(Image: Amazon)
The Nicolas Cage-led series "Spider-Noir" recently debuted on Amazon Prime Video and MGM+, earning generally positive reviews from audiences. One of the most talked-about features is the show's dual viewing options: a full-color version and a black-and-white cut. The black-and-white version pays homage to the classic film noir detective movies of old Hollywood, matching the show's period setting. The color version, meanwhile, was intentionally graded to resemble early colorized black-and-white films, featuring high-contrast, vibrant saturation.
(Image: Amazon)
However, producing both versions appears to have come at a significant cost. A crew member recently revealed on Threads that the show was initially shot exclusively for a black-and-white presentation. The crew member, who worked as a film loader for the second unit, explained that they were "truly shooting for black and white" using authentic film noir specifications on set. This involved painting all the sets in shades of green, brown, and pink to achieve the desired gray gradients for the monochrome picture. According to the post, there was originally no intention of color grading the footage, but a change in plans led to nearly a year of reshoots.
Another individual, who identified as part of the post-production team, corroborated this account. They stated that the color version was a late addition, requested by the studio (clarifying it was not Sony) after the black-and-white version had already been completed. This crew member suggested that to experience the director's true vision, the black-and-white version is the ideal way to watch.
(Image: TMZ)
The post-production crew member emphasized that the studio requesting the color version was not Sony Pictures, pointing to the other partners on the project: Amazon and MGM Studios. Based on both accounts, the crew evidently had to reshoot a significant number of scenes to create the color version. The original sets were designed specifically for the black-and-white aesthetic and could not simply be color-graded, necessitating the construction of new sets for a separate color shoot.
These extensive reshoots have fueled recent media claims that the total budget for the first season of "Spider-Noir" reached a staggering $400 million. However, this figure is widely considered exaggerated, with most other outlets and online commentators dismissing it as a baseless rumor.