'Spider-Man' spin-off 'Madame Web' in works at Sony

Sony Pictures is expanding its Spider-Man universe with a new spin-off on Madame Web. According to Collider, screenwriters Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless are penning the script for the film.

The duo are also behind "Morbius", Jared Leto's Spider-Man spinoff about a living vampire. Madame Web is a clairvoyant mutant who excels in predicting the future specifically of Spider-themed superheroes, having mentored not only Peter Parker's web-slinger, but also multiple generations of heroes calling themselves Spider-Woman

The character was introduced in 1980's "The Amazing Spider-Man No. 210" comics. Apart from Morbius, which releases on July 31, 2020, Sony is working on "Venom 2", featuring Tom Hardy and multiple "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" projects.

News of "Madame Web" spin-off comes weeks after Sony's high-profile split with Marvel Studios over the use of Spider-Man in Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films.