The director of ‘The Secret Life of Bees’ will begin directing the ‘Spider-Man’ spinoff from Sony’s Marvel Universe this fall.
With the release of Wonder Woman looming, director Patty Jenkins’ female superhero blockbuster will hopefully provide studio executives and/or (mostly male) DC/Marvel viewers with the confidence that women, too, can direct big-budgeted superhero movies.
Whilst it’s often arbitrary to compare women directors’ work on films of the same genre (after all, viewers usually wouldn’t compare the talent of sci-fi directors J. J. Abrams with Ridley Scott — there’s enough room for each to exist), Jenkins’ Wonder Woman presents a turning point in the action, superhero, and blockbuster film genres, and it’s important to see what other studios do next.
The latest advancement comes from Sony, with The Secret Life of Bees director Gina Prince-Bythewood set to direct Silver & Black. The film focuses on Sony’s Marvel Universe characters Silver Sable and Black Cat/Felicia Hardy, both characters with ties to Spider-Man.
Silver Sable is both an ally and antagonist to Spider-Man, with Sable hunting war criminals and acting as a mercenary. Meanwhile, Black Cat (real name Felicia Hardy) is an “acrobatic cat burglar” with a complicated relationship to Spidey in the comics. The cast has not been announced yet; however, viewers, saw a glimpse of Felicia Hardy in Marc Webb’s Amazing Spider-Man 2 with Felicity Jones playing the character (although no references were given to her alter ego).
As THR notes, Sony hopes to release a slate of Spider-Man-related movies, with this summer’s Marvel cinematic universe based Spider-Man: Homecoming reintroducing the world. Tom Hardy will star in the first of the spin-offs with Venom, while Silver & Black is sure to play an important part in Sony’s Spider-Man plans.
Prince-Bythewood’s previous work proves that she’ll provide some much-needed originality to this new slate of Spider-Man spinoffs. Having directed dramas such as Beyond the Lights and her much-acclaimed Love & Basketball, the director’s bold style of filmmaking will ensure she’ll leave her own mark on Silver & Black. Prince-Bythewood also directed the first episode of Marvel’s Cloak & Dagger TV Series.
Filming for Silver & Black is to begin this fall. A release date has not yet been set.
Related Topics: Marvel
