Madame Web is a 2024 American superhero film featuring the Marvel Comics character of the same name. It is the fourth film in Sony's Spider-Man Universe (SSU) and stars Dakota Johnson in the title role, alongside Sydney Sweeney, Isabela Merced, Celeste O'Connor, Tahar Rahim, Mike Epps, Emma Roberts, and Adam Scott. The film was directed by S. J. Clarkson from a screenplay she co-wrote with Claire Parker and the writing team of Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless. In the film, the origin story of Cassie Webb (Johnson) is explored as she confronts her past while trying to save three young women (Sweeney, Merced, O'Connor) from Ezekiel Sims (Rahim), who wants to kill them before they become Spider-Women in the future and kill him.

Madame Web
Theatrical release poster
Directed byS. J. Clarkson
Screenplay by
Story by
  • Kerem Sanga
  • Matt Sazama
  • Burk Sharpless
Based onMarvel Comics
Produced byLorenzo di Bonaventura
Starring
CinematographyMauro Fiore
Edited byLeigh Folsom Boyd
Music byJohan Söderqvist
Production
companies
Distributed bySony Pictures Releasing
Release dates
Running time
116 minutes[4]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget
  • $80 million (net)[5]
  • $100 million (gross)[6]
Box office$100.5 million[7]

Sony Pictures began developing a Madame Web film for its shared universe by September 2019, with Sazama and Sharpless writing the script. Clarkson joined as the director in May 2020, in her feature film directorial debut, and Johnson was cast in early 2022. Further castings occurred in the following months, particularly for the Spider-Women characters. Filming began in mid-July 2022 and wrapped before the end of the year, occurring throughout Massachusetts, New York City, and Mexico. Clarkson and Parker's involvement as writers was revealed in November 2023. Johan Söderqvist, a frequent collaborator of Clarkson, composed the film's score.

Madame Web premiered at the Regency Village Theatre in Westwood, Los Angeles, on February 12, 2024, and was released in the United States on February 14. The film was panned by critics and was a box-office bomb, grossing $100.5 million worldwide against a budget of $80–100 million.

Plot

edit

In 1973, in the Amazon rainforest in Peru, a research team led by a pregnant Constance Webb discovers an unidentified spider species with rare healing properties. Ezekiel Sims, the man Constance hired for protection and security, betrays the team and claims the spider for himself, shooting her in a struggle before fleeing with the spider and leaving Constance to die. An indigenous tribe attempts to save her by having one of the spiders bite her. However, she dies shortly after giving birth to her daughter, Cassandra. Thirty years later, Cassandra, now going by "Cassie", works as a paramedic in New York City alongside her co-workers Ben Parker and O'Neil. During a dangerous call, Cassie falls into the water and has a near-death experience. Ben revives her, but she begins to experience visions. Initially, she dismisses them as déjà vu, but after failing to prevent O'Neil's death, Cassie realizes she can see into the future.

Ezekiel, who has limited precognition power and enhanced physical abilities, collects information on three teenage girls: Julia Cornwall, Anya Corazón, and Mattie Franklin. His visions lead him to believe that they are destined to kill him. Cassie is also drawn to the same girls and intervenes to stop Ezekiel from ambushing them at Grand Central Terminal. She steals a taxi and takes the girls out of the city to hide them in a nearby forest. Cassie returns to her apartment and finds her mother's notes, which tell of Ezekiel's identity and the true nature of his powers. Ignoring Cassie's instructions, the girls go to a diner where he finds them. After briefly incapacitating Ezekiel by ramming him with the car, Cassie takes the girls back to Queens and they take refuge in Ben's house.

Cassie flies to Peru and tracks down Santiago, the tribal chief who had tried to save her mother. He puts Cassie through a ritual that separates her soul from her body. She experiences a plane of higher consciousness where all living things are connected and every possible future can be seen. She learns that Constance sought the spider not for fame or money, as she had originally thought, but to save her from having myasthenia gravis, which Constance herself had suffered from. Santiago tells Cassie that accepting her responsibility can unlock her true power.

