Issa Rae is taking on her first superhero role.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the multi-hyphenate has joined the cast of the Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse sequel, making her the first new cast member to be announced. Though details of the film have remained under wraps, it’s reported that the Emmy-nominated actress will voice the character of Jessica Drew, aka Spider-Woman. Rae will star alongside Shameik Moore and Hailee Steinfeld, who will reprise their roles of Miles Morales/Spider-Man and Spider-Gwen, respectively.
Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson have reportedly signed on to direct the sequel, while Phil Lord and Chris Miller are will return as credited co-writers along with David Callaham. Miller, who is producing the film alongside Lord, Amy Pascal, Avi Arad, Christina Steinberg, and Alonzo Ruvalcaba, took to Twitter last summer to give fans a little teaser of what they can expected in the upcoming feature.
Rae, who is now filming the final season of HBO’s Insecure, confirmed the news via Instagram on Friday.
“The way I have loved Spider-Man since the third grade,” she captioned a screenshot of the THR report. “A dream come true.”
The first Spider-Verse project was both a critical and commercial success, having grossed more than grossed $375 million at the global box office, and earning Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards and Golden Globes.
The Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse sequel is expected to hit theaters on Oct. 7, 2022. Stay tuned as more details become available.
