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Summary
Norman Osborn in Noir is a gritty mobster with scaly skin, departs from classic depiction, sets up for epic showdown with Spider-Man.
Noir series could include darker versions of classic Spider-Man villains like Vulture, Doctor Octopus, and Chameleon for thrilling detective story.
Nicolas Cage is officially set to star in Noir, a live-action series about the titular Spider-Man Noir, and every good Web-Slinger needs an appropriately threatening villain to cross paths with. Though Spider-Man has starred in more than a handful of movies and TV shows, a new version of the Marvel hero is finally set to make his live-action debut. After voicing the hero, who hails from an alternate reality NYC in the 1930s, in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, veteran actor Nicolas Cage will bring the part to life in full for the Prime Video/MGM+ series.
Few details are known about Noir, but the official press release explains the show will focus on “an aging and down on his luck private investigator (Cage) in 1930s New York, who is forced to grapple with his past life as the city’s one and only superhero.“ Given that Spider-Man’s adaptation rights are separate from the rest of the Marvel catalog, it, unfortunately, won’t be likely that Noir pulls in villains from outside Spider-Man’s corner of the Noir universe. However, there are plenty of interesting and boldly redesigned classic Spider-Man villains Noir could clash with in his titular series.
10 Norman Osborn, AKA The Goblin
A Bold New Take On A Classic Villain
Norman Osborn is a classic Spider-Man villain who needs no introduction after Dafoe immortalized the character on the big screen, but the Noir universe version is a wildly different character. Osborn is traditionally a business mogul whose Goblin outfit is merely cosmetic. Spider-Man Noir’s Osborn eschews both of those traits. This version of the character is a man born with green, scaly skin who lives as a circus attraction before (and while) growing his influence over NYC’s criminal underbelly. More akin to a traditional mobster than the classic version, Osborn commits heinous acts both himself and via his network of thugs.
Most importantly, though, it’s Goblin and his associates who are responsible for the death of Uncle Ben in the noir universe. As such, he makes for a perfect villain in Noir’s live-action debut. Though this version of Noir will be older, there’s no reason he can’t finally solve the mystery of his Uncle Ben’s death later in life. Moreover, Goblin (who drops the “Green” in this iteration) being a more classic criminal without a glider means he’d be easier on the VFX budget than he’s been in the movies.
Early reports indicate that Noir’s Spider-Man will not be Peter Parker. However, it’s likely he’ll still have suffered the death of a close loved one as the event is critical to the character’s development.
9 Adrien Toomes, AKA Vulture
A Darker Villain
Most of Spider-Man’s villains in the Noir universe are much darker and more tangibly violent than their Earth-616 counterparts, and Vulture is no exception. The classic version of Adrian Toomes is a bit of a joke, as an older man flying around in a tight bird suit justifiably earns quips from Marvel’s heroes and villains. That isn’t the case on Noir’s Earth-90214.
This Toomes takes both visual and character inspiration from Nosferatu, the classic movie Vampire. Horrifyingly, Toomes is a cannibal who kills Uncle Ben under Goblin’s orders and disposes of the body as disgustingly as one might imagine. While it’s unlikely Noir will present such a horrifying scenario, a dark, creepier version of Vulture without the bird suit seems like a thematic fit.
8 Otto Octavius, AKA Doctor Octopus
A Horrifying Inventor
While he’s certainly had his moments, the main version of Doctor Octopus is rarely deeply evil. However, the Noir universe puts a dark spin on the brilliant scientist and makes him someone truly vile. Born in South Africa unable to use his legs, Otto grows up bitter. He develops his trademark robotic limbs and moves to the United States, but things get worse from there. Otto creates a base on Ellis Island, where he experiments on innocents to attempt the creation of an army of mindless drones.
Doctor Octopus has only been adapted to live-action once (by Alfred Molina in Spider-Man 2 and Spider-Man: No Way Home), so Noir may take the opportunity to use the iconic character. If so, the villain’s attempts to kidnap and twist civilians could make for an engaging detective story as Noir connects the dots between missing persons and sees them show back up, not acting like themselves. Moreover, the villain’s Noir visual redesign could be quite striking, and the story wouldn’t necessitate high-flying action.
In Marvel Noir comics, Otto is also driven by deeply racist ideals. If he’s adapted, it’s likely this part of the character is significantly toned down or left out altogether.
7 Curtis Connors
The Man With Two Forms
Curt Connors doesn’t have a bit of a role in the Spider-Man Noir comics, but that leaves more room for the series to do what they’d like with the character. In the Noir universe, Connors is an associate of Otto Octavius who works in the lab on Ellis Island to kidnap civilians and turn them into mindless drones. In the books, that’s all there is to his story, and details of his involvement and his eventual fate are left uncertain. Moreover, he appears in human form and not his reptilian alter ego.
