Variety reports that Sony and Amazon’s live-action Spider-Man Noir TV series has enlisted Steve Lightfoot to serve as co-showrunner. He now joins Oren Uziel who, in February, was revealed as the project’s writer (he too will serve as co-showrunner).
Lightfoot was The Punisher’s showrunner when the Daredevil spin-off launched on Netflix. The series drew mixed reviews for its approach to Frank Castle but it still delivered a gritty and appropriately violent take on the vigilante.
Spider-Man Noir is expected to take place in 1930s New York City, though the trade reminds us that "the show will be set in its own universe and the main character will not be Peter Parker." That’s a baffling decision, but Peter’s absence is likely a result of Sony Pictures’ ongoing agreement with Marvel Studios to share the webbed wonder.
Lightfoot’s other credits include Shantaram, Hannibal, and Narcos.
Elsewhere on Prime Video, Silk: Spider Society is in the works from showrunner Angela Khan. Somewhat reassuringly, all of these small screen projects are being overseen by Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse producers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller.
In related news, scooper Daniel Richtman is reporting that original Daredevil showrunner and the director of Sony’s scrapped Sinister Six movie, Drew Goddard, has emerged as Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures’ top choice to helm Spider-Man 4 should Jon Watts pass on the project. He’s come close to joining the MCU a few times and is thought to have made uncredited contributions to the first two Avengers movies.
We’ll see what happens, but if Goddard does replace Watts, he’s likely to receive a great deal of support from fans. As a director, he’s best known for The Cabin in the Woods and Bad Times at the El Royale.
Hailing from the 1930s during the Great Depression, Spider-Man Noir is an alternate version of the iconic Spider-Man character, blending the classic hero with a film noir aesthetic. The character, who is also named Peter Parker, is a gritty, trenchcoat-wearing hero who fights crime in a dark and corrupt New York City.
Embracing stealth and utilizing unconventional weapons, Spider-Man Noir is defined by his black-and-white visual style, reminiscent of old detective films. Nicolas Cage has portrayed the character in animation.
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