Dakota Johnson is said to be in talks to star in Sony’sMadame Webwith Jessica Jones director S.J Clarkson set to direct. Clarkson is a prolific TV director with credits inHeroes,House,Dexter, andUgly Betty. She’s currently working on the HBO Game of Thrones prequel.Deadlinereports following the massive success ofSpider-Man: No Way Home,Sony is looking to expand on its universe into the exploration of its long list of female characters.
In the comics, Madame Web is a paralyzed, blind, telepathic, clairvoyant, and precognitive mutant, allowing her to work as a professional medium. She was originally stricken with myasthenia gravis and was connected to a life support system designed by her husband Jonathan Webb, which included a series of tubes shaped like a spider web. Due to her age and condition, she never actively fought any villains. It remains to be seen how the live-action version’s story is going to work with that. Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless,the writers behindMorbius,penned the screenplay.
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Sony has been working behind the scenes to introduce fans to a female-led property to join Spider-Man and Venom at the forefront of their universe. It’s been to figure out who will be the lead in Madame Web, with execs said to have been considering multiple A-list actresses. During the holidays, it is said that Dakota Johnson edged out the rest of the actresses.
Dakota Johnson has never been in a comic book movie before. She’s most notably known for her lead turn in theFifty Shadestrilogy. She did however oncejoke in a Vanity Fair interviewwhere she was asked if she would ever consider playing a Marvel character, and she said yes. When she was asked who, she replied ‘Catwoman.’ This led to a humorous exchange where the interviewer points out that the Batman villain is a DC character, which leads to Johnson jokingly asking them to cut the part out.
Sony is currently on a hot streak having not put a foot wrong with its Marvel Universe. Their last two movies,Venom:Let There Be CarnageandSpider-Man: No Way Homecompletely dominated the box office. Dakota Johnson for her part has been receiving rave reviews for her turn in Netflix’sThe Lost Daughterand her Sundance filmCha Cha Real Smoothsold to Apple for $15 million after premiering at the festival.
