Madame Web: Emma Roberts Said to Be Cast Opposite Dakota Johnson

Emma Roberts is reportedly the latest addition to the cast of Madame Web, the latest movie set in Sony's Spider-Man Universe.

The actor is joining a star-studded ensemble, which includes Dakota Johnson as the title hero, and Euphoria breakout Sydney Sweeney in an undisclosed role. As previously announced, Celeste O'Connor, Isabela Merced, and Tahar Rahim are also a part of the Sony–Marvel film.

Madame Web serves as the origin story for the comic book character, a psychic whose abilities allow her to see into the spider world itself. In the comics, her abilities prove highly beneficial to Spider-Man and his allies, but given her condition, she's never fought villains herself.

S.J. Clarkson, whose Marvel bonafides include Jessica Jones and The Defenders, is directing Madame Web. Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless, who previously collaborated on Jared Leto's vampire thriller Morbius, is set to write the screenplay for the film,

After breaking out on Nickelodeon's sitcom Unfabulous, Roberts cultivated a film career in teen movies like Aquamarine, Nancy Drew and Valentine's Day. She parlayed her young stardom into roles in Scream 4, We're the Millers, and FX's anthology series American Horror Story. She also starred in the Fox comedic horror show Scream Queens.

Sony fielded back-to-back commercial triumphs — with its Spider-Man Universe — in 2021 with Tom Hardy's Venom: Let There Be Carnage ($506 million globally) and Tom Holland's Spider-Man: No Way Home ($1.9 billion globally), but stumbled in 2022 with Leto's Morbius ($163 million).

Madame Web is Sony's first modern comic book adaptation to star a woman as the lead. It is one of several Spider-Man-related spin-offs in development, including director J.C. Chandor's Kraven the Hunter with Aaron Taylor Johnson; and El Muerto, starring famous musician Bad Bunny.

Madame Web is scheduled to release in theatres on July 7, 2023.