Taking note of the discourse about its lack of representation onscreen and behind the cameras, the superhero world has been making moves to diversify its ranks. As it expands the borders of its canon with other comic book characters, the industry is scouting new faces to help shape these important origin stories. Olivia Wilde is the latest recruit.
Deadline reports that Wilde is the newest member of Team Super, but she won't be donning spandex herself — the actress and director has been recruited to helm a new Sony movie about a Marvel Comics female superhero. She will also pen the script alongside her writing partner Katie Silberman, and Amy Pascal will produce. Wilde's major deal officially grants her admission to the club of women to directing a superhero film; she joins the likes of Cate Shortland (Black Widow), Chloé Zhao (The Eternals), and new member Nia DaCosta (Captain Marvel 2).
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Director Gina Prince-Bythewood is also part of this exclusive league of badass women, having having directed the hit Netflix film The Old Guard. The director is also attached to another Sony superhero production called Silver and Gold, which will explore the adventures of iconic anti-heroes Silver Sable and Black Cat. Upon hearing the news about Wilde's deal, Prince-Bythewood sent her congratulations online.
Welcome @oliviawilde! The water's warm. https://t.co/PASASrvLey
— Gina Prince-Bythewood (@GPBmadeit) August 19, 2020
"Welcome @oliviawilde!" Prince-Bythewood tweeted her new comrade. "The water's warm."
While the identity of the new addition to the sprawling superhero zeitgeist has yet to be officially confirmed, fans suspect that Wilde's secret project will flesh out the origin of Spider-Woman. There are several women within the Marvel Comics to take on the moniker since the 1970s — including Jessica Drew, Gwen Stacy, and Mary Jane Watson — but Deadline shares that Wilde's take on the superhero will be something completely different.
If the film is in fact about Spider-Woman, it will build on Sony's current Spider-Man canon starring Tom Holland. Wilde's Spider-Woman will exist alongside Venom (Tom Hardy), Morbius (Jared Leto), Silver Sable, and Black Cat. Who knows — maybe we'll get to see Zendaya hit the streets and the skyscrapers as New York City's other webbed crusader.