The Spider-Verse is expanding. According to The Hollywood Reporter, 50 Shades of Grey actress Dakota Johnson is in talks to take on the leading role in Madame Web, a Sony spin-off centred on the “clairvoyant mutant who specializes in predicting the future of Spider-themed superheroes.”
Madame Web is the one responsible for mentoring not only Peter Parker’s alter ego, but also “multiple generations of heroes” who call themselves Spider-Woman. “Traditionally depicted as a blind, paralyzed old woman, she is surrounded by a web-like machine necessary to keep her alive, meaning that she stays away from direct conflict, and rather sends others on missions.”
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Madame Web will be directed by S.J. Clarkson, known for her work on projects like Toast, Mistresses, and Jessica Jones. The script was written by Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless, who worked together on another Spider-Man spin-off – Morbius, which is set to hit theatres later this year, on April 1st.
The superhero film will be Johnson’s biggest studio feature in years; following her breakout in 2015’s Fifty Shades of Grey, she mostly stuck to smaller, independent films like The Lost Daughter and The Peanut Butter Falcon (both of which are currently available for streaming on Netflix).
Madame Web is just one of the many projects in development at Sony as they continue to expand their universe of Marvel characters. We’ve already seen Venom and Venom: Let There Be Carnage, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s Kraven the Hunter is currently in the works at the studio.
Are you looking forward to seeing Johnson star in the upcoming Sony superhero flick? Drop a comment below and let us know.
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