Sony Launches Female Superhero Movie Mining Spider-Man Universe

[Oscar Rothman]

EXCLUSIVE: Having pushed the next installment of its Spider-Man franchise out of 2016 and into 2018, Sony Pictures is doing a top-to-bottom revamp of its most important property, insiders say. And that includes a female superhero movie which is being eyed for a 2017 release date, Deadline has learned.

Sinister Six, the next installment from writer-director Drew Goddard, was announced in April and its release date revealed during this year’s Comic-Con. It will bow November 11, 2016. The villain bash is the first of several planned character and story expansions for the Spider-Man franchise which the studio is hanging onto by developing other character spinoffs — much like Fox has done with its successful X-Men franchise. Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach are producing Sinister Six, which revolves around all the villains of Spider-Man converging after the evil Dr. Octopus summons them. 2220211-asm_endsoftheearth1piconThere are a lot of different Sinister Six team-ups so it has yet to be revealed which characters might appear, but one possibility is Vulture, Mysterio, Electro, Kraven the Hunter and Sandman. And Goddard is said to be a supreme comic book geek — not that there’s anything wrong with that — who truly understands all the aspects of the Spider-Man universe and its characters and storylines which is key for that movie and the next. “Having Goddard on board places the movie in the hands of someone who has lived in this world,” said one person who knowledge of the property. “If you look at Cabin In The Woods, he did such a phenomenal job on that in redefining and commenting on the genre while also completely embracing it. He’s a fanboy which compliments his talents as a filmmaker.”

Black_cat_small_FotorStunnerAfter the villains emerge, get ready for the power of the women from the Spider-Man universe. Which characters they will develop is up for speculation, but we know that Lisa Joy Nolan (Westworld) has been hired to script and that again Arad and Tolmach are producing. There are several strong possibilities — Silver Sable, Black Cat, Stunner, Firestarter and Spider-Woman, to name a few.

The moves come only two weeks after Marvel Comics announced a gender change for its Thor character during The View — a change in the comic book world that sparked heated debate among fans. Also last month, filmmaker Zack Snyder and Warner Bros. unveiled the first images of Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman in the summer 2016 release of Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice.

It was only a matter of time that someone would announce a female superhero movie — and it happens to be Sony who is the first out of the gate. So who are these superhero women possibles? I’m no comic book geek so I’ll do the best I can.

Doctor_Octopus_thumb_FotorSpider-Woman is known in the comics as Charlotte Witter, a fashion designer who is genetically altered by Dr. Octopus. Silver Sable has virtually no superhuman powers but is an adept fighter, skilled in martial arts and sword play who wears a lot of techno gizmo weaponry. Black Cat was introduced in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 as Felicia, Harry Osborn’s assistant, and was played by Felicity Jones; she is also a trained fighter and acrobat. Stunner was a video store clerk who ended up getting a makeover by Dr. Octopus to make her a powerful evil.

This is a wise move for Sony because it’s capitalizing not only on the audience’s changing appetite, but also the studio is digging into its powerful asset base and mining other characters — thereby extending the asset and keeping the rights.

“What other movies we could do was something everyone started talking about when shooting the last movie,” said one person with knowledge of the plans. “With Salt, Wanted and Lucy, there is a huge appetite for this right now.” As for the Spider-Man movie itself, “The one thing you can’t ignore is the fans. There was a rejection going on with having another Spider-Man come out so soon, and you have to listen to the fans in this world. We all took a good look in the mirror and said, we have to try to have to figure it out and revamp it.”

More...http://www.deadline.com/2014/08/fema...ider-man-sony/

[Jumpman]

This is what I don't get about the story; what is Spider-Man 3? They keep saying retooling the franchise but what does that even mean? Reboot with all new cast or same cast, different talent behind the scenes? Explain yourself, Sony.

[ultlife2013]

Does Sony have to use certain characters ASAP before they lose the rights to Marvel?

[Jumpman]

Originally Posted by ultlife2013

Does Sony have to use certain characters ASAP before they lose the rights to Marvel?

They basically have to keep Spider-Man in production to keep the rights to the universe. That's half the main reason they're doing this. The other half is that Sony doesn't have any franchise and they've had rough times, financially.

[ultlife2013]

Originally Posted by Jumpman

They basically have to keep Spider-Man in production to keep the rights to the universe. That's half the main reason they're doing this. The other half is that Sony doesn't have any franchise and they've had rough times, financially.

So, they're basically just throwing everything at the wall and seeing what sticks. After ASM2 I'm very weary about any future movies from them. The complete opposite of the way I feel after X-Men: DOFP.

[X400]

Black Cat on the big screen in a solo flick really? i imagine most people will just think its a catwoman ripoff...

They could probably do better by making a Rom Com involving Mary Jane in her escapades before Peter Parker (with lots of cameos of peter parker/spider man throughout)


Actually that's my idea btw if i see that on the big screen you're getting sued!

[Jumpman]

Originally Posted by ultlife2013

So, they're basically just throwing everything at the wall and seeing what sticks. After ASM2 I'm very weary about any future movies from them. The complete opposite of the way I feel after X-Men: DOFP.