Ben's pregnant sister-in-law Mary goes into labor earlier than expected and he takes her to the hospital, along with the girls, who are seen on camera when in the car. Ezekiel intercepts them again, but Cassie rescues the girls in an ambulance and distracts Ezekiel so Ben and Mary can escape. The group lures Ezekiel to a condemned firework factory and sets up traps to disorientate him while Cassie calls for a medical evacuation helicopter to fly to their location. Ezekiel destroys the helicopter and separates the girls, then taunts Cassie with Constance's death.

Cassie uses her powers to guide the girls to safety. She lures Ezekiel into the final trap, which fatally crushes him. An ignited firework strikes Cassie in the face, severely injuring her. The girls save Cassie, and she is taken to the hospital just as Mary gives birth to her son.[a] Cassie wakes up to discover that she is now blind and paraplegic due to her injuries. However, her clairvoyance enables her to see the future. She assures the girls that she will mentor them in their future roles[b] when the time comes.

Cast

edit
 
The main cast (L–R): Isabela Merced as Anya Corazón, Dakota Johnson as Cassandra Webb / Madame Web, Sydney Sweeney as Julia Cornwall, and Celeste O'Connor as Mattie Franklin, in costume during filming in New York
  • Dakota Johnson as Cassandra Webb:
    A paramedic in Manhattan who, after an accident, develops psychic abilities as a clairvoyant which allow her to see future events within the "spider world", and is a reluctant hero.[10] Not yet known as Madame Web, Cassie is depicted as an inexperienced clairvoyant in her 30s learning her new powers, in contrast to the comic book version where the character is first seen as an elderly "fully fledged" clairvoyant, who is blind, paralyzed and connected to a life support system. Johnson and director S. J. Clarkson sought to differentiate the film's portrayal from this version while embracing the character traits from the comics.[9] Johnson felt Cassie's wit, humor, and abrasiveness were balanced with her compassion, particularly through her forming a "sort of family" with the three young women after not getting along through the film's events.[11] which stemmed from Cassie being on an "unending, insatiable quest" to save people after she was unable to save her mother.[10] She was interested in playing a female character whose superpowers stem from her mind, and by the prospect of seeing into the future while understanding the character's past and present, while Clarkson was inspired by the psychological and cerebral aspects of the character, with Cassie questioning her sanity which she battles within herself and attempts to understand.[9] Clarkson called Cassie a loner and described her as somewhat abrasive, quirky, and "on the outer edges of things", which she compared to the title character of the Marvel Television series Jessica Jones (2015–2019).[12]
  • Sydney Sweeney as Julia Cornwall:
    An awkward teenage girl who lives with her father and stepmother following her mother's departure. She is hunted by Ezekiel for being a future Spider-Woman and one of those responsible for his death. Future visions of her show that she possesses similar powers to Spider-Man, as well as psionic webbing.[9]
  • Isabela Merced as Anya Corazón:
    An intelligent teenage girl forced to live alone after her father's deportation. She is also hunted by Ezekiel for being one of the three future Spider-Women responsible for his death. Future visions of her show that she possesses similar powers to Spider-Man, and has throwing disks that can come back to her.[9]
  • Celeste O'Connor as Mattie Franklin:
    A teenage girl from a wealthy family, but with absent parents. She is one of the three future Spider-Women hunted by Ezekiel. Future visions of her show that she possesses similar powers to Spider-Man, and has Iron Spider-like arms as part of her suit.[9]
  • Tahar Rahim as Ezekiel Sims:
    A former explorer who searched for a secret tribe in the Amazon rainforest in Peru alongside a research team with Cassie's mother, whom he betrays.[13] He gained their enhanced strength and health abilities through a powerful spider, as well as clairvoyance which allows him to see visions of his future death, making him obsessively search for his killers.[13] This leads him to hunt three young women who have the potential to become Spider-Women in the future.[13] Clarkson said the character was not afraid to be intense and had a "level of ambiguity" with multiple layers.[11] He also wears a black and red suit, styled similar to Spider-Man, and possesses powers similar to him, as well as the ability to inject a neurotoxin into those he touches.[14]
  • Mike Epps as O'Neil: Cassie and Ben's co-worker and friend.[15]
  • Emma Roberts as Mary Parker: Ben Parker's pregnant sister-in-law.[16]
  • Adam Scott as Ben Parker: Cassie's paramedic partner and friend.[16]
  • Kerry Bishé as Constance Webb: Cassie's mother and a scientist whose work researching spiders brought her to the Amazon in 1973 in hopes of healing Cassie's muscular disorder.[1]
  • Zosia Mamet as Amaria: a gifted hacker and Ezekiel's research assistant.[17]
  • José María Yazpik as Santiago: a member of Las Arañas, a secret tribe from the Peruvian jungle with spider-based abilities.[18]

