Deadline reports that Mike Epps (The Upshaws) is the latest addition to Sony Pictures' Madame Web. Unfortunately, there's no word on who he's been cast as, so your guess is as good as ours when it comes to whether he'll play a character from the comic books or a newly created hero or villain.
Dakota Johnson has, of course, already been cast as the title character, while other recent additions include Sydney Sweeney, Celeste O’Connor, Isabela Merced, Tahar Rahim and, most recently, Emma Roberts.
As for Epps, the successful comedian and actor recently signed up for a lead role opposite Natalie Portman in Apple TV+'s Lady in the Lake. Other credits include Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, Dolemite Is My Name, Troop Zero, The Last Black Man in San Francisco, and Girls Trip.
In the comic books, Madame Web is typically portrayed as an elderly woman who is blind and linked up to a life support system that resembles a web. She has psychic abilities and frequently uses other heroes to fight her battles. Recently, there's been speculation that this project will actually be some sort of female-led team-up movie, but time will tell on that front.
Fans don't have a great deal of faith in Madame Web with the writers of Morbius responsible for the screenplay, but there's always a chance we'll be surprised.
After all, it's hard not to be intrigued by Madame Web, especially as the character could easily become the Doctor Strange of Sony's Spider-Man Universe. Thanks to the Web of Life and Destiny, she might just wind up being the person responsible for bringing together the three Spider-Men again!
S.J. Clarkson (The Defenders) is directing Madame Web from a screenplay by Morbius scribes Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless. The movie is currently expected to swing into theaters on July 7, 2023.