Spider-Man finally joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe in his third live-action movie iteration, but we may not be able to say the same for some of his supporting characters.
Sony Pictures (which has been the superhero's cinematic home since Tobey Maguire crawled onto screens in 2002) is launching a series of Spidey-related movies that will include Tom Hardy as web-head's antithetical foe Venom in a solo movie, and SILVER & BLACK, a team-up of peripheral characters Black Cat and Silver Sable.
But early word is that they won't tie to the character as we'll know him from SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING. So the big question is how (or if, or more importantly why) the studio will establish these characters without directly involving the wall-crawler. It's still conceivable they'll come to an agreement with Marvel to share the Tom Holland incarnation of Spider-Man, and all the references (and potential cameos) that might imply.
Or maybe the Spider-verse spinoffs will take notes from Fox's DEADPOOL, which alluded to the wonky continuity of the X-Men movie franchise while also basically discarding it in favor of forging its own (which could also mean we end up with yet another version of Spider-Man). Or… perhaps the new movies will attempt to exist without referencing Spider-Man at all. Which is even more bizarre. (The now-shelved SINISTER SIX movie had planned to build on villains from the Andrew Garfield rendition).
Whatever the case, we can probably expect the SILVER & BLACK movie characters to bear at least some resemblance to their comic book origins, while somehow addressing whatever challenges may be presented by adapting the source material without the current source himself.
Known for her white hair and cleavage-revealing costume, Black Cat and her civilian identity Felicia Hardy first appeared in 1979 and became a romantic interest for Spider-Man (who she vastly preferred to Peter Parker, the guy actually behind the mask). The daughter of a renowned thief, Felicia trained to become an expert burglar and acrobat, utilizing various high-tech gadgets to assist her heists.
Black Cat wrestled with her criminal nature during her periodic relationship with Spidey, eventually (if unwittingly) turning to the Kingpin in search of powers to put her on a level playing field with her superpowered lover. This resulted in a "bad luck" ability, which could alter probability fields and cause misfortune to befall her opponents.
Though not quite as intrinsically entwined with Spider-Man, Silver Sable (whose real name is the supremely comic-booky Silver Sablinova) was first introduced in "The Amazing Spider-Man" comic series the mid-80s. Hailing from the fictional country of Symkaria, Sable applies her marksmanship and martial arts expertise as a mercenary hunting war criminals, a business she inherited from her father.
Sable's harsh training at the hands of her father resulted in an emotionally distant personality, which she maintains as a necessity to be effective in her line of work. Leading an elite team known as the Wild Pack (which often included slightly reformed villain Sandman), Sable's search for various fugitives often led to crossing paths with Spider-Man.
Considering the apparent shortage of white-haired actresses in Hollywood, we can probably expect the movie characters to deviate from the comic versions a bit. Or at least have a decent wig budget.
So who can slink in the skintight Black Cat outfit? BAYWATCH lifeguard Alexandra Daddario seems due for a comic book movie. Riley Keough (MAD MAX: FURY ROAD) might also be a good fit, as would "Game of Thrones" star Emilia Clarke.
As for Silver Sable, it would make sense for the movie to have someone older and more experienced to offset the more impetuous Black Cat. It's probably just a matter of time before Charlize Theron is in a superhero movie, and we also know Lena Headey can handle herself with genre material. Or for a left-field selection, how about Elizabeth Banks?
Let us know below who you think should play Black Cat and Silver Sable!
As for the previous CAST THIS column, your choices to play Geralt in the upcoming Netflix series of THE WITCHER:
1. Zach McGowan ("Black Sails") 2. Mads Mikkelsen 3. Charlie Hunnam