Jill Hennessy also appears as a National Security Agency agent seduced and killed by Ezekiel, while an uncredited infant portrays Mary's son Peter Parker, whose birth is depicted in the film.[8]

Production

edit

Development

edit
 
S. J. Clarkson made her feature film directorial debut with Madame Web

After their work on the Marvel Comics–based film Morbius (2022), part of Sony's Spider-Man Universe (SSU), Sony Pictures hired Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless in September 2019 to write a script centered on the Marvel character Madame Web.[19] Sony's executive vice president Palak Patel was overseeing the project.[20] Kerem Sanga had previously written a draft for the film.[21] In May 2020, S. J. Clarkson was hired to develop and direct Sony's first female-centric Marvel film, which was reported to be Madame Web.[22][23] The studio was looking to attach a prominent actress such as Charlize Theron or Amy Adams to the project, before hiring a new writer to further develop the film with her in mind.[22] After meeting with several "A-listers" for the title role, Sony narrowed their shortlist during December 2021 and January 2022. Dakota Johnson became the frontrunner by the end of 2021, and was in talks to star as Madame Web by early February. Clarkson was confirmed to be directing Madame Web at that time.[21]

Sydney Sweeney joined the cast in March 2022, alongside Johnson.[24] Justin Kroll of Deadline Hollywood described the project as being "Sony's version of Doctor Strange" due to Madame Web's comic book abilities, although he noted that the film could be departing from the source material since the comics version of Madame Web is an elderly woman, named Cassandra Webb, connected to a life-support system that looks like a spider web. Kroll noted because of this that the film reportedly could "turn into something else".[21] Grant Hermanns of Screen Rant noted speculation on whether Johnson was playing Cassandra Webb or the younger Julia Carpenter, who was the second character in the comics to be known as Madame Web.[25] A month later, Sony gave Madame Web a release date of July 7, 2023, and confirmed Johnson and Sweeney would star in the film.[26]

Producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura described the film as a thriller and called the titular character's clairvoyance a "tricky skill set" that was not likely to be used for an action film,[27] with Sweeney believing this approach would differentiate the film from audiences's expectations of other superhero films.[28] Di Bonaventura explained that Sony decided not to reveal many details about the film ahead of its release because the Madame Web character was not well-known to general audiences.[27]

Pre-production

edit

Sony Pictures CEO and chairman Tom Rothman said in May 2022 that filming would begin "in the spring",[29] while Celeste O'Connor joined the cast.[30] This was followed by the castings of Isabela Merced, Tahar Rahim, and Emma Roberts throughout the following month.[31][32][33] Responding to these castings, Sabina Graves of Gizmodo opined that many of the actresses could be playing "more recognizable" characters from the Spider-Man comics, such as the Spider-Women versions of Jessica Drew and Gwen Stacy, in the film as a "reimagining" of the Spider-Verse crossover comic book.[34] Sweeney and Johnson were preparing for their roles at that time, when filming was scheduled to begin in mid-July.[35][36][37] Sweeney completed an athletic assessment test and read comics featuring her character, Julia Carpenter, while Johnson underwent training.[28][36] Mike Epps joined the cast in early July.[38]

