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Sony Pictures has tapped Morbius scribes Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless to write a Madame Web movie set in the Spider-Man universe, Collider has exclusively learned.

Created by writer Denny O’Neil and artist John Romita Jr., Madame Web first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #210, which was published by Marvel Comics in November 1980. Known as Cassandra Webb, she is usually depicted as an elderly blind woman suffering from a chronic neuromuscular disease that makes it difficult to move and breathe, and as such, she’s connected to a life support system that looks like a spider web. The clairvoyant character has precognitive abilities and once helped Spider-Man find a kidnap victim.

It’s unclear who will produce the Madame Web movie, but Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach are likely candidates, seeing as they served as producers on Venom and Morbius. Sony executive Palak Patel will oversee the project on behalf of the studio, which declined to comment on Thursday.

In addition to the Marvel comics, Madame Web has also appeared in the Spider-Man animated series, as well as multiple Spider-Man video games. I’m not familiar with the character in the comics, but one Marvel expert likened her to the Oracle in the Matrix movies and explained that she holds the key to a shared multiverse, so the development of a Madame Web movie may signal where Sony is looking to take the Spider-Man franchise next, since as of right now, the character will have no future ties to Disney’s MCU.

Sazama and Sharpless wrote the upcoming Sony movie Morbius, which stars Jared Leto as the titular vampire and is based on the Marvel comic by Gil Kane and Roy Thomas. Matt Smith, Tyrese Gibson and Jared Harris co-star in the film, which Sony will release on July 31, 2020. The duo’s earlier writing credits include Dracula Untold, The Last Witch Hunter and Gods of Egypt, and they also received story credit on the most recent Power Rangers movie. They’re also the driving creative forces behind Netflix’s reboot of Lost in Space.

Sharpless and Sazama are represented by ICM Partners, Artists House and attorney Mitch Smelkinson.

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EXCLUSIVE: Following the massive success of Spider-man: No Way Home, Sony is looking to to expand on its Universe of Marvel Characters as sources tell Deadline that Dakota Johnson is in talks to star in the studio’s Madame Web movie. S.J. Clarkson is on board to direct the pic. Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless penned the screenplay.

In the comics, Madame Web is depicted as an elderly woman with myasthenia gravis and thus was connected to a life support system that looked like a spider web. Due to her age and medical condition, Madame Web never actively fought any villains. For that reason, sources have stressed it’s possible the project could turn into something else.

Either way, getting a female-driven property in Sony’s Marvel Cinematic Universe has always been a top priority for studio brass given the long list of strong female characters that appear in these comics throughout the years. Sony execs have taken there time in figuring out who would land the title role meeting with a number of A-listers. In the last two months, list has been cut down with Johnson gaining front-runner status right before the holiday.

Sony is coming off a hot streak with Venom: Let There Be Carnage making more than $500 million worldwide while Spider-Man: No Way Home has become the biggest film of 2021 with 1.7 billion dollars in worldwide sales.

As for Johnson, she has had quite the year starting with her critically acclaimed role in Netlfix’s The Lost Daughter. Her Sundance film Cha Cha Real Smooth, sold to Apple for a 2021 record $15 million after premiering at the festival. She can be seen next in Persuasion.

Clarkson is currently directing and executive producing the adaptation of best-selling novel Anatomy of a Scandal. She directed an episode of Jesse Armstrong’s Emmy winning series Succession and she directed and executive produced critically acclaimed mini-series Collateral, starring Carey Mulligan. She was also lead director and executive producer on Marvel’s The Defenders and Jessica Jones.

Johnson is repped by WME and Untitled Entertainment.

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Celeste O’Connor (Ghostbusters: Afterlife) has signed on to star alongside Dakota Johnson and Sydney Sweeney in S.J. Clarkson’s Sony film Madame Web, based on the Marvel comics by writer Denny O’Neil and artist John Romita Jr.

Madame Web is the next entry and first female character to be developed within the Sony Pictures Universe of Marvel characters. The film will be an origin story of the clairvoyant, whose psychic abilities allow her to see within the spider world. Details with regard to the character O’Connor will be playing have not been disclosed.

Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless wrote the film, with Kerem Sanga having penned an earlier draft. It’s set for release in theaters on July 7, 2023—on the heels of J.C. Chandor’s Kraven the Hunter, starring Aaron Taylor Johnson, which is slated for release on January 13.

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EXCLUSIVE: After landing an Emmy nomination for his critically hailed role in Severance, Adam Scott looks to have already found his next project as sources tell Deadline he is set to join the cast of Sony Pictures’ Madame Web starring Dakota Johnson.

Also on board are Sydney Sweeney, Celeste O’Connor, Isabela Merced, Emma Roberts and Tahar Rahim for director S.J. Clarkson. Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless penned the screenplay, with Kerem Sanga writing a previous draft.

Sony had no comment on Scott’s casting.

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