Connors has appeared in scientist form across several Spider-Man movies and twice as the Lizard (The Amazing Spider-Man and Spider-Man: No Way Home). A mysterious monster in the shadows revealed at some point to be the reptilian Connors could be an interesting twist for the Noir series. Given the show’s older setting, a Jekyll and Hyde homage would be fitting.
6 Eddie Brock, AKA Venom
A Challenging Villain To Adapt
In normal Marvel Comics, Eddie Brock is a reporter who feels scorned by Peter Parker and eventually bonds with the Venom symbiote (literally and emotionally), vowing revenge on Peter. Eddie still connects with Venom in the Noir universe, but his backstory is markedly different. Here, Brock is instead a Catholic priest with no specific Peter Parker connection.
In continuing the trend of turning villains darker, this Brock is a gambling addict who prays for help before coming across Venom. Venom may require too big of a special effects budget for Noir, but if it uses the “less is more” approach and treats Venom more like a classic monster movie creature, the results could be horrifyingly satisfying.
5 Dmitri Smerdyakov, AKA Chameleon
The Master Of Disguise
A master of disguise seems like the perfect fit for a 1930s-set detective noir TV show. Assuming Cage isn’t overly interested in an action-heavy role and production is looking to keep the budget reasonable, having Spider-Man Noir flex his detective abilities in a case of confused identity seems like a perfect fit. There’s even great precedence in the source material.
In Marvel Noir comics, Dmitri Smerdyakov is a circus attraction along with Osborn, famous for his ability to use contortion and disguise to imitate others. While not at his day job, Chameleon uses this to help mask his fellow criminals and frame innocents for heinous crimes. Wha’s more, Chameleon has never starred in a live-action Spider-Man project, so the show could present an interesting first.
A man named Dimitri Smerdyakov worked for Nick Fury to keep tabs on Peter in
Spider-Man: Far From Home
, but he was never developed into anything but an agent.
4 Alonzo Lincoln, AKA Tombstone
A Crime Boss Fitting Befitting The Genre
If Noir wants to stay grounded (by Spider-Man standards), one of Spideys organized crime villains makes the most sense. While it would be exciting to see a noir take on Wilson Fisk, Sony doesn’t have the character’s rights for their projects. Instead, Tombstone could be a suitable stand-in.
Unlike Kingpin, Tombstone doesn’t have the massive reach and non-criminal influence of Fisk. However, his distinct look and low-level abilities could work for Noir. Lincoln has pure white skin, and he possesses a fictionalized version of a skin condition that, in his case, gives him thick, durable skin that protects him from some level of harm.
3 Sergei Kravinoff, AKA Kraven the Hunter
The Hunter Could Find New Prey
Kraven is getting his own live-action movie, but he could also be an interesting addition to Noir. The big-game-hunter may seem slightly out of place in a noir detective story, but there are plenty of ways to make him work. Classically interested in hunting Spider-Man just for the sake of a challenge, Kravinoff’s Noir universe counterpart is much less well-defined.
All that’s known about this Kraven is that he’s the half-brother of Chameleon and also works for Goblin’s gang. He may not make much sense as a big, central villain, but Kraven is perfect for some a B-plot. Scenes involving his hunting animals could make for a thrilling and unique Spider-Man sequence.
2 Flint Marko, AKA Sandman
A Less Fantastical Version Of The Villain
Traditionally, Sandman is one of Spider-Man’s more fantastical enemies. Able to fully manipulate his body as living sand, the villain can create virtually anything with his physical form in addition to growing and shrinking at will. However, the Noir universe version of Flint Marko is more grounded.
In this universe, Sandman still has superpowers, but they’re more limited. He can simply turn his body into solid stone, making him incredibly difficult to injure by traditional means. Sandman almost surely wouldn’t be the lead antagonist in Noir, but he’s absolutely perfect for the main villain’s enforcer.
1 Maxwell Dillon, AKA Eelctro
Terrifying And Powerful
Most Noir universe villains are slightly less powerful than their main adaptations, but Electro maintains some powerful tools. Initially, this Maxwell Dillon is a paparazzi who uses his flash to blind people before attacking them. However, he eventually develops a formidable device that allows him to shoot eclectic bolts.
Showing off some retro-futurism could be a cool way to sell Noir’s setting and help set it apart from other notable Spider-Man adaptations. Electro is also a villain who has appeared in live action, but not as the star since 2014’s The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Electro also wouldn’t likely be a central villain in Noir, but he’d be a perfect “monster of the week” for an episode.
“}]] Perfect villains for Spider-Man Noir. Read More