During the casting process, Deadline Hollywood described Madame Web as an origin story for the titular character.[30] Sony later described the film as a "standalone origin story" and a "suspense-driven thriller" that diverged from the typical superhero film genre,[39] while Di Bonaventura said it would present a fresh take on the character and her origin.[40] Clarkson sought to incorporate a female-led and grounded and gritty tone similar to her work on the Marvel Television series Jessica Jones (2015–2019), and said she was given creative freedom in making the film.[9][12] Clarkson described the center of the story revolving around Cassie's mother. The film was set in 2003 since the initial scripts, with Clarkson choosing to provide a "timeless" quality to the film by including music from the 1990s and on "the edge of 2003" and featuring vintage clothing. She opted to avoid a post-credits sequence as she felt she "said everything we needed to say".[41] The script had undergone substantial changes throughout production.[42] Johnson felt it was important to depict Cassie in a grounded and human reality that audiences could relate to, compared to other superhero films.[9]

Filming

edit

Principal photography began on July 11, 2022,[43][44] in the Financial District of Boston through July 14, with scenes modeling 2000s New York City,[44] including Chinatown, Manhattan.[45] Filming occurred using the working title Claire,[37] with Mauro Fiore serving as cinematographer, after previously doing so for Sony's Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021).[1][46] Shortly after filming started, Adam Scott joined the cast,[47] and the film's release date was delayed to October 6, 2023.[48] In late July, filming occurred in Allston at Kelton Street.[45] Zosia Mamet was cast in August.[49] Filming that month occurred in Chelsea, Massachusetts,[45] while construction of a set in Andover, Massachusetts had also begun to stand in for the 4-Star Diner, a comics location,[45][50] and took place at baseball fields in West Andover.[50] The crew often filmed multiple versions of the same scenes with slightly altered outcomes dependent on Cassie's visions, with Johnson occasionally conferring with Clarkson to deduce which scenes were real and which were set in Cassie's head.[9] As a result, filming futuristic scenes significantly increased the production workload.[42] Clairvoyance scenes required careful planning from Clarkson, which she called the most challenging in her career; she had prepared multiple call sheets and notes when filming. They were often filmed in camera, particularly to create the diopter effect. Scenes filmed with Johnson had to occasionally be done separately as she could not see what was occurring in that direction.[41]

Filming occurred in Worcester, Massachusetts for precision driving and exterior street shots in mid-September 2022 to last for three days, on various street locations,[51][52] using the working titles Claire and Peru.[51] Johnson filmed a day of stunt driving.[9] At that time, the release was further delayed to February 16, 2024.[53] Filming was also set to take place in other areas in the South Shore of Massachusetts, including a former hangar of the Naval Air Station South Weymouth.[37] Filming in Massachusetts, particularly for the Boston unit, lasted for three months until September 2022.[37][54] The production then moved to New York City by October 11,[55] occurring at Grand Central Terminal,[56] and Sweeney completed filming her scenes by October 18 after a three and a half-month shoot;[57] Sweeney worked on the film in Boston for five months.[28] Filming was completed before the end of the year,[58] and was confirmed to have wrapped in mid-January 2023.[59] Filming also took place in Mexico.[37]

Post-production

edit
(L–R) Tahar Rahim portrays the film's antagonist Ezekiel Sims, while Emma Roberts and Adam Scott play Mary and Ben Parker, all characters associated with Spider-Man in the comics

Sweeney's role was reported in March 2023 as Julia Carpenter,[60] which was confirmed in May along with Johnson as Cassandra Webb.[61] Sweeney's character was ultimately named Julia Cornwall.[9] In July, the film's release was moved forward slightly to February 14, 2024.[62] The first trailer, released in November 2023, revealed that Merced, O'Connor, and Rahim were respectively portraying Anya Corazón, Mattie Franklin,[63] and Ezekiel Sims.[64][14] The characters of Julia, Anya, and Mattie were noted for appearing in their Spider-Woman costumes from the comics.[63] At that time, the film's final writing credits were also revealed: Sazama and Sharpless received credit for the screenplay alongside the writing team of Claire Parker and Clarkson, while credit for the story was attributed to Sanga, Sazama, and Sharpless, and off-screen additional literary credit is given to Chris Bremner.[1][65][66] An official premise for the film released then began with the line "Meanwhile, in another universe...". This wording had previously been used in a trailer for Sony's animated film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) that was attached to the end of their SSU film Venom (2018);[39][67][68] Clarkson later said the Madame Web character existed in a standalone world.[9]

