After breaking out behind the camera with the acclaimed coming-of-age comedy Booksmart, Olivia Wilde has been one of the most sought-after directors in Hollywood and now Deadline has brought word that she has signed on to helm a secret female-led Marvel film at Sony Pictures.
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Though no story details or characters have been revealed for the new project, which is being penned by Wilde and her producing partner Katie Silberman (Booksmart), sources report that the film may center on Spider-Woman but without comment from Sony, this is only speculation at this point.
The project has reportedly been high on Sony’s priority list and the studio has been in talks with Wilde to direct it for a while, though she nearly passed as her upcoming lineup of projects has filled up quickly over the past year, but the prospect of launching her own female superhero swung her to close the deal.
It also marks the second female-centric Marvel film currently in development at Sony Pictures, with the studio landing S.J. Clarkson (Game of Thrones) to direct and develop a film that is rumored to be a Madame Webb project earlier this year, while also still developing a series adaptation of Black Cat and Silver Sable with Gina Prince-Blythewood after initially cancelling the film in the works.
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Wilde also becomes the latest female talent to get her hands on a major comic book project, with last month bringing word that Candyman‘s Nia DaCosta would helm Captain Marvel 2 for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The two follow in the footsteps of recent female filmmakers behind blockbuster properties in the genre including Wonder Woman‘s Patty Jenkins, Birds of Prey‘s Cathy Yan and The Eternals‘ Chloe Zhao.
The new project will be produced by Amy Pascal, who is currently working with Wilde and Silberman on a buddy Christmas comedy at Universal, and executive produced by Rachel O’Connor. Wilde is currently gearing up to begin shooting the psychological thriller Don’t Worry Darling at New Line, which has landed Florence Pugh (Midsommar), Chris Pine (Wonder Woman 1984), Shia LaBeouf (The Tax Collector) and Dakota Johnson (The High Note) to star.
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