Spider-Man stories are typically colorful, splashy affairs, especially when translated to live-action or animation. The upcoming Spider-Noir show will continue that trend, it just may also do it without the vibrant palette we’ve become accustomed to.
In a recent interview with ComingSoon, actor Lukas Haas mentioned the series could get two releases, one in color and the other in black-and-white. During shooting, he said, the monitors were in monochrome, which made it “very, very, very authentic. I would actually go and look at the monitor and think I was looking at some older footage, but it was actually just what was on the camera at the time. They did a beautiful job with the filters and all that stuff, making it look like genuine old 1930s, black and white film.”
Spider-Man Noir’s previous onscreen appearances have made him and his universe black-and-white, keeping with the noir vibe that defines the hero. It’d be cool to have that continue in Spider-Noir; the last time Marvel used that stylized look was Werewolf by Night. Outside of that, there’s been Godzilla Minus Color and Hundreds of Beavers in recent years, and that’s just a small handful of examples. Visual flair is still something Marvel shows can struggle with, and this would be as good a time as any to experiment and do something different, especially since this is in its own universe and has a little more freedom.
Whether in color or black-and-white, Spider-Noir will air on MGM+.
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
