Bono, The Edge to write music for Spider-Man musical

NEW YORK, April 19 (Reuters Life!) - Spider-man can climb, and has superhuman strength -- but can he sing or dance?

U2 stars Bono and The Edge are about to find out, tasked with writing the music and lyrics for a Broadway musical about the super hero.

Marvel Studios said on Thursday plans were underway to produce a musical based the comic strip crime-fighter who has starred in three action movies, with the latest, "Spider-Man 3," having its world premiere in Tokyo this week.

"The musical will be directed by Tony Award-winner Julie Taymor with U2's Bono and The Edge creating new music and lyrics for the project," Marvel said in a statement.

Taymor won two Tony Awards for her work on the Disney musical "The Lion King."

Marvel Studios, a unit of Marvel Entertainment Inc. (MVL.N), said a reading was scheduled to take place this summer but no dates have been confirmed for a Broadway opening.

Marvel said this would be the first time that a Marvel character has been the subject of a show on Broadway.

"We are certain this project will delight fans of Spider-Man and new audiences alike," said David Maisel, chairman of Marvel Studios, whose previous Broadway credits include spearheading the 1999 award-winning musical "Fosse" about the life and work of showman Bob Fosse.

But it is not the first Broadway show based on a super hero.

"Superman the Musical" debuted at the Alvin theatre in 1966 -- but it was a flop and closed after four months.

Disney (DIS.N), however, has a string of shows on Broadway based on its characters, with "Mary Poppins," "Tarzan," "The Lion King," and "Beauty and the Beast" currently showing, "Beaty and the Beast" will be replaced by "The Little Mermaid" later this year.

Spider-Man, who first appeared in Marvel Comics in 1962,

gained his superpowers after Peter Parker was bitten on the hand by a radioactive spider while attending a public science exhibit.

Spider-Man can cling to most surfaces, possesses superhuman strength, and is about 18 times more agile than a normal human.