Sony had performed reshoots for Madame Web by January 2024, which journalist Jeff Sneider reported was to remove references to an originally planned 1990s setting of the film. He explained that this original time period was intended to allow for the version of Peter Parker / Spider-Man played by Andrew Garfield in The Amazing Spider-Man films (2012–14) to exist within the film's continuity, but noted that the character was not planned to appear. Sneider further reported that after Sony decided to instead plan for the version of the character played by Tom Holland in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) Spider-Man films (2017–2021) exist within this film's continuity, this timeline needed to be adjusted to align with that character's age,[69] with the film ultimately set in 2003.[9][69] Sneider also reported that there was potential for the different Spider-Women characters to appear in costume for a single scene in the film, and he believed that younger versions of the Spider-Man characters Mary and Ben Parker would also appear.[69] Ahead of the film's release, Clarkson confirmed in early February that those characters were respectively portrayed by Roberts and Scott;[70][15][16] Mary Parker is pregnant in the film, which features an infant version of Peter Parker appear at the end, played by an uncredited infant.[8]

Leigh Folsom Boyd edited the film after previously doing so on No Way Home.[1][46] Visual effects were provided by Digital Domain, beloFX, One of Us, and Outpost VFX.[71] Sony reported the film had a final production budget of $80 million, although The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline Hollywood both reported that sources indicated the cost of the film could have been "in the low $100 million range".[72][6]

Music

edit

Johan Söderqvist was revealed in November 2023 as the film's composer, after previously working with Clarkson on Anatomy of a Scandal (2022).[73]

Marketing

edit

The first trailer for the film was released on November 15, 2023. While commenting about the trailer, McKinley Franklin at Variety described Madame Web as a suspense thriller.[74] Charles Pulliam-Moore at The Verge felt the trailer did not give an indication as to what universe the film was set in or why the film's antagonist Ezekiel Sims wore a suit similar to that of the character Spider-Man, and found it weird to see another Marvel-based project from Sony centered on the Spider-Man lore from the comics without featuring the Spider-Man character.[75] Zoe Guy, writing for Vulture, said the trailer provided a lot of details and highlighted its use of "Bury a Friend" by Billie Eilish.[76] Joshua Rivera of Polygon criticized the trailer for focusing its three-minute runtime on explaining Cassandra Webb's powers and appearing as a "run-of-the-mill 2000s thriller" instead of showcasing the "wildly interesting and truly strange" Spider-Man–related characters.[77] Conversely, Graham Day at The Escapist was excited for the film by the trailer and highlighted Sony's unconventional and eccentric style, which he noted had resulted in commentators making various memes surrounding the film. Day compared such moments to similar scenes and responses to Sony's Venom (2018) and Sam Raimi's Spider-Man films (2002–2007), feeling the stunt work in the trailer was fascinating and similar to that of The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) and The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014), which he believed was under-appreciated.[78]

Shortly after the trailer was released, Spider-Man comic book writer J. Michael Straczynski said that while the film's interpretation of Ezekiel Sims was the same character he co-created, he believed it combined elements from the character Morlun, another Spider-Man villain he co-created in the comics who is associated with the multiverse and the Spider-Verse. Emily Garbutt at Total Film noted the trailer depicted that the film's version of Ezekiel could see into the future, compared to the comics' version who is a rich businessman who gained similar powers as the character Spider-Man through a ritual, and noted that Morlun could drain the life force of others through physical contact.[79][80]

One line of dialogue from the trailer delivered by Johnson, stating "[he] was in the Amazon with my mom when she was researching spiders right before she died", received particular mockery from commentators, with several memes incorporating the line into other film quotes.[81][82][83] The line was not included in the final cut of the film.[84] Ahead of the film's release, Sony pivoted television spots to focus on the film's thriller tone rather than connections to the Spider-Man franchise.[5] The studio spent $60 million promoting the film, with 75% of the campaign spent on social media advertisements.[72]

