Dakota Johnson to play Madame Web in Sony's first comic book adaptation with a female superhero

Dakota Johnson will soon join Sony's universe of Marvel comic book characters as Madame Web. The standalone film will be the studio's first female superhero-fronted comic book adaptation.

Deadline writes that the casting is not yet confirmed officially and Johnson is currently in talks to secure the role. The Madame Web film will be written by Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless, whose other works include the upcoming Jared Leto-led vampire feature Morbius. S.J. Clarkson (Jessica Jones, The Defender), will direct.

Madame Web, created by writer Denny O'Neil and artist John Romita Jr., is a psychic mutant who first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #210 (1980). In the comics, she has been depicted as a paralysed, elderly woman with a myasthenia gravis (a neuromuscular disease) and is connected to a spider web for life support.

Johnson's breakout role was Fifty Shades of Grey after which she starred in a variety of roles and worked with an eclectic bunch of filmmakers. Her filmography includes the Suspiria remake and the recently released Netflix psychological drama The Lost Daughter.

Her Sundance coming-of-age film Cha Cha Real Smooth was acquired by Apple for $15 million. Her other festival feature, a comedy-drama Am I OK?, was bought by HBO Max and Warner Bros. Johnson's next project is Persuasion, Netflix's adaptation of the eponymous Jane Austen novel.