While it took Sony’s Spider-verse to get off the ground and the results were clunky—“Venom” seemingly being a love or hate proposition for some—the entity is up and running about to take off either way. Two “Venom” films are in the can, a crossover with “Spider-Man” has been teased, “Morbius” hits in April, and “Kraven The Hunter” is due in early 2023. But there’s more, on top of an Olivia Wilde-directed “Spider-Man” spin-off in the works (likely “Spider-Woman”), there’s also “Madame Web.”
‘Madame Web’: Dakota Johnson To Star In ‘Spider-Man’ Spinoff Film For Sony
Already starring Dakota Johnson in the role of Madame Web, Deadline adds some new casting; as of today, “Euphoria” star Sydney Sweeney has been added to the cast. Unfortunately, who she is playing is kept under wraps by now, so let the speculation begin.
British director S.J. Clarkson (“Defenders,” “Jessica Jones”)is on board to direct the film based on a screenplay by Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless—Kerem Sanga penned a previous draft.
Either way, this live-action adaptation will likely be different from the comics because, within those pages, Madame Web is usually depicted as an elderly woman with myasthenia gravis and connected to a life-support system that looks like a spider web. Therefore, due to her age and condition, she rarely fought anyone. Instead, she acted as a supporting character who would help Spider-Man fight crimes using her clairvoyant and precognitive mutant powers.
Insiders tell Deadline her role could change where she is more like Sony’s version of Doctor Strange.
Sweeney’s role is unknown, but the actress is riding hot from her performance on the hit show “Euphoria” on HBO. She also received good notices on the hit HBO series “The White Lotus,” where she played a more low-key, less histrionic character.
There is no word on when “Madame Web” will shoot or when it will come out. It could be a 2022 film, but even “Kraven The Hunter,” ready to shoot soon, isn’t coming until January 2023, so we’ll likely see what Sony’s come up with for “Madame Web” sometime after that.