Sony casts a wider web with diverse ‘Spider-Verse’ sequel and spinoffs

Sony is building on its world of animated web-slingers with more stories focused on women and teenagers of color.

“Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” doesn’t officially hit theaters for more than two weeks, but the upcoming film has already generated enough positive buzz that Sony Pictures is looking to expand the franchise with a sequel and spinoffs, The Times has confirmed.

Out Dec. 14, “Into the Spider-Verse” follows the adventures of teenage Spider-Man Miles Morales as he teams up with various other Spideys from across the Marvel multiverse, including Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy.

The focus on Miles is one of the things that sets “Into the Spider-Verse” apart from most live-action superhero offerings, which have predominantly focused on white and male characters.

Co-created by Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli, Miles is the first black and Latino Spider-Man, who made his Marvel comics debut in 2011. The studio is planning to continue exploring Miles’ story with a “Spider-Verse” sequel.

Among the potential “Spider-Verse” spinoffs gaining traction at Sony is a Spider-Women film.

The success of 2017’s “Wonder Woman” and anticipation for upcoming movies including “Captain Marvel” (2019) and “Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)” (2020) have shown there is an audience for superhero stories led by women.

So it only makes sense that Sony would tap into the many women with Spider-related powers in the Marvel comics multiverse.

Although no official decisions have been made, the Spider-Women film is expected to focus on three generations of female characters with Spidey powers and could potentially include “Into the Spider-Verse’s” Spider-Gwen. Bek Smith will write the script.

In addition to Gwen, this spinoff could mean fans will get to see animated versions of characters such as Jessica Drew (Spider-Woman), Cindy Moon (Silk), Anya Corazon (Spider-Girl) and May Parker (Spider-Girl) hit the big screen.

“Spider-Man” franchise veteran Amy Pascal will produce the films, and it is also likely that Marvel Studios alum Avi Arad and fellow “Spider-Verse” producers Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and Christina Steinberg will be involved in some capacity.

According to reports, Lauren Montgomery, who directed the animated “Wonder Woman” as well as other direct-to-video animated DC movies, is in talks to direct the Spider-Women spinoff, while “Avatar: The Last Airbender” and “Voltron’s” Joaquim Dos Santos has been tapped to direct the sequel.

Outside the animated “Spider-Verse,” Sony’s live-action “Spider-Man” franchise’s next installment will be “Spider-Man: Far From Home,” scheduled for a July 5 release.

tracy.brown@latimes.com

Twitter: @tracycbrown