10 TV Shows Like Spider-Man: Noir You Should Watch Next
I’m tempted to call Spider-Man Noir the most unexpected Spider-Man spinoff, but considering the franchise includes adaptations of Morbius and Madame Web, I’m not sure that’s appropriate. Spider-Man Noir began as an alternate universe character in the comics before landing a supporting role in the best Spider-Man movie of all time, the animated Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, voiced by Nicolas Cage. The actor returns to the role in the new Prime Video series, and the result is incredibly entertaining (if surprisingly serious).
Frankly, if we’re going to continue to be bombarded with Marvel content, I’m perfectly fine with more weird stuff like this, but I’m not sure there are many other shows that quite live up to the “Nicolas Cage plays Spider-Man, but in the 1940s” concept. So, when it comes to recommending similar shows, I suggest these 10 other reboots and reimaginings of the franchise that take a weirder approach, offering unconventional takes on beloved characters and concepts.
Perry Mason (2020–2022)
Widows’ Bay marks a true renaissance for Matthew Rhys, and it’s worth revisiting this gripping and unusual show, which reimagines the Perry Mason of print, film, and television in a gritty, Depression-era prequel (I’m not familiar with Erle Stanley Gardner’s original novels, but from what I understand, they’re not as grim as this show). Rhys is superb as a brilliant but wild-life lawyer, going through a divorce and still traumatized by World War I. He’s hired to investigate the case of a kidnapped and mutilated child, which turns out to be connected to corrupt cops, local businessmen, and politicians in 1932 Los Angeles. Juliet Rylance stars as business secretary Della Street, and Tatiana Maslany is a creepy evangelist. Watch Perry Mason on HBO Max.
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (2018–2020)
Sabrina Spellman (Kiernan Shipka) is an old-school witch who lives in a house reminiscent of The Addams Family: two witch aunts (played by Miranda Otto and Lucy Davis), her warlock cousin (Chance Perdomo), and her faithful cat familiar, Salem, all live their supernatural lives in hiding from the locals. Cannibalism, human sacrifice, and bloody rituals are omnipresent, so while there’s some Wednesday- esque humor, it’s far more gritty than the ’90s show or the old Archie comics.Watch Sabrina onNetflix .
Titans (2018–2023)
This venerable DC franchise began with the kid-friendly Teen Titans comics of the 1960s and evolved into a more mature concept by the 1980s, but it’s best known for the long-running (nine seasons over 16 years and counting) animated series Teen Titans Go!, aimed at younger teens. This new take on the concept—Robin’s former sidekick leads a team of young heroes—adds more adult characters, sex, extra violence, and endless drama as the (reluctant) team battles demons, murderers, and daddy issues ( Batman shouldn’t be allowed near children). Watch Titans on HBO Max.
Fate: The Winx Saga (2021–2022)
This is a remastered version of the Nickelodeon animated series Winx Club , following five fairies studying at a prestigious boarding school for wizards. Like Percy Jackson, the main character, the fire fairy Bloom, soon discovers that her origins are far more alien (literally) than she imagined. After a slow start, the series develops into a powerful coming-of-age story and a rare fantasy series truly geared toward a teen audience. It’s no Dark Knight, but the color palette is toned down compared to the original cartoons, and there’s plenty of fairy-themed teen drama. The series was canceled after two seasons, but if you’re hooked, there are graphic novels that continue the story.Watch Fate: The Winx Saga on Netflix .
Watchmen (2019)
A standalone sequel to the groundbreaking 1980s graphic novel by Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons, and John Higgins, this series continues the original book’s storyline while expanding on it. Set in an alternate Tulsa, Oklahoma, in a world where vigilante superheroes exist and are banned, the series begins dramatically with a depiction of the real-life massacre and destruction of Tulsa’s “Black Wall Street” by white residents in 1921. The action then moves to the future, where Regina King plays Angela Abar, a modern-day police officer whose grandparents were killed in the attack. This event reverberates throughout the series, as the main plot focuses on the aftermath of the original comic’s climactic events and the conspiracies that grew out of it. Watch Watchmen on HBO Max .
Konstantin (2014)
The Keanu Reeves film (also based on the comics, Hellblazer ) is decent, but it’s not particularly faithful to the source material. This series, on the other hand, casts a real Brit as the iconic British antihero, so that’s something. While it’s a step toward a more British approach in its darker tone, it’s a completely different take in many other ways. Matt Ryan brings just the right amount of weary cynicism and wry humor to his role as the exorcist and occult detective trying to stop supernatural threats to atone for his dark past. While the series was relatively short-lived, Matt Ryan played the role for nearly a decade—in animated films, various DC TV projects, and as a regular on DC’s Legends of Tomorrow . Buy Constantine on Prime Video and Apple TV .
“Wrong” (2021)
What sounded like a completely unnecessary Sherlock Holmes parody featuring Arthur Conan Doyle’s charming mischief-makers, the Baker Street Irregulars (led here by Thaddea Graham from ” Bad Sisters “), unexpectedly wove a dark supernatural mystery into its core, exploring grief. Here, Watson (Royce Pierreson) recruits these damaged but resourceful street kids to assist with cases involving the occult, as well as in the search for the aging Sherlock. Holmes aside, the series functions as a darker, Victorian-era version of ” Stranger Things,” one that truly acknowledges how difficult it was to be homeless children in 19th-century London.Watch “The Irregulars” on Netflix .
Scooby-Doo! Mystery, Inc. (2010–2013)
It may not be the darkest reboot, but the series is a bit more mature, returning to the roots of the Scooby gang and building a cohesive narrative across 52 episodes (my favorite version of this long-running franchise). Mystery, Inc. takes the team to Crystal Cove, “the creepiest place on Earth,” and clashes with the local authorities—the town’s history of disappearances and strange events underpins its tourism industry, so revelations are not welcome. Dark secrets connected to the town’s prehistoric past form the core of the series.Watch Scooby-Doo! Mystery, Inc. on Netflix.
Tom Swift (2022)
This short but hilarious series, a spin-off of the revamped Nancy Drew book series, marks only the character’s second appearance on screen (following the unsuccessful 1980s TV show). After 120 years and over 100 books, we finally see the young inventor in a live-action film. He’s played by Tian Richards, who portrays a bratty and brilliant young billionaire whose pride and brazenness work both for and against him: he’s well aware that he’s smart, rich, and attractive, which is enough for him, until it’s not: his equally talented father goes missing during an experimental space mission in the first episode, forcing Tom to grow up faster than he’d like. Watch Tom Swift on HBO Max .
Bel-Air (2022–2025)
Over its four seasons , “Bel-Air” has become something of a spinoff of one of the most important sitcoms of the 1990s, “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” but for fans of the beloved original, it’s a surprise to find pure drama with the same premise. Jabari Banks plays Will Smith, a 16-year-old from West Philadelphia who, after being charged with weapons possession and facing a local drug kingpin, moves in with his aunt and uncle in Bel-Air. Banks is charismatic and compelling, bringing a wealth of personality to a series that often takes dark turns. Watch “Bel-Air” on Peacock .