A Geeky Viewpoint

Over the past 36 hours there have been multiple posts in the blogosphere about a potential a female superhero team in the Spiderman Universe.   The project dubbed The Glass Ceiling is a super top secret project for Sony and Columbia Pictures

Its time to address the problems in rumor.

A ruling in a recent Federal Court case determined that it is copyright infringement to produce any work on an Intellectual Property that you do not own the rights to OR have permission from the owners.
Columbia Pictures acquired the Spiderman IP from MGM in March 1999, they traded the rights Columbia Pictures owned in the James Bond Franchise for them, ending a four year legal battle, that are connected to a sale of the license going back to 1982.  

The IP rights include the following characters from the Marvel Comic book Universe: Spider-Man/Peter Parker, Doctor Octopus/Otto Octavius, Green Goblin/Norman Osborn, (New) Green Goblin/Harry Osborn, [The Lizard]/Dr. Curt Connors, Sandman/Flint Marko, Venom/Eddie Brock Jr., Vulture, Mysterio, Kraven the Hunter, Black Cat/Felicia Hardy, Silver Sable, Electro/Max Dillon, Rhino, Carnage/Cletus Kasady, Sinister Six, Shocker, Chameleon, The Gentleman, Dr. Ashley Kafka, Beetle, Betty Brant, Dennis Carradine (Buglar), J. Jonah Jameson, Ben Parker, May Parker, John Jameson, Joseph “Robbie” Robertson, Gwen Stacy, Mary Jane Watson, Mendel Stromm, Flash Thompson, Allistair Smythe, Spider-Slayers, Miles Warren/Jackal.

So when a report appears claiming that Sony is creating a Female Superhero team, its a very small team: Felicia Hardy. the Black Cat - who technically isn't even a superhero and Silver Sable, a mercenary who bends the law a lot who hasn't appeared in print

Many of the latest reports suggest Firestar, a mutant who's rights are owned by 20th Century Fox, Silk who came into existent after the 1998 licensing amendment so her rights are owned by Marvel, Spiderwoman (any of them) who rights clearly belong to Marvel, and the list goes on an on.

As Columbia Pictures doesn't control the rights to these other characters and they know they do not, as the characters are listed in court documents there isn't even a gray area, this would constitute willful copy right infringement and a violation of the Spiderman IP licensing agreement.
If a court found Sony/Columbia did this the penalty could be the immediate return of the Spiderman IP to Marvel.

It is jut to big consequence to do without Marvel and or 20th Century Fox consent.

Sony did sign a contract with Lisa Joy Nolan (Wife of Joe Nolan who's brother is Christopher Nolan) to prepare a first draft a female Superhero Spider-Man movie.  It is possible that both the Black Cat and the Silver Sable could be in the script but most people believe the script is looking at Felicia Hardy solo film as the Black Cat.

So its impossible for Sony to be working on a five member female superhero team?
No, not impossible rather extremely unlikely at this time.
Marvel could release say Tigra and Silk to Sony / Columbia but they want something in return, say the use of Spiderman in Avengers film.   Guess which one gets announced first?