Prime Video’s New Spider-Man Show Is Making Mistakes That Killed the SSU

More details about the new Spider-Man show in the works at Prime Video have been revealed. Unfortunately, these details have confirmed that Sony has learned nothing from the failure of its Spider-Man-less shared universe.

When Spider-Noir was canceled, it was reported that Prime Video was close to greenlighting a new Marvel/Sony show. That now looks to be an untitled series, based on the popular but controversial Clone Saga storyline from the comics. The series will be based on the second Clone Saga story arc, which focuses on the Spider-Man clones Ben Reilly and Kaine Parker.

While details are scarce, sources claim that there may be significant changes from the source material. Some stated the series will follow Ben and Kaine as they grapple with their newly discovered identities as clones while also facing other clones. Others are reporting the series may alter Ben and Kaine’s origins as clones, and they could take on new identities. What’s clear, though, is that it once again looks like Sony is making a Spider-Man project without Spider-Man.

The Clone Saga doesn’t work without Spider-Man

The Clone Saga is arguably the most well-known Spider-Man storyline from comics. So, his absence from the TV show is pretty noticeable. After all, Ben Reilly and Kaine Parker are clones of Peter Parker/Spider-Man. Yet, there’s no mention of Peter Parker or Spider-Man in the report for the show.

Similar to past Sony’s Spider-Man Universe movies like Kraven the Hunter, Madame Web, Venom, and Morbius, Sony looks to be rewriting Ben Reilly and Kaine Parker’s origins to work without Spider-Man. It’s a mistake that many have attributed to being the sole cause of the SSU’s failure. There just isn’t much interest in seeing these characters without the Spider-Man connection.

The only show that managed to avoid making this mistake was Spider-Noir. The series simply renamed the civilian identity of Nicolas Cage’s Spider-Man Noir from Peter Parker to Ben Reilly. Beyond this change, the show was otherwise quite faithful to the character and the time period it was meant to be set in.

Additionally, the Clone Saga only works if the audience cares about the possibility that the Peter Parker they’ve been following for years is actually a clone. It’s a storyline that would better fit Tom Holland’s Spider-Man. Imagine the shock audiences would have learning that Holland’s Spidey was actually a clone, and the real Peter Parker hasn’t been seen in the MCU since, say, after the events of 2017’s Homecoming.

Did the real Peter really miss fighting Thanos? Losing his mentor, Tony Stark? Having his identity revealed by Mysterio? Meeting the other Spider-Mans? This is the sort of drama that a Clone Saga can create when it’s adapting the material with an existing version of Spider-Man.

Instead, Sony will probably attempt to make audiences care about two new characters who are clones (possibly with spider abilities) but who certainly won’t be able to call themselves either Peter Parker or Spider-Man. It’s just so frustrating to think that Sony had learned from its mistakes and was ready to develop more shows like Spider-Noir, which could exist without needing to massively rewrite the main characters’ backstory.

Unless changes happen before the untitled Clone Saga show heads into production, it’s clear audiences will not be getting anything worthwhile from Sony’s Spider-Man Universe for the foreseeable future. Luckily for them, there’s Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse and the Marvel Cinematic Universe Spider-Man to keep them happy.

Originally published on SuperHeroHype

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