**VERIFIED: FAKE**
**Headline:** "BREAKING: Nicolas Cage's SPIDER-MAN NOIR Killed Off in First Episode, Studio Cites 'Budget Cuts'"
**The Viral Snippet (circulating on X/Twitter and TikTok):**
> "SHOCKING: Insider sources confirm that Amazon’s highly anticipated *Spider-Man Noir* live-action series will open with Peter Parker (Nicolas Cage) being shot and killed by the Goblin in the first 10 minutes. The rest of the season will follow a new, younger Spider-Person. Studio insiders say Cage's salary was 'unsustainable' for a full season."
**The Reality Check:**
**FALSE.** This is a fabricated rumor with no basis in reality.
1. **No Confirmed Release or Plot Leaks:** The *Spider-Man Noir* live-action series (officially titled *Spider-Noir*) is still in early development for MGM+ and Amazon Prime. Nicolas Cage has repeatedly confirmed his involvement, but neither the studio nor any credible trades (Variety, Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter) have released a synopsis, let alone leaked an episode-by-episode plot. No scripts have been publicly verified.
2. **No "Budget Cut" Statement:** There has been zero official communication from Amazon, MGM+, or Sony about budget cuts affecting this specific series. A wildly expensive first-episode death of the lead actor contradicts standard television production logic (and casting announcements).
3. **Origin of the Rumor:** The false claim appears to be an AI-generated "clickbait" script from a low-credibility entertainment parody account that was stripped of its satire label and reposted as real news.
4. **Previous Cage Quotes:** In recent interviews, Cage has explicitly stated the show will be more "hard-boiled" and "fierce" than typical superhero fare, but he has