Sony's Marvel Universe has had its fair share of ups and downs over the years, but the studio is still consistent when it comes to introducing new characters into its own shared universe. One of those characters is Madame Web, a notable ally of Spider-Man from Marvel Comics. The upcoming Madame Web movie will feature debuts for Dakota Johnson and Sydney Sweeney as lead stars, although Sweeney's respective character is still unknown.
Madame Web will be directed by TV director S.J. Clarkson. Plot details are still being kept under wraps, but the character's connection to the Web of Life and Destiny could trigger another Multiversal event that involves Tom Holland's Spider-Man, Tobey Maguire's web-slinger, and Andrew Garfield's friendly neighborhood hero.
Sony chairman Tom Rothman revealed that filming for Madame Web would start sooner rather than later, meaning that other cast members could be announced soon. Now, a new report has indicated that another actress has joined the upcoming Marvel adventure.
Ghostbusters Actress Joins Sony's 'Madame Web'
Variety shared that Celeste O'Connor (Ghostbusters: Afterlife) has joined the cast of Madame Web, one of the upcoming films in Sony's Marvel Universe.
The outlet noted that O'Connor's role is still unknown. The actress is set to join Dakota Johnson (Fifty Shades of Grey) and Sydney Sweeney (Euphoria) in the Spider-Man spinoff film.
Variety described Madame Web as an "origin story" for the titular character, noting that the film is about a clairvoyant whose psychic abilities allow her to see within the "spider world" itself. In Marvel Comics, Madame Web is an elderly woman who has a chronic autoimmune disorder that requires her to connect to a life support system resembling a spider web.
Aside from Ghostbusters: Afterlife, O'Connor is best known for their roles in The In Between, Freaky, and Irreplaceable You.
Who Will Celeste O'Connor Play in 'Madame Web'?
While Variety didn't give any specifics about Celeste O'Connor's role in Madame Web, there are several options on who the actress will play in the movie.
It was previously reported that Marvel Studios originally wanted Zendaya to become a superhero, but ultimately, the studio scrapped the idea. Fans have theorized that the No Way Home actress could've portrayed the superhero Jackpot in the MCU, especially after seeing Tom Holland's reaction when the topic was mentioned.
Sony could still be planning to introduce Jackpot down the line, but Madame Web could serve as its golden opportunity due to the stacked female cast of the movie. O'Connor could make their Marvel debut as Jackpot in the movie, thus solidifying the interconnected storylines of Sony's Marvel universe of characters.
If O'Connor is indeed playing Jackpot, how the character fits in the story is a different topic altogether. Although the character has zero connections with Madame Web, a post-credits stinger similar to what Morbius did with Michael Keaton's Vulture is entirely possible.
Other roles that O'Connor could play are an original character tied to either Dakota Johnson's Madame Web or Sydney Sweeney's character, or the Ghostbusters actress could end up portraying Julia Carpenter a.k.a. Spider-Woman.
Madame Web is set to release in theaters on June 7, 2023.