One of the first things that struck director S.J. Clarkson about was that this was a superhero who did not have superhuman strength. And unlike Batman, she couldn害羞草研究所檛 just buy herself some. No, Cassandra Webb has a different kind of power: Clairvoyance.

This, the veteran television director found interesting.

害羞草研究所淚 saw the challenge of clairvoyance and the fact that it didn害羞草研究所檛 necessarily scream action as its biggest virtue,害羞草研究所� Clarkson said in a recent interview with The Associated Press. 害羞草研究所淏ecause then we could explore the fact that you don害羞草研究所檛 need superhuman strength to be a superhero.害羞草研究所�

How does one depict clairvoyance? Well, for that, she turned to the movies, re-watching Nicolas Roeg害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淒on害羞草研究所檛 Look Now,害羞草研究所� Christopher Nolan害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淢emento害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所淚nception害羞草研究所� and the Wachowskis害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淭he Matrix.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚 just sort of went across the board looking at movies that had done that, you know, and some horror. I was trying to find that sort of thrilling, scary space,害羞草研究所� she said.

害羞草研究所淢adame Web害羞草研究所� (currently in theaters) is the first of Sony害羞草研究所檚 Spider-Man spinoffs (including 害羞草研究所淰enom害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所淢orbius害羞草研究所�) that is centered on a woman. Clarkson had long admired as an actor and was thrilled to get the chance to direct her.

害羞草研究所淪he has such depth and breadth as an actor. She grounds everything. She finds the nuance and pathos in everything. But she害羞草研究所檚 also very funny,害羞草研究所� Clarkson said. 害羞草研究所淚t was important to me that we didn害羞草研究所檛 sort of, like, take ourselves too seriously. Yes, it害羞草研究所檚 a psychological thriller, but there needs to be moments of levity.害羞草研究所�

Johnson was excited about the prospect too, even if she never thought she would be in a comic book movie.

害羞草研究所淚 just loved that it was about a young woman whose power is her mind,害羞草研究所� Johnson said. 害羞草研究所淎nd I thought that that was really important and inspiring.害羞草研究所�

And, perhaps most importantly, Johnson felt safe under Clarkson害羞草研究所檚 leadership.

害羞草研究所淪he just had everything under control,害羞草研究所� Johnson said. 害羞草研究所淚 didn害羞草研究所檛 worry for a second that it wasn害羞草研究所檛 going to be great. Ultimately, like in the edit or even on set, it害羞草研究所檚 just, she害羞草研究所檚 so detail oriented and she operates on such a high level 害羞草研究所� I just felt really held and I really, you know, trusted her.害羞草研究所�

In Johnson, Clarkson said she found an 害羞草研究所渋ncredible collaborator throughout,害羞草研究所� acknowledging the challenge of having to visually showcase the act of seeing into the future.

害羞草研究所淢any of those scenes that she害羞草研究所檚 in, nothing害羞草研究所檚 happening. It害羞草研究所檚 just her reacting and me saying, this is what害羞草研究所檚 going to happen in the future when we film it, right? It really was a bit like clairvoyance for her in that she didn害羞草研究所檛 actually get to see it,害羞草研究所� Clarkson said. 害羞草研究所淪o to have that sort of partnership in that creative collaboration was imperative and invaluable, and we wouldn害羞草研究所檛 have what we have without it.害羞草研究所�

Clarkson has television credits going back 20 years, to the BBC soap opera 害羞草研究所淒octors.害羞草研究所� A journeyman director, she害羞草研究所檚 helmed episodes of 害羞草研究所淗eroes,害羞草研究所� where she first met a very young Sydney Sweeney, 害羞草研究所淒exter,害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淗ouse,害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淥range is the New Black,害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淪uccession害羞草研究所� and, most recently, all six episodes of Netflix害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淎natomy of a Scandal,害羞草研究所� which she also executive produced. And she害羞草研究所檇 had some superhero experience too with Marvel害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淛essica Jones.害羞草研究所� She害羞草研究所檚 found both times that the 害羞草研究所渞ichness of the comics害羞草研究所� provided her with an extraordinary foundation from which to leap.

害羞草研究所淭his is an origin story,害羞草研究所� Clarkson said. 害羞草研究所淪o for me it was like, how can we get the spirit and the essence of this character, and how can we take the things that we know about her and then work backwards and find out what would make the most interesting, fulfilling story with as much depth and breadth of that character to bring her to where she is today and where we will know that she害羞草研究所檚 going to be in the future.害羞草研究所�

The movie also has some easter eggs for Marvel superfans, including the name of a diner where a crucial showdown happens, and a hat tip to 害羞草研究所淢adame Web害羞草研究所檚害羞草研究所� original creators, writer Denny O害羞草研究所橬eil and artist John Romita Jr.

But for Johnson and Clarkson, the ultimate goal to was to create something fresh.

害羞草研究所淚t feels really fun to be a part of something that害羞草研究所檚 also kind of removed and fresh and a new kind of take on a superhero movie,害羞草研究所� Johnson said. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 so grounded and it害羞草研究所檚 more of like a psychological thriller than what I害羞草研究所檝e seen superheroes do before.害羞草研究所�

READ ALSO: