Rumored Spider-Man spin-off to feature female heroine

This comes after "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" underwhelmed the box office and critics back in May. (ViaSony Pictures / "The Amazing Spider-Man 2")

Past attempts at a super-heroine movie haven't exactly been successful.

Most agree Halle Berry's "Catwoman" is best left forgotten. (Via Warner Bros. / "Catwoman")

And Jennifer Garner's "Elektra" tanked at the box office. (Via Twentieth Century Fox / "Elektra")

But a writer for Time says this could be the opportune moment for a woman to take the helm in a super-hero film. Comic book characters on the silver screen are more popular than ever, and films like "The Hunger Games" and "Frozen" both featured strong female leads and crushed box office competition. (Via Lionsgate / "The Hunger Games Catching Fire," Walt Disney Pictures / "Frozen")

The female audience for super-hero films is definitely there. Forty-four percent of the audience for "Guardians of the Galaxy" in its opening weekend were women. (Via Box Office Mojo)

So who could this heroine from the Spidey-universe be?

The most popular guess seems to be Felicia Hardy, a.k.a. the Black Cat. (Via BVS Entertainment / "Spider-Man: The Animated Series")

Which seems likely considering Felicity Jones had a small role as Hardy in "The Amazing Spider-Man 2." (Via Getty Images)

Of course, not everyone is enthused by the idea. Vulture writes "Black Cat is boring, her depictions are usually misogynist, and her movie would likely be a step back for women in costumes, not a leap forward."

Other possible lead characters include Silver Sable, Firestar or Stunner. If the rumored project is real, it's expected to debut in 2017.