Release

edit

Theatrical

edit

Madame Web premiered at the Regency Village Theatre in Westwood, Los Angeles on February 12, 2024,[85] and was theatrically released in the United States on February 14,[62] in IMAX, 4DX, and ScreenX.[53][86] It was previously scheduled for July 7, 2023,[26] October 6, 2023,[48] and then on February 16, 2024.[53] This was the first film to use the new Columbia Pictures logo commemorating the studio's 100th anniversary, with a computer-generated animated version of the "Lady with the Torch" iconography.[87]

Home media

edit

In December 2022, Sony signed a long-term deal with the Canadian-based streaming service Crave for their films starting in April 2023, following the films' theatrical and home media windows. Crave signed for the "pay-one" window streaming rights, which included Madame Web.[88] Madame Web was released by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment on digital download on March 15, 2024,[89] and was released on Ultra HD Blu-ray and Blu-ray on April 30, with SteelBook packaging featuring the suit worn by Johnson's Webb in the film.[90] Madame Web was made available for streaming on Netflix in the United States on May 14, 2024, as part of a deal made by Sony Pictures and Netflix and Disney+ in the US.[91] According to Nielsen Media Research, which measures the viewership of media on streaming services, Madame Web was the most-watched film on streaming upon its debut for the week of May 13–19, 2024, with a total of 1.16 billion minutes watched.[92]

Reception

edit

Box office

edit

Madame Web was a failure at the box office,[6] and is regarded as a box-office bomb.[93] The film grossed $43.8 million in the United States and Canada, and $56.7 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $100.5 million.[7][2]

In the United States and Canada, Madame Web was released alongside Bob Marley: One Love, and was projected to gross $20–25 million from 4,013 theaters over its six-day opening timeframe.[5] In the days leading up to its release, theater chains noted a large amount of pre-ordered tickets were canceled after poor critical reviews emerged.[6] The film made $6 million on its first day, $2.2 million on its second, and $4.3 million on its third.[94][95] It went on to have a six-day opening of $25.8 million (including $15.1 million in its traditional weekend), finishing second behind One Love; IMAX screenings accounted for $3.1 million of the total.[72] In its second weekend the film made $6 million (a drop of 61%), finishing in fourth.[96]

Critical response

edit
The film's performances and dialogue, including a line spoken by Johnson (left), received particular criticism and mockery before and after its release; fellow cast member Sweeney (right) also lampooned the film's poor reception

Madame Web received negative reviews from critics,[97][98] who panned it as an "embarrassing mess",[99][100][101] and the "worst comic book movie" yet.[102] Some critics compared the film to Sony's Morbius, as both films became satirical "meme fodder" and received media attention,[103] with Madame Web being regarded by some commentators as a "future cult classic" and a "camp classic".[6][104][105] On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 11% of 260 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 3.4/10. The website's consensus reads: "Madame Web's earnest approach to the title character's origin story has a certain appeal, but its predictable plot and uneven execution make for a forgettable superhero adventure."[106] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 26 out of 100, based on 51 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable" reviews.[107] Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "C+" on an A+ to F scale, while those at PostTrak gave it a 54% overall positive score.[94][72]

Lovia Gyarkye of The Hollywood Reporter believed the film did not meet its lowest expectations, calling it "airless" and "stilted". She criticized its screenplay as "mechanical" as well as the reliance on exposition "forcing people to explain themselves", while operating on a "need-to-know basis" for the audience.[1] Peter Travers of ABC News named the film the worst in Sony's Spider-Man Universe, calling it "God-awful" and "second to none in the dark art of boring you breathless".[108] The New York Times's Manohla Dargis was critical of the film's story and dialogue, which she called absurd and "snort-out-loud risible". She felt the fight sequences were "uninspired", although she did note that Johnson appeared to be "wholly detached from the nonsense swirling around her".[109] The Guardian's Benjamin Lee, Kevin Maher of The Times, and The Daily Telegraph's Robbie Collin each gave the film one out of five stars. Lee felt it was "dumb and schlocky" and comparable to some of the worst superhero films made, reiterating criticisms of the dialogue as "unfunny" and "inelegant" and said the action sequences were "uninvolving". He also negatively compared the visual effects to that of "lousy network TV". Maher deemed the film "sheer mind-boggling awfulness" and declared it represented the "death of the superhero genre, the burning of the superhero genre to the ground and then the returning in the middle of the night to piss on the superhero genre's ashes". Likewise, Collin described the film as a "two-hour explosion in a boringness factory, in which the forces of dullness and stupidity combine in new and infinitely perturbing ways".[110][111][112]