Well, if you look at it from their perspective, Sony has to do this or they're really done as a studio. I don't think they'd be in this big of trouble if they got the dollars from the merchandising of Spider-Man, which they don't. That goes to Marvel...which in turn really goes to Disney.

See, all they have to make money is Spider-Man. James Bond isn't theirs either. They just distribute them.

Sony never developed any franchises outside of Spider-Man over the years. They're not like Paramount of WB who have developed many diffrent types of franchises over the years. Hell, Lionsgate has more franchises than Sony.

[mwynn]

Firestarter? Do they mean Firestar?
If so that could be a tricky character as Marvel Studios and Fox could lay claim to her.

[Tony208]

I think this is a better idea than Sinister Six.

Introduce some of the sinister six or other villains in a Black Cat movie. Have them team up in the next Spider-man movie.

[Diesel]

Originally Posted by Tony208

Introduce some of the sinister six or other villains in a Black Cat movie. Have them team up in the next Spider-man movie.

This is a better idea that what Sony is turning out in my opinion.

Not really a fan of the spin-offs for these characters in general, but this would be the way to make the best of it.

[DisneyBlu]

So The Amazing Spider-Man 3 is coming out four years later instead of two years because of two spinoff movies.

Great.

Sony's latest Spider-Man movie didn't do as well as they hoped, so instead of using a laserlike focus on ensuring that the third one is the best one yet...they decide to focus on spinoffs.

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by Oscar Rothman

Black_cat_small_FotorStunnerAfter the villains emerge, get ready for the power of the women from the Spider-Man universe. Which characters they will develop is up for speculation, but we know that Lisa Joy Nolan (Westworld) has been hired to script and that again Arad and Tolmach are producing. There are several strong possibilities — Silver Sable, Black Cat, Stunner, Firestarter and Spider-Woman, to name a few.

Well, I see Elektra Syndrome ("Let's spin off a Black Widow movie!") has hit Sony already.
And right on time, after their big tentpole comic movie didn't deliver.

[Agent Bond]

Bad idea is bad.

[klauswhereareyou]

Maybe they can just go ahead and do a Spider-Woman movie now that we're getting an all female Ghostbusters 3 (or at least for the time being).

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by klauswhereareyou

Maybe they can just go ahead and do a Spider-Woman movie

I assume someone told them that Spider-Woman isn't like Batgirl, she's a completely different character/powers from Spiderman?
(Thought that was Jessica Drew, but they're now playing "manipulative pheromones" as one of her superpowers.)

And doesn't Fox already have dibs on Silver Sable, from the first Wolverine movie?

now that we're getting an all female Ghostbusters 3 (or at least for the time being).

(As in, "It's always the last stage before Direct-to-video.")

[DisneyBlu]

Originally Posted by EricJ

I assume someone told them that Spider-Woman isn't like Batgirl, she's a completely different character/powers from Spiderman?

And doesn't Fox already have dibs on Silver Sable, from the first Wolverine movie?



(As in, "It's always the last stage before Direct-to-video.")

That's Silver Fox. Silver Sable is a mercenary and a Spider-Man character.

This is exactly what people would say about Spider-Woman: "So she's Spider-Man but with boobs? Why is there a Spider-Woman when there's a Spider-Man?"

Spider-Man's ancillary characters aren't half as interesting as Spider-Man is. I won't say that none of them can hold their own movie, because I think that theoretically any character can - all it takes is a good script, story, direction, etc.

Sony wants to give Spider-Man himself a break but they want to utilize his universe because they have nothing else. Would I see Sinister Six, or Black Cat, or Venom... sure. As long as they look good. But I don't want to see spinoffs at the expense of Spider-Man, which is what's happening here.

[klauswhereareyou]

This is so stupid it's hilarious. Glad MGM didn't decide there weren't enough Bond movies so let's make a Blofed or Honey Rider movie. It's like Sony is going out of their way to cheapen the brand instead of actually fixing what's wrong with it.

[kenoh]

Gee, what next? Ultimate Spiderman?

[JavaJulien]

Originally Posted by Jumpman

Well, if you look at it from their perspective, Sony has to do this or they're really done as a studio. I don't think they'd be in this big of trouble if they got the dollars from the merchandising of Spider-Man, which they don't. That goes to Marvel...which in turn really goes to Disney.

See, all they have to make money is Spider-Man. James Bond isn't theirs either. They just distribute them.

Sony never developed any franchises outside of Spider-Man over the years. They're not like Paramount of WB who have developed many diffrent types of franchises over the years. Hell, Lionsgate has more franchises than Sony.

This is why they're so gung-ho with trying to make adaptations of the video game franchises they own.

[GoldMotel]

Interesting development.

I'm betting on the female character being Black Cat, because at that point, she'd have starred in 2 SM films, so audiences would be more familiar with her.

Though, I'm sure this will eventually answer the question of who owns the Spider-Woman film rights, depending on if Sony chooses another heroine.