Spider-Man’s Clone Saga Series Is in Development for Live-Action TV

Few comic storylines have sparked as much debate among Spider-Man fans as the Clone Saga. A series based on the ‘Spider-Man Clone Saga’ would have seemed like a fantasy to anyone who experienced the original storyline, which dominated Marvel’s Spider-Man titles from 1994 to 1997.

This narrative featured Peter Parker being replaced by his clone, Ben Reilly, before Marvel reversed its decision in 1996, confirming that the long-standing Peter was indeed the real Spider-Man. Initially, it sold well, but as the saga dragged on, the influx of clones became overwhelming.

Now, Deadline reports that Prime Video is nearing a series order set in Sony Pictures’ Universe of Marvel Characters, focusing on the second Clone Saga arc featuring Ben Reilly and Kaine Parker. Representatives from Amazon MGM Studios and Sony TV have not commented on the news.

This announcement comes shortly after Prime Video canceled ‘Spider-Noir’ following its first season. That series premiered in May with all eight episodes and garnered 11 Emmy nominations, winning four.

In ‘Spider-Noir’, Nicolas Cage portrayed a character also named Ben Reilly. In the comics, the Noir identity belongs to Peter Parker, but it was altered for television due to rights issues.

Despite the cancellation of ‘Spider-Noir’, Amazon and Sony TV have continued to develop various projects under their partnership, with one reportedly close to receiving a series order. The Ankler previously revealed that four unnamed series were already in contention.

Kelvin Yu, known for ‘American Born Chinese’, is set to write the new show. Amy Pascal, Phil Lord, and Christopher Miller, who oversee the universe for Sony TV and executive produced ‘Spider-Noir’, are expected to serve as executive producers alongside Yu.

The project remains untitled but is anticipated to debut on Amazon’s MGM+ and stream on Prime Video.

According to reports, the series will follow Ben and Kaine as they grapple with their identities as clones while confronting other clones, potentially including Spidercide, an evil clone of Peter Parker.

Deadline also noted some conflicting information, with sources suggesting that the series might alter the origins of Ben and Kaine and that they could assume new identities. There are warnings that significant changes to the comic storyline may occur.

This aligns with the rights situation, as the comic version could feature Peter Parker, but these shows are unable to include him due to rights restrictions. Nerdist speculates that the show might be titled ‘Scarlet Spider’, although this remains unconfirmed.

Both characters stem from a flawed obsession. A professor named Miles Warren becomes fixated on Gwen Stacy and blames Spider-Man for her death, leading to cloning experiments.

Kaine emerged from the first failed attempt, resulting in cellular degeneration, while Ben was created from a more successful second attempt, leading Kaine to harbor resentment towards him. In the comics, Kaine is depicted as an imperfect clone with severe scars and a hand capable of burning others on contact.

In contrast, Ben has proven to be more resilient. He became the Scarlet Spider and has remained a significant figure in Spider-Man comics for decades, while Kaine is less well-known. Ben even made a brief appearance in ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’.

Industry insider Daniel Richtman suggests that the show will adopt a buddy-cop style, similar to ‘Lanterns’, with the two leads discovering their clone identities as the central mystery. This detail is unverified.

Nonetheless, a series centered around two mismatched clones has considerable appeal. It provides a unique entry into Spider-Man’s universe that emphasizes character development over costume, which is precisely what Sony’s Marvel TV slate needs after a brief initial attempt.

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