Spider-Man spin-off Madame Web casts Emma Roberts

Another star is swinging into Marvel's Spider-Man spin-off Madame Web as Emma Roberts joins the movie. The actor is best known for her roles in American Horror Story, Scream Queens, and We’re The Millers.

Per Deadline, she joins the ensemble cast in a yet-unknown role. Plot details of Madame Web still remain shrouded in mystery but it’s thought it will be an origin story for the title character. She’s a clairvoyant whose psychic abilities allow her to see within the spider world.

In the comics, Madame Web is one of Spider-Man’s mentors. She’s often depicted as an elderly woman who creates a web of life-support machines to manage her muscle weakness condition. If the Sony and Marvel adaptation follows her origin story, it could introduce a younger version of the character. 

Alongside Roberts, Johnson, and Sweeney, the movie will also feature Celeste O’Connor, Isabela Merced, and Tahar Rahim. S.J. Clarkson is directing after previously helming episodes of Jessica Jones, Succession and Orange Is the New Black. The movie is written by Morbius scribes Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless. 

This will mark Roberts’ first Marvel movie. She recently worked on the romantic comedy Maybe I Do alongside Diane Keaton, Richard Gere, and Susan Sarandon. Madame Web is set for release on July 17, 2023.

Sony and Marvel also have another Spider-Man spin-off in the works. Kraven the Hunter stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the titular character alongside Russell Crowe and Ariana DeBose. Filming took place from March to June 2022, with a release date set for January 13, 2023.

Check out our guide to the best superhero movies, as well as all of the 2022 movie release dates we know so far.