Just weeks after Sony and Marvel Studios hit an impasse over the use of Spider-Man in future Marvel Cinematic Universe films, Sony is pushing forward developing spin-offs with the Marvel characters they have the rights to. Morbius and Venom 2 are currently in production, but now Collider has reported Sony is developing Madame Web, a new spin-off centred around another Spider-Man character which will be written by Morbius screenwriters Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless.
Introduced in 1980s Amazing Spider-Man #210, Madame Web was created by comic legend Denny O’Neil and John Romita Jr. as Cassandra Webb, an elderly blind woman who also is psychic and has precognitive abilities. Suffering from a chronic neuromuscular disease, Webb faced difficulty moving and breathing, forcing her to remain connected to a life support system that just so happened to look like a spider web. Since her appearance, Madame Web has appeared in Spider-Man: The Animated Series as well as Spider-Man video games.
One curious element of Madame Web is the fact her powers also give her access to what is called ‘The Great Web’, a multiversal power that connects all Spider-heroes across the multiverse. Given Sony’s success with the animated film Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse and how Sony cannot use any ties to the MCU, it could lend some ideas as to where Sony wants to take the Spider-Man franchise in the wake of their split from Marvel.
Sony has tried for several years to launch their own Spider-Man universe with spin-off films. Before their deal with Marvel, they had plans for a Sinister Six film as well as, perplexingly, an Aunt May solo film. They have also tried a few times for a Black Cat and Silver Sable team-up film, though that project was shelved with Sony deciding to focus on solo films for each of the anti-heroes. Other spin-offs, such as Kraven The Hunter, Silk, Nightwatch and Jackpot, are also in various stages of development.
As for the wall-crawler himself, the future is very much in the air for him as Tom Holland is still signed on to play Spider-Man, but Spider-Man: Homecoming and Far From Home director Jon Watts may not return for a Sony-led third film. In the meantime, Venom 2 has hired Andy Serkis to direct while Morbius with Jared Leto will be released July 31, 2020.
Ricky Church – Follow me on Twitter for more movie news and nerd talk.
