Julie Taymor to Direct Spider-Man Musical

Tony Award winner Julie Taymor is set to direct a Broadway musical based on the adventures of the superhero Spider-Man, according to a statement from Marvel Studios. U2 musicians Bono and The Edge will compose an original score for the project. A reading will be held this summer, but no casting or Broadway dates have yet been announced.

The musical, which will be produced by Hello Entertainment/David Garfinkle, Martin McCallum, Marvel Entertainment, and SONY Pictures Entertainment, will mark the first time a Marvel character has been the subject of a show on Broadway.

Spider-Man, a.k.a. Peter Parker, was bitten by a radioactive spider as a teenager and developed spider-like powers, including enhanced strength and the ability to climb walls. The character is the subject of three films from Columbia Pictures, starring Tobey Maguire, Kristen Dunst, and James Franco. The latest installment, Spider-Man 3, opens in movie theaters on May 4.

Taymor’s directorial credits include Disney’s The Lion King, for which she received the Tony, as well as The Green Bird, Juan Darien, and Grendel. She directed the film Titus and her newest film, Across the Universe is due out later this year.