In the upcoming Prime Video series Spider-Noir, starring Nicolas Cage as Ben Reilly, journalist Robbie Robertson (Lamorne Morris) already knows the hero's secret identity before the show begins, according to an interview with ScreenRant. Set in 1933 New York City, the revelation establishes a secret pact that gives Robertson unprecedented access to the Spider's activities, as Morris explained. The series, co-created by Oren Uziel , positions this foreknowledge as a narrative engine rather than a late-season reveal.

The Mutually Beneficial Pact That Gives a 1930s Black Journalist an Unprecedented Edge

Morris told ScreenRant that co-creator Oren Uziel sent him a detailed letter outlining Robertson’s backstory, which included the exact moment his character learned Ben Reilly’s identity... While Morris declined to specify the circumstances, he confirmed that a specific event—a deal in which Robbie offered to photograph and write flattering stories about the masked hero in exchange for protection and a steady job as a Black journalist in the 1930s—cemented their secret-keeping pact. According to Morris, this arrangement gives Robertson “an unprecedented edge” in covering the Spider’s activities, a far cry from the hostile press that usually hounds Spider-Man.

This pact is a deliberate departure from most Spider-Man adaptations, where the press—led by J. Jonah Jameson at the Daily Bugle—paints the web-slinger as a public menace. In Spider-Noir, Robertson becomes a sympathetic ally whose reporting casts the Spider in a positive light, altering public perception within the fictional city. The deal also highlights the social challenges faced by a Black journalist in the Depression era, a layer the series seems poised to explore.

How Spider-Noir Flips the Daily Bugle Script: A Journalist Who Protects the Hero

The classic Spider-Man dynamic has Peter Parker taking photos of himself for the Daily Bugle, often with an adversarial slant. Spider-Noir inverts that: Robertson already knows the identity and actively helps shape the narrative. This collaborative twist, as Morris described it,echoes the classic setup but with far more trust. The series also hints at other characters learning the secret inadvertently—a comic-relief flashback shows a heavily intoxicated Ben spilling the truth to Janet (Karen Rodriguez), while Cat Hardy (Li Jun Li) nudges Ben toward confession after a dramatic fall from a window. These chaotic leaks underscore how deliberate and narrative-driving Robertson’s pre-existing awareness is.

By weaving this knowledge into the story from the start, the writers open a wealth of storytelling possibilities: deeper character interactions, nuanced investigations into the mob’s activities, and a richer exploration of the social realities of 1930s New York. The report from ScreenRant notes that the series follows Robertson as he chases high-profile stories tied to the criminal empire of mob boss Silvermane, making his insider knowledge a key advantage.

What Oren Uziel’s Season Two Hint Means for World War II New York

Looking ahead, Uziel hinted that a potential second season might leap forward to World War II, according to the same interview. Such a temporal jump would thrust the city into even more turbulent conditions, forcing Robbie to expand his newspaper enterprise while Ben confronts darker aspects of his past. The original secret pact, forged in 1933, would face new tests as wartime threats emerge. This temporal jump could intensify the stakes of their secret-keeping arrangement, testing the limits of their trust as new threats emerge, as ScreenRant reported.

Fans eager for more can stream the entire first season on Prime Video, where Cage’s performance and the series’ fresh take on the Spider-Man legend continue to attract attention.

The One Secret Morris Won’t Spill — And Why It Matters

Morris’s cautious approach to discussing the precise moment of the revelation suggests that the creators may reserve a detailed flashback for later episodes, turning the incident itself into a pivotal plot point. This unanswered question—exactly how and when Robertson discovered the truth—remains a dangling thread that could fuel future stories. Will a future episode show the negotiation in flashback? Or will the pact’s origin stay a mystery, adding depth to the characters’ trust? The source offers no further details, leaving that specific beat as a narrative wildcard.