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Sony's Spider-Verse continues to grow, as the studio seems committed to fleshing out this branching cinematic universe, and the next on their list is Madame Webb. Apart from the MCU-adjacent Tom Holland Spider-Man films, which gave the studio its biggest hit in the form of the culmination of No Way Home in 2021, the response to Sony's attempt at building a cinematic universe out of Spider-Man characters has been lukewarm. 2018's Venom, starring Tom Hardy was a monstrous hit with a massive assist from China and led the foundations for Sony's universe. Venom: Let There Be Carnage built on the success of its predecessor, despite the pandemic, but Jared Leto's Morbius treaded some rocky waters and ended up being both a critical and financial failure.But Sony is not done yet, as they have a new Kraven The Hunter movie coming out this year starring Aaron Taylor Johnson, and both Venom 3 and El Muerto are currently in development. With Madame Web, Sony's Spider-Man universe movies will finally adapt a character who's not a villain in the comics, as they look to mix things up. Madame Web is a very interesting character from the Spider-Man corner of Marvel Comics and is actually considered a mutant with telepathic and future prediction abilities, hooked up to a spider-web-like support chair that looks after all her bodily needs owing to her medical conditions. The film's amazing cast, which includes Dakota Johnson and Sydney Sweeney playing the lead roles, has the fans excited, and if you're intrigued too, here's everything we know so far about this new film in the Spider-Verse.Editor's Note: This article was last updated on August 11.
When Will Madame Web be Released?
Madame Web was originally supposed to release on July 7, 2023, but Sony pushed the release date back to October 6, 2023. Sony then pushed the film back for a third and (hopefully) final time, with Madame Web now opening on February 14, 2024. The film will try to capitalize on Valentine's weekend, which has previously benefited comic book films like Deadpool and Black Panther, and with the appeal of the film's cast, it also has the potential to be a great Galentine's night out movie.
Will Madame Web Be Released in Theaters or on Streaming?
Sony is one of the few studios without their own streaming services, and thanks to a deal that was struck in early 2021, their movies typically go to Netflix after their theatrical run and Digital window, so Madame Web will also swing by Netflix at an unspecified date later next year.
Is There a Trailer for Madame Web?
The release date for Madame Web is still quite far out and Sony is yet to start rolling out its marketing campaign for the film with no word yet on an official trailer. All we have seen from the film so far are set photos that leaked while they were filming in New York City. The photos give us a look at the main cast of the film, including Dakota Johnson in what appears to be her Madame Web costume, which is the same costume Julia Carpenter sports in the comics. The set photos also indicate that the film is set somewhere in the early 2000s, with billboards promoting the 3G network and BeyonceÌ's debut album seen in the background.
Who's In the Cast of Madame Web?
Besides its association with Spider-Man and Marvel Comics, Madame Web has fans excited about its particularly buzzy cast. Dakota Johnson will be portraying the titular role of Madame Web in the film. Since appearing in Fifty Shades Trilogy, Dakota Johnson has appeared in several indie and prestigious films and has delivered some incredibly strong performances in films like Luca Guadagnino's Suspiria, The Lost Daughter, and The Peanut Butter Falcon, and Madame Web will see her go back into the franchise zone once again.
Along with Dakota Johnson, Sydney Sweeney has also been cast in the film as Julia Carpenter. The actress coming hot off the popular series Euphoria is rumored to play Julia Carpenter in the movie. There has not been much word detailing the characters played by all the actors in the film, and we are currently awaiting more information. The cast also includes famous faces like Isabella Merced (Dora and the Lost City of Gold), Emma Roberts (American Horror Story), and Adam Scott (Severance), who have all been spotted in the set photos, along with Tahar Rahim (The Mauritanian), Mike Epps (The Hangover), Zosia Mamet (The Flight Attendant), and Celeste O'Connor (Ghostbusters: Afterlife), who will all appear in the film in currently undisclosed roles.
Who Is Making Madame Web?
Prolific British Director S.J. Clarkson, who has directed episodes of popular shows like Succession, Jessica Jones, Heroes, House, and Dexter, will be helming the film which is set to be her feature film debut. The script of the film has been written by the writers behind Morbius - Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless, from an initial draft by Karem Sanga (First Girl I Loved). Madame Web also has No Way Home editor Leigh Folsom Boyd and cinematographer Mauro Fiore attached to the project. The film is produced by Lorenzo di Bonaventura (Bumblebee), with Adam Merims (King Richard) serving as Executive Producer and Palak Patel (The Gray Man) as the Development Executive.
We spoke with di Bonaventura about the project, and he gave his thoughts on the Spider-Man mythos.
“So, in that respect, if you're a Spider-Man fan, you're gonna love the character because you know it from the comic books, which she doesn't really have that big a character in the comic books, we're doing the origin story of Madame Web. And so you meet her before she's actually the person that you know in the comic book and you come to understand how she becomes that person. So, I think that'll be a really fresh new terrain for the fans.”
What's the Plot of Madame Web About?
Much of the plot of Madame Web is currently being kept under wraps, but we do have some details now thanks to producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura. In an interview with ComicBook.com, di Bonaventura revealed that the movie would take advantage of the character's rather mysterious past in the comics to give her a new origin story. In Marvel Comics, the first Madam Web is Cassandra Webb, a woman from Salem, Oregon, who is born blind and with a medical condition known as myasthenia gravis, which made her extremely weak, but also eventually aided in her development of psychic abilities and clairvoyance. She is known for her close association with the Spider-Women Jessica Drew and Julia Carpenter in the comics and usually helps them out with her abilities. Here's what di Bonaventura said:
“So, in that respect, if you're a Spider-Man fan, you're gonna love the character because you know it from the comic books, which she doesn't really have that big a character in the comic books, we're doing the origin story of Madame Web. And so you meet her before she's actually the person that you know in the comic book and you come to understand how she becomes that person. So, I think that'll be a really fresh new terrain for the fans.”
From the set photos that have been leaked, it appears that Dakota Johnson is sporting Julia Carpenter's classic costume, who inherited the role of Madame Web (and the psychic abilities that come with it) after Cassandra's death. This change will also make a lot of sense considering that Dakota Johnson is still in her 30s, while the original Madame Web is usually a very old woman in the comics. But some rumors also claim that Sydney Sweeney is playing the character of Julia Carpenter in the film. Based on di Bonaventura's statement, it's possible that Johnson will play a relatively modern take on Cassandra who is yet to actually become the older and more powerful psychic we know from the comics. For now, all we can do is wait and see what web of plot lines the writers are weaving.
When and Where Was Madame Web Filmed?
Principal photography on Madame Web began on July 11, 2022, and filming officially wrapped in January 2023. Filming took place in Boston, Massachusetts, and New York City, including Chinatown and Grand Central Station.