In a negative review for Variety, Peter Debruge criticized the plot of Cassie "babysitting the three young ladies" for the majority of the film and called out the "less-than-sly nods to year-2003 consumerism" with the product placement of a vintage Pepsi brand, a classic advertisement for Calvin Klein, and a table dance and fight scene played to the Britney Spears song "Toxic". He concluded that Madame Web felt like an "extended soda commercial" combined with a "teaser trailer for still more spinoffs", and deemed the film's potential franchise as dead on arrival.[3] Conversely, Sam Adams of Slate said he "enjoyed the hell out of it" for being a "travesty", "disaster", and a "blight on the history of superheroes and cinema itself". He described it as "marginally competent at its best" and at its worst as "an incoherent mishmash populated by slumming movie stars who make little effort to disguise the dawning realization that they've made a terrible mistake".[113] The Washington Post's Michael O'Sullivan gave it two-and-a-half stars out of four, saying that it "is no blockbuster, but in its own quiet way, it manages to break down a few barriers",[114] while Charles Pulliam-Moore of The Verge found the film "surprisingly committed to transporting you back to 2003—a golden age for comic book movies that were aggressively mid or worse".[115]

Other responses

edit

The film was met with particular mockery directed toward the dialogue from its trailer that was not included in the final film,[116][83] with comedian John Mulaney referencing the line while presenting at the 96th Academy Awards shortly after the film's release,[117][105] while Sweeney mocked the film's performance in her opening monologue for the 49th season of Saturday Night Live (2024).[118] Filmmaker Mike Flanagan referenced Nicole Kidman's promotional monologue for AMC Theatres, which had received similar media attention, in his review of the film and used tags criticizing elements of the film, such as the automated dialogue replacement (ADR) used for Rahim's character.[119]

Johnson was not surprised by the film's reception,[120] while Roberts defended the film and attributed its negative reception and poor box-office performance to internet culture and the jokes surrounding it.[83] In contrast, Merced embraced the film's reception with the various memes surrounding it and for her enjoyment of other camp films, such as The Room (2003), Flubber (1997), and Catwoman (2004), saying she was "a little bit proud of it" for that. She also sympathized with the crew members involved in the production who may have been negatively impacted by its reception and performance,[121] with Di Bonaventura describing the film's reception as "an axe in your head" and a "harsher experience", not wanting to experience the "brutalness of failure" again when comparing the film's low box-office performance to its high viewership on Netflix.[122]

Future

edit

Sony had reportedly planned for Madame Web to be the first film in a potential new franchise, but following the film's low opening weekend box office and poor reception, these plans were reportedly abandoned. The Hollywood Reporter stated that while Sony was willing to take risks with their superhero films – with Madame Web avoiding the typical superhero genre tropes – the studio also wanted "home runs", with executives at Sony said to be in a "gloomy" mood after the film's poor performance. The report noted that the superhero genre had been in a transition period and that the future reception of their franchise could change depending on whether the next SSU film that was then scheduled for release, Kraven the Hunter, were successful.[6] In March 2024, Johnson said she was unlikely to make another superhero film after Madame Web, believing that she did not "make sense in that world",[120] while Di Bonaventura said in July that he was unsure if the film's characters would return in the SSU again after the film's poor performance.[122]

