Sony’sSpider-ManUniverse is getting bigger, with Emma Roberts becoming the latest addition to the cast ofMadame Web, the upcoming film based on the popular comic book character of the same name.
Roberts, known for her work in multiple movies and TV shows likeAmerican Horror Story, joins a star-studded cast that includes Dakota Johnson as Madame Web andEuphoria’s Sydney Sweeneyin an undisclosed role. The rest of theSpider-Manspinoff cast features Celeste O’Connor, Isabela Merced, and Tahar Rahim, though, like Sweeney’s, the name of their characters have not been revealed yet.
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Per Deadline, details regarding Robert’s role and the movie’s plot remain under wraps. However, earlier this year, Sony revealed thatMadame Webwill serve as an origin storyfor “the clairvoyantMadame Web, whose psychic abilities allow her to see within the spider world.” In the comics, the character is depicted as an older woman named Charlotte Webb who suffers from a condition that affects the communication between neurons and muscles. Despite not being able to see or move without machinery that aids her movements (which resembles a spiderweb), she helps Spider-Man by using her telepathic, clairvoyant, and precognitive mutant powers.
Sony reportedly had no comment on news of Roberts' joining the cast ofMadame Web. S.J Clarkson, known for her work onJessica JonesandThe Defenders, will direct the screenplay written by Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless. Both writers previously worked on Jared Leto’sinfamous vampire thrillerMorbius, which bombed with critics and at the box office.
Madame Webis one of many Marvel-adjacent projects from Sony currently in development. Another Spider-Man spinoff in the works isKraven the Hunter, which stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the titular hero and Ariana DeBose as Calypso. The forthcoming film’s impressive cast also features Academy Award winner Russell Crowe andA Wrinkle in Timestar Levi Miller. Moreover, musicianBad Bunny was recently cast as El Muertoin a third Spider-Man Universe film, thus becoming the first-ever Latino superhero lead in a Marvel project.
Unable to tap into the MCU directly, Sony continues to develop movies that center around Spider-Man without having the character appear. Although the most recent example,Morbius, didn’t do too well with audiences and critics alike, Sony remains confident with projects likeMadame Web. While having talented actresses like Roberts, Johnson, and Sweeney join the film is a step in the right direction, there’s equal importance to a clever script and direction. If done right,Madame Webcould be a fun productwith complex characters, just like its source material.
