Olivia Wilde’s Spidey senses are tingling; She’s just announced that she’ll be joining the Marvel Universe. With the help of Sony Pictures, Wilde will be starring in and directing a female-focused superhero movie.
As soon as fans caught word about the upcoming Spider-Woman film, curiosity sparked all over social media, as the world patiently awaited some clarity from Olivia herself. So when the actress tweeted the spider below, we got just the right amount of confirmation we needed.
— olivia wilde (@oliviawilde) August 19, 2020
Wilde is creating the film with the help of producer Amy Pascal, executive producer Rachel O’Connor, and screenwriter Katie Silberman. Marvel’s been working on increasing the presence of female superheroes for years, but this is the first time they’re developing an entirely new character with a brand new identity.
After directing the film Booksmart in 2019, Olivia feels more confident than ever about acting in and directing the upcoming movie. “I think it makes me a better director to have been trained in acting,” she explained.
“I’ve been producing movies for several years, I’ve acted in movies,” Wilde added. “I love all of these jobs, and I think it actually makes you better at each of them to do all of them.” This is the second Marvel movie that’s entirely based on a female character, and it certainly won’t be the last.
Wilde’s character, Jessica Drew, will have a completely unrelated storyline to the male Spider-Man plot. She gains her superpowers after a near-fatal incident, and to find out the rest, you’ll have to stay tuned as Olivia establishes herself in the Marvel Universe!