DC have been criticised for failing to bring Wonder Woman a solo film, despite it being in development ever since Lynda Carter pulled her star spangled briefs on. Marvel have been vaunted for bringing out a movie with a talking tree and raccoon before DC even managed a superhero film with a female lead, but they've failed at that task too - seriously, where is our Black Widow film? Or do we just need to close our eyes and pretend that's what Lucy is? Looks like it's up to Sony's to bat for women superheroes with another one of those Amazing Spider-Man spin-off flicks they're so fond of announcing. We've already got a Sinister Six film, directed by Drew Goddard, slated for release in 2016 (although we're still at a loss as to how that's gonna work without Spidey, unless it's a Superior Foes Of Spider-Man adaptation) and the third Amazing Spider-Man proper recently had its premiere date pushed back to 2018. At some point we're supposed to be getting a Venom film from veteran screenwriter Alex Kurtzman at some point as well, but we'll believe it when we see it. This new spin-off is set for a 2017 release and will be written by TV veteran Lisa Joy Nolan. So obviously everybody's wildly speculating as to who this female character from the Spider-Man universe that's strong enough to lead her own movie is. The most likely candidate seems to be Black Cat, the expert thief with poorly defined powers of "luck" who goes by the name Felicia Hardy in her every day life - a character who was briefly introduced as Harry Osborn's secretary in the Amazing Spider-Man 2, played by Felicity Jones. We'd quite like to see Jessica Drew, Spider-Woman, to appear in her own film, and she's another name that's getting thrown around along with bad guy Silver Sable, Doctor Octopus's old girlfriend stunner and Firestar, from the old Spider-Man And His Amazing Friends cartoon. There's even been speculation that would could see a Mary Jane spin-off film, since she's going to get introduced during the next Spidey film for...non-spoilery reasons. Whether or not Shailene Woodley's still going to be in the part, after her scenes for Amazing Spider-Man 2 ended up on the cutting room floor, remains to be seen. MJ's headlined her own series in the comics, but an entry in a superhero franchise that's just relationship drama? Could be...interesting. And befitting Spidey director Marc Webb's roots with (500) Days Of Summer. We've still got our fingers crossed that Aunt May will finally get her time to shine, mind.
Tom Baker is the Comics Editor at WhatCulture! He's heard all the Doctor Who jokes, but not many about Randall and Hopkirk. He also blogs at http://communibearsilostate.wordpress.com/
