Following the recent cancellation of Spider-Noir, Prime Video is said to be closing in on a new live-action Spider-Man series based on "The Clone Saga." The project is nearing a series order at the Amazon-owned streamer and will revolve around Peter Parker's clones, Ben Reilly and Kaine Parker.
American Born Chinese creator Kelvin Yu wrote the series, but like Spider-Noir, the show will likely put its own spin on the story (especially as Peter Parker remains off-limits, given that Tom Holland plays him in the MCU).
According to the trade, "Sources caution that, while the comics serve as source material and inspiration, there may be significant changes in the screen adaptation." With that in mind, don't be surprised if neither has ties to Peter Parker and just end up being spider-powered clones.
"There is some conflicting information," the trade adds, "with some saying that the TV series would follow Ben and Kaine as they grapple with their newly discovered identities as clones while also facing other clones."
The site continues, "Others claim that the series may alter Ben and Kaine’s origins as clones, and they could take on new identities." So, no Spider-Man or Scarlet Spider? Hopefully, this isn't Madame Web and Ezekiel all over again, as that attempt to create a new spider-themed villain largely fell flat despite the cool costume design.
It sounds like Spidercide could be one of the show's villains, and this news comes hours after we published an article about why "The Clone Saga" should be adapted. However, this streaming series means we will probably never see Holland squaring off with himself as Ben Reilly in a future MCU-set Spider-Man movie.
For what it's worth, Daniel Richtman has shared some additional details on X, writing, "It would be a buddy cop-style show with Ben Reilly and Kaine Parker, kinda like Lanterns. They discover they're clones, which leads to the show's main plot."
Like Spider-Noir, this series will debut on Amazon’s MGM+ before moving to Prime Video. Amy Pascal, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, who oversee this Spider-Man Universe for Sony TV and executive produced Spider-Noir, are expected to executive produce the Clone Saga series with Yu.
Ben Reilly and Kaine are arguably the two most important characters to emerge from Marvel's infamous "Clone Saga." Both were created as clones of Peter Parker by the Jackal, but their lives took very different paths.
Ben, who eventually adopted the Scarlet Spider identity, spent years travelling the country before returning to New York and briefly becoming the main Spider-Man. Kaine, meanwhile, was the first and most genetically unstable of Peter's clones, left physically scarred and embittered by his existence. Over time, however, Kaine evolved into a hero in his own right, most notably taking on the Scarlet Spider mantle in Houston.
This Clone Saga TV show sounds undeniably ambitious and stands a chance of being great if handled the right way. Comic book purists, however, may not appreciate potentially sweeping changes to the divisive 1990s crossover story.