While Spider-Noir is introducing at least a few previously unseen characters in Silvermane and Molten Man, it’s existence within an alternate universe makes it easy for the show to offer new takes on more iconic characters as well, including Black Cat, Electro, and Sandman.
The presence of such high-profile villains says a lot about what may be on the table in Prime Video’s Nicolas Cage-led Spider-Man show, particularly if it does indeed get another season. Given what’s already on the horizon, the Rhino, Doctor Octopus, Mysterio, and the Lizard all feel like potential candidates to be reimagined in Prime Video’s film noir-inspired Spider-Man universe.
Spider-Man’s conflict with the Lizard is an age-old staple of Peter Parker’s story, and one that’s been told in many forms over the years. Given its importance to the lore, some version of it happening in Spider-Noir certainly feels like it’s within the realm of possibility.
However, to ensure a fresh take on the story’s underlying concept, Marvel could swap the Lizard for a different character, one that wouldn’t need much changing to fit into Spider-Noir’s world.
Why Vermin Could Be Spider-Noir’s Answer To The Lizard
Initially utilized as a Captain America adversary before being morphed into a full-fledged member of Spider-Man’s rogues’ gallery, Dr. Edward Whelan was a troubled scientist who fell victim to the evil experiments of Baron Zemo. He was transformed into a bestial creature with the characteristics of a rat.
As Vermin, Whelan took to the sewers, developed a cannabalistic lifestyle, and seemingly lost all trace of his humanity. Eventually, he became a foe of Spider-Man, who often struggled to combat Vermin’s unique abilities and superhuman strength.
There were times when Spider-Man and others were able to help Vermin regain his human form, but unsurprisingly, his psyche was permanently damaged, causing him to go in and out of asylums over the course of his comic history, switching from villain to psychiatric patient.
All things considered, Vermin’s story has a lot of parallels to that of Curt Conners, but important differences kept his arcs from being retreads of Spider-Man’s fights with the Lizard. The inner battle between man and monster was integral to both characters’ stories, but in the case of the Lizard, humanity usually won out (eventually.)
Dr. Conners has his share of problems, but most versions of the character don’t descend down the same path as Dr. Whelan’s, who hit several bleak moments that came across as a point of no return, such as his acts of cannibalism.
In other words, Vermin is a much darker take on the man vs. monster conflict commonly associated with the Lizard, which is exactly the kind of direction Spider-Noir could benefit from. With that in mind, Vermin could be translated from the page to the small screen with little to no changes needed.
Spider-Noir Is The Perfect Show For A Character Like Vermin
Such a story absolutely feels appropriate for Spider-Noir, which is obviously going to deal heavily with dark themes and mysteries for Ben Reilly to solve in the streets of New York City. It’s not hard to imagine the character going down this road at some point or another, with the series using its dark atmosphere to make the most of the concept of a person losing his humanity and therefore becoming more beast than man.
And as a character largely unknown to those unfamiliar with Spider-Man comics, there would be a strong sense of mystery not found in another Lizard-centric narrative. With Dr. Curt Conners, the big reveal would be obvious, but with Dr. Edward Whelan, there would be an extra layer of suspense.
Ben Reilly’s investigations into strange, gruesome murders culminating in a trip into the sewers for a showdown with a mysterious, bestial villain could be a storyline laced with horror, a genre with a long history of overlap with noir.
- Release Date
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May 27, 2026
- Network
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MGM+
- Showrunner
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Oren Uziel, Steve Lightfoot
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Lamorne Morris
Robbie Robertson
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This story originally appeared on Screenrant
