Sony is developing a Spider-Man spinoff starring Black Cat and Silver Sable

It looks like Sony wants all the Spider-Man solo projects it can make. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the studio is developing a film centering on Black Cat and Silver Sable, two characters who often ally themselves with Spider-Man.

Writer Chris Yost, currently a screenwriter for the upcoming Thor: Ragnarok, is attached to write the script, building on a draft penned by Westworld co-creator Lisa Joy. Details on the film’s premise are thin, but the film is the second in as many weeks Sony has announced that involves Spider-Man characters. A Venom movie is already slated for an October 2018 release, and will feature the iconic villain in the starring role.

Black Cat and Silver Sable are two major players in Spider-Man continuity, and are well known to fans. Black Cat, otherwise known as Felicia Hardy, is a world-renowned cat burglar who, like Catwoman to Batman, shares a romantic past with Spidey and often teams up with him when she isn’t committing crimes of her own. Silver Sable is a highly skilled mercenary and CEO who specializes in hunting down war criminals and the occasional supervillain.

Why these two characters would team up is unclear, but the film’s focus on morally ambiguous women seems, at least on the surface, to mirror Warner Bros.’ upcoming Gotham City Sirens, which will feature Harley Quinn, Catwoman, and Poison Ivy. And with Spider-Man: Homecoming due to hit theaters in a matter of months, Sony must sense that the time is ripe to make more movies that take advantage of their continuing access to Marvel characters. We’ll just have to see if things get as crazy as yet another Aunt May movie.