After the huge success of Spider-Man: No Way Home, Sony is eager to expand its Marvel universe, according to Deadline, which reports that Dakota Johnson is in discussions to feature in the studio’s Madame Web. The film will be directed by S.J. Clarkson. The screenplay was written by Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless.
Madame Web, who first appeared in the 1980s The Amazing Spider-Man No. 210, is a clairvoyant mutant who specializes in foretelling the future of Spider-themed superheroes, having mentored not only Peter Parker’s alter ego, but also numerous generations of Spider-Woman. She is traditionally represented as a blind, paralyzed elderly woman who is surrounded by web-like machinery that keeps her alive, implying that she avoids direct battle and instead dispatches others on missions.
Dakota Johnson is an American actress, model, and producer who made her film debut at the age of 10 with a minor role in the dark comedy film, Crazy in Alabama (1999). She is best known for her role as Anatasia Steele in the Fifty Shades series. It is one of the most popular franchises, with Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson in the lead roles.
In 2006 she was named Miss Golden Globe. Following her modeling career, Johnson landed a small role as Sean Parker’s (Justin Timberlake) lover in the Oscar-winning drama The Social Network (2010), which also earned her and her co-stars a flurry of “Best Ensemble” awards from film festivals. Johnson’s breakthrough role came on the sitcom Ben and Kate, where she was given the opportunity to play the lead as Kate, a single mother who finds both inspiration and exasperation from her free-spirited brother Ben (Nat Faxon).
Johnson has previously appeared in the romantic comedy, How to Be Single (2016), crime drama Black Mass (2015), thriller Bad Times at the El Royale (2018), and psychological horror Wounds (2019).
Johnson has had an incredible year, beginning with her critically acclaimed performance in Netflix’s The Lost Daughter. After the premiere at Sundance, her film Cha Cha Real Smooth was purchased by Apple for $15 million. Persuasion will be her next film.
She has proven her versatility time and again by featuring in various genres and now is in talks to become the leading lady of a superhero movie.
Sony is coming off a strong streak, with Venom: Let There Be Carnage grossing more than $500 million globally and Spider-Man: No Way Home racking over $1.7 billion in the global box office.
Given the extensive number of strong female characters who have appeared in these comics over the years, getting a female-driven property in Sony’s Marvel world has always been a major priority for the studio.
Following the release of Madame Web, it will become the first female-led superhero movie in the Spider-Man universe.
According to Deadline, Sony executives have met with a number of A-listers in order to determine who will play the title role. The list has been whittled down in recent months, with Johnson achieving front-runner status just before the holidays.
It is difficult to say whether fans are more excited about the addition of a female superhero film in the Spider-Man universe or Dakota Johnson joining hands with Sony to play portray the character. Either way, we can’t wait for the future updates and final release of the film.