'Spider-Man' spinoff based on Madame Web in the works

It's still a mystery what exactly will happen to 'Spider-Man' after Sony and Marvel ended their working relationship. And while your friendly neighbourhood web-slinger may not be seen in the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) anymore, Sony Pictures is continuing to build a franchise of films based on notable Spider-Man characters.

The studio is developing a movie based on the Spider-Man character Madame Web, reported The Hollywood Reporter.

Palak Patel is overseeing the upcoming film. Screenwriters Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless are on board to pen the script for the upcoming project. The duo is also working on 'Morbius', Jared Leto's Spider-Man spinoff about a living vampire.

Introduced in 1980's 'The Amazing Spider-Man No. 210', Madame Web is a clairvoyant mutant who specialises in predicting the future specifically of Spider-themed superheroes, having mentored not only Peter Parker's alter ego, but also multiple generations of heroes calling themselves Spider-Woman.

Depicted as a blind, paralyzed old woman, Madame Web is surrounded by a web-like machine necessary to keep her alive, meng that she stays away from direct conflict, favouring the option to send others to do the physical stuff on her behalf.

Sony has the film rights to both Spider-Man and numerous characters associated with him.

In addition to 'Morbius', which releases on July 31, 2020, the studio has 'Venom 2' and multiple 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse' follow-ups in the works.

The news of developing a film on Madame Web came weeks after Sony had a split with Marvel Studios over the use of Spider-Man in Marvel Cinematic Universe films.

'Spider-Man: Far From Home', the most recent film to star Tom Holland as the superhero is Sony's highest-grossing movie ever with more than USD 1.12 billion globally.

( With inputs from ANI )