Hollywood star Dakota Johnson enters the world of superheroes with Madame Web.
The project comes from Sony Pictures, which is planning several projects to expand its Spider-Man universe, dubbed the Sony Universe of Marvel Characters.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Johnson is in negotiations for the film, which will be directed by SJ Clarkson. The screenplay is by screenwriters Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless. If plans fail, Dakota will make history as the first female superhero in Sony's Spider-Verse.
Madame Web is a psychic mutant who excels at predicting the future, especially of spider-themed superheroes, having mentored not only Peter Parker but several generations of heroes as well.
According to Deadline, her character could only be Sony's version of Doctor Strange. In the comics, she is often depicted as an elderly woman with myasthenia gravis, and was thus attached to a life support system that resembled a spider web. Due to her age and health, she never actively fought villains, instead using her psychic sense powers to stay one step ahead.
The character was introduced in the 1980s comics The Amazing Spider-Man No. 210” featured.
Sony, which controls the film rights to Spider-Man and related characters, previously released Venom (2018) and Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2020) as part of the Sony Universe of Marvel Characters.
Next up is the Jared Leto star "Morbius," written by Sazama and Sharpless. The world premiere of the film is scheduled for April.
Sony is also working on Kraven the Hunter, starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson.
Most recently, Dakota Johnson starred in the critically acclaimed film The Lost Daughter, directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal.