EXCLUSIVE: Sony Pictures not only grows the slate of their Universe of Marvel Characters, but builds on the female characters at its center, and seems to have one of the most sought after female directors in Hollywood. Sources tell Deadline that Olivia Wilde has signed a deal to direct and develop a secret Marvel movie project revolving around a female character in the universe. Although not confirmed, the story is expected to focus on Spider-Woman.
Sony had no comment.
The film is penned by Katie Silberman with Amy Pascal producing. Rachel O’Connor will produce.
Wilde, Silberman and Pascal already have strong ties and the three are working on a Christmas Buddy movie at Universal that they hope to do prior to this. Gary Spinelli penned an earlier draft of the script.
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The Spider-Woman character has over the years actually been the alter ego of several characters in the Spider-Man timeline, including Gwen Stacy, Mary Jane Watson and Jessica Drew, who became the first was to sport the costume in the late ’70s. Since the concept is being completely revamped by Wilde, it is not known the direction in which the studio will go with it.
The project has been a high priority since the peak of the year and Wilde came close to passing it on, as her dance card started filling up pretty quickly. At the end of the day, the idea of having a chance to launch her own female superhero was too hard to avoid, and she finally came around to devote herself completely to the project.
This marks the second film based on a female character in Sony’s universe of Marvel characters to land a director after SJ Clarkson was cast in a Madame Webb film. Sony is also developing Black Cat and Silver Sable movies and is clearly making the effort to diversify the universe.
Around the sector, more and more female filmmakers are getting their shot at directing high-budget comic books. Nia DaCosta most land de Captain Marvel 2 job at Marvel and along with Wilde and Clarkson will follow in the footsteps of Patty Jenkins, Cathy Yan and Chloe Zhao, the latter who The Eternals.
It’s been a year and a half for Wilde, who after the past decade as an a-list actress decided to make her move to direct with the upcoming-of-age story Booksmart. The film was one of the best rated films of last year and earned Silberman a WGA nomination for best original play.
She would follow that by attaching herself to the psychological thriller Do not worry Darling, who eventually joined New Line following one of the hottest bidding wars of 2019. That film recently starred Florence Pugh, Chris Pine, Shia LaBeouf and Dakota Johnson and will shoot this fall.
Wilde is reprized by CAA, Untitled Entertainment and Ziffren Brittenham. Silberman is reprized by UTA, MXN Entertainment and Myman Greenspan.
