench coat instead of the familiar costume.

” Co-showrunner Oren Uziel stated the series is “a different flavor of that character” from the 2018 animated film and is “not a continuation” of it. The series carries a TV-14 rating due to depictions of violence, profanity, and drinking. It has received a 91 percent critics score on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.