Deadline reports Sony and Amazon MGM’s second Spider-Man TV series will be based on the infamous ’90s storyline known as the “Clone Saga”. Kelvin Yu, the showrunner on Disney+’s American Born Chinese, will purportedly serve as lead writer and executive producer, with Spider-Noir‘s Amy Pascal, Phil Lord, and Christopher Miller also expected to continue their roles as producers. Like Spider-Noir, it is expected to premiere on MGM+, before releasing on Prime Video.
For the record, there were two Clone Sagas in the comics. The first, from the ’70s, introduced the mad scientist Jackal/Miles Warren, who created a clone of the recently murdered Gwen Stacy, and Peter Parker/Spider-Man. The second, which ran from 1994 to 1996, saw Peter’s clone return, now using the name Scarlet Spider/Ben Reilly (derived from his uncle’s first name and Aunt May’s maiden name), and turn out to be the original Peter.
While it turned out the Peter readers had grown up with was the original after all, this twist, coupled with the decision to have Pete retire in favor of Ben as the new Spider-Man, proved extremely controversial. The ’90s saga also introduced Kaine, a murderous earlier, and disfigured clone. Over time, Ben has transformed into the villainous Chasm, while Kaine has reformed, and become the current Scarlet Spider.
How any of this would be reflected by the show’s take remains to be seen, although Ben and Kaine are reportedly the leads. Deadline‘s sources differ on whether the project will see them “grapple with their newly discovered identities as clones while also facing other clones,” or if it will “alter Ben and Kaine’s origins as clones, and [see them] take on new identities.” Incidentally, Reilly was used as the name of Nicolas Cage‘s version of Spider-Man on Spider-Noir.
Spider-Noir, Sony and Amazon’s first Spider-Man co-production, premiered earlier this year to positive reviews, a first for the former’s live-action Marvel spin-offs, but was deemed too expensive for a second season. The two companies, along with Pascal, Lord and Miller, had also tried to develop a series starring Silk/Cindy Moon titled Silk: Spider Society, which was reportedly shelved over disagreements about how much focus the title character would have on her own show.
In the meantime, Pascal, Lord and Miller’s next Spider-Man project, Beyond the Spider-Verse, will be released in theaters on June 18, 2027, while the landmark Amazing Spider-Man #1000 is available now from all comic book stores. Spider-Man: Brand New Day will also be released digitally on Tuesday, October 6, and on physical media on December 15.
