Tom Spezialy, former executive producer of the Emmy-winning HBO series Watchmen, has reportedly signed a deal with Amazon Studios to serve as showrunner for the upcoming live-action Marvel series, Silk. The critically acclaimed Watchmen series served as an extension of Alan Moore's seminal graphic novel. Before that, though, Spezialy co-created Starz’s Ash vs Evil Dead, and executive produced hit TV shows like Desperate Housewives and Dead Like Me.
Silk will follow the character of Cindy Moon, a young Korean American student (and classmate of Peter Parker) who’s bitten by the same spider that gave Spider-Man his powers. In the comics, Cindy finds herself unable to control her abilities, including organic webbing and superhuman strength. Soon after, Ezekiel Sims, a powerful businessman, approaches the Moon family and offers his guidance. For the next 6 years, Cindy is locked up inside a facility as she trains to gain control over her newfound abilities. Ezekiel protects Cindy from the Spider-Totem hunter, Morlun, and his family, the “Inheritors.” Cindy Moon goes on to take the superhero mantle of "Silk" after escaping the bunker, and later joins Peter Parker to combat crime.
Coming off the success of Watchmen, released on HBO as a limited series back in 2019, Spezialy has reportedly agreed to be the showrunner for the upcoming Silk show. Spezialy will work alongside executive producer Lauren Moon, a writer on Sony TV's Netflix series, Atypical. Spider-man: Into the Spider-verse’s Phil Lord and Chris Miller, largely responsible for managing Sony’s Universe of Marvel characters on television, will also executive produce with Amy Pascal. The series is expected to debut in the winter of 2022, with filming expected to start in fall.
Casting for the upcoming Silk series remains an open question. Tiffany Espensen, best known for her teenage roles as Piper in the Nickelodeon series Bucket & Skinner's Epic Adventures, and Belinda in the 2014 Disney XD series, Kirby Buckets, has already appeared in the MCU. In 2017's Spider-Man: Homecoming she is shown as a member of the Midtown School of Science and Technology decathlon team alongside Peter Parker. While it's a not a complete impossibility that Espensen will reprise her role as Cindy Moon, the studio is still reportedly looking for someone to play the character. Regardless of which lucky actress is cast as Cindy Moon, the character is monumental for those looking to see more diversity in the superhero genre.
The Korean-American heroine, created by Dan Slott and Humberto Ramos in 2014, is a step in the right direction for more diverse representation in comic book adaptations. Cindy, despite her tragic past as a hesitant superhero who lost her youth to rigorous training, has an optimistic outlook on her double life as a crime fighter and journalist for the fictional news website Threats and Menaces. It will be interesting to see how Sony tackles Cindy's emotional journey in the upcoming series, and how the character might tie into the MCU. With established superhero show vets like Spezialy working behind the scenes, the show certainly has the potential to wow audiences. With great writing, proper casting, and a bit of the coming-of-age humor seen in recent Spider-Man flicks, Silk could be an epic win for Sony's suite of Marvel TV series.
Source: Deadline
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June 20, 2021 at 12:21AM
