Madame Web is widely regarded as one of the most catastrophic superhero films ever made, failing at the box office amid overwhelmingly negative reviews. Upon its debut, it earned the dubious distinction of the worst opening for any Sony Spider-Man movie and became the first Marvel-related release since Fox's Fantastic Four reboot to miss the top spot on opening weekend.
Even Hideo Kojima, the celebrated game director known for Metal Gear Solid and Death Stranding, limited his critique to just six words. IGN offered slightly more detail, attributing the film's shortcomings to a cluttered script filled with unnecessary characters, simplistic archetypes, and uninspired dialogue.
In the aftermath, and following the even more poorly received Kraven the Hunter, Sony reportedly abandoned its Spider-Man universe plans to concentrate on next year's anticipated hit, Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
So, what led to Madame Web’s failure? The post-mortem has been extensive. Last year, Emma Roberts, who portrayed Mary Parker in the film, suggested that online culture and the tendency to mock everything contributed to its poor commercial and critical performance. A particular line from the trailer became a viral meme, despite that dialogue being cut from the final version.
Sydney Sweeney, who played Julia Cornwall (also known as Spider-Woman), described her involvement as just "along for the ride." During a Saturday Night Live monologue, she highlighted her other acting achievements and explicitly distanced herself from her role as the web-slinging heroine, stating: "You definitely did not see me in Madame Web."
Now, Dakota Johnson, who starred as the titular character, has further elaborated on Madame Web’s troubles, delivering pointed remarks that highlight the film’s problematic development process.
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In an interview with the Los Angeles Times while promoting her romantic comedy Materialists, Johnson commented on Madame Web’s failure: “It wasn’t my fault.”
“There’s this trend now where many creative choices are made by committee," she explained. "Or by individuals with no creative instinct. It’s incredibly difficult to produce genuine art or compelling entertainment that way. With Madame Web, the project began as one thing and transformed into something entirely different. I was essentially just a passenger by that stage. But such setbacks occur. Big-budget films stumble regularly.”
These recent statements align with Johnson's earlier remarks after Madame Web's release, when she told Bustle: “Art cannot be crafted by relying on data and algorithms. I’ve long believed that viewers are highly perceptive, while studio executives increasingly underestimate them. audiences can always detect insincerity.”
Ultimately, Johnson appears to maintain a philosophical perspective on her Madame Web involvement. "I’m not nursing any wounds about it," she added. "I wouldn’t rule out any type of project because of this experience. I’ve been part of small independent films that also underperformed. So what?"
Sony’s Spider-Man universe currently comprises six films: Venom, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Morbius, Madame Web, Venom: The Last Dance, and Kraven the Hunter. In April, Venom star Tom Hardy addressed the abandoned plans for a crossover between Venom and Spider-Man.
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