Sony is setting up for a wide cast of Spider-People to appear throughout Miles Morales's (Shameik Moore) journey in the highly-anticipated sequel Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. One Spider-Man that won't be present this time will be his old ally Spider-Man Noir, played by Nicolas Cage. In a recent interview with Screen Rant, Cage revealed that Sony hadn't approached him about reprising his role as the monochromatic Spidey, who was one of Miles's key allies in helping him realize his powers.
Even among the multitude of unique Spiders from alternate universes, Spider-Man Noir was one of the most visually striking allies to arrive in Miles's world. Noir was a Peter Parker from an alternate 1930s universe explored in his own comic series, and thus donned a trench coat and hat typical of a detective in noir crime fiction. Cage had plenty of fun with the role, using the films of Humphrey Bogart and the performances of James Cagney as inspiration to create a more grizzled Spider-Man.
When asked about whether the vigilante would return for the sequel, however, Cage deferred to Sony. That said, he didn't fully close the door on a return because of how much he enjoyed the role:
You'd have to ask Sony. I don't know what's going on with that. No one's spoken to me about that. Ask them. I don't know. I really don't. I wish they would. I love Spider-Man Noir, too. I think that's a great character. Spider-Man's the coolest superhero. And then you combine that with Cagney and Bogart and Edward G. Robinson, come on, it's a great character.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Will See Some Key Cast Returning
While Cage isn't reprising his role, a number of returning cast are already confirmed for the film. Moore, of course, will return as Morales while two of his most crucial allies, Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld) and Peter B. Parker (Jake Johnson) will rejoin him as he delves deeper into the Spider-Verse. Bryan Tyree Henry will also return as Miles's father Jefferson Davis along with Oscar Isaac who will appear as Miguel O'Hara aka Spider-Man 2099 after his cameo at the end of Into the Spider-Verse. Screenwriters and producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller are also returning after guiding the original film to massive success. Rounding out the film's cast are Jason Schwartzman, Daniel Kaluuya, Issa Rae, and Luna Lauren Vélez among others. Considering Spider-Man Noir, Spider-Ham, and SP//dr weren't present in the trailer for Across the Spider-Verse, it seems likely that John Mulaney and Kimiko Glenn will also be absent this time around.
Although he won't be rejoining the Spider-Verse, Cage has plenty on his plate at the moment. The trailer just debuted for Renfield where he'll play Dracula as a boss from Hell. His latest film, The Old Way, was also just released in theaters, and he has plenty more coming in 2024, including Dream Scenario, Sand and Stones, and the horror film Longlegs.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse releases in theaters on June 2, 2023. Check out the trailer below.