See also

edit

Notes

edit
  1. ^ Identified off-screen as Peter Parker[8]
  2. ^ Identified off-screen as Spider-Women[9]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Gyarkye, Lovia (February 13, 2024). "Madame Web Review: Dakota Johnson Leads a Depressingly Inert Spider-Man Spinoff". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on February 13, 2024. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c "Madame Web (2024)". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Archived from the original on April 9, 2024. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  3. ^ a b Debruge, Peter (February 13, 2024). "Madame Web Review: Any Way You Spin It, Dakota Johnson's Marvel Entry Feels Superfluous". Variety. Archived from the original on February 13, 2024. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
  4. ^ "Madame Web (12A)". British Board of Film Classification. February 5, 2024. Archived from the original on February 5, 2024. Retrieved February 7, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c D'Alessandro, Anthony (February 12, 2024). "Bob Marley: One Love Has More Hearts Over Valentine's-Presidents Day Stretch Than Madame Web, $30M+ To $20M+ – Box Office Preview". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 12, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c d e f McClintock, Pamela; Hibberd, James (February 19, 2024). "Inside Sony's Madame Web Collapse: Forget About a New Franchise". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on February 19, 2024. Retrieved February 19, 2024. …it has been widely reported that Madame Web cost $80 million, but the actual number is in the low $100 million range, according to several sources.
  7. ^ a b "Madame Web (2024)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Archived from the original on April 9, 2024. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  8. ^ a b c Grebey, James (February 14, 2024). "How Madame Web Connects to the Spider-Man Cinematic Multiverse". Time. Archived from the original on February 15, 2024. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Coggan, Devan (January 19, 2024). "Dakota Johnson discovered she's 'really good' at stunt driving in Madame Web". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on January 19, 2024. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
  10. ^ a b West, Amy (February 7, 2024). "Dakota Johnson never imagined she'd be in the superhero world, until she read the 'gritty' script for Madame Web". Total Film. GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on February 7, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  11. ^ a b Taylor-Foster, Kim (February 2024). "Exclusive: The Sixth Sense". Total Film. No. 347. United Kingdom: Future Publishing (published January 26, 2024). pp. 26–27.
  12. ^ a b Taylor-Foster, Kim (January 29, 2024). "Madame Web director teases similarities between Sony Marvel movie and Netflix's Jessica Jones: 'There's a grittiness'". Total Film. GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on January 29, 2024. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
  13. ^ a b c "New Madame Web Teaser Introduces Villain Ezekiel Sims". The Credits. Motion Picture Association. January 31, 2024. Archived from the original on February 1, 2024. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
  14. ^ a b Travis, Emlyn (November 15, 2023). "Watch Dakota Johnson get chased by a murderous Spider-Man in new Madame Web trailer". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on November 17, 2023. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  15. ^ a b Phillipson, Daisy (February 12, 2024). "Madame Web cast: All actors & characters". Dexerto. Archived from the original on February 12, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  16. ^ a b c Coggan, Devan (February 14, 2024). "How Madame Web connects to Spider-Man". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on February 15, 2024. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
  17. ^ Canencia, Christine (February 9, 2024). "Madame Web: Get to Know Zosia Mamet's Role in the Sony Film". Epicstream. Archived from the original on February 12, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  18. ^ "Madame Web Cast & Crew". Metacritic. Archived from the original on February 13, 2024. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
  19. ^ Sneider, Jeff (September 26, 2019). "Exclusive: Sony Taps Morbius Writers for Madame Web Movie Set in Spider-Man Universe". Collider. Archived from the original on September 27, 2019. Retrieved September 26, 2019.
  20. ^ Couch, Aaron (September 26, 2019). "Sony Developing Spider-Man Spinoff Madame Web". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on May 19, 2021. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  21. ^ a b c Kroll, Justin (February 3, 2022). "Madame Web: Dakota Johnson Tapped To Play First Female Super Hero in Sony Pictures Universe Of Marvel Characters". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  22. ^ a b Kroll, Justin (May 20, 2020). "Secret Marvel Movie From Sony in the Works With Director S.J. Clarkson (Exclusive)". Variety. Archived from the original on May 20, 2020. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  23. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (May 21, 2020). "Marc Guggenheim Scripting Spider-Man Universe Heroine Jackpot Movie For Sony Pictures". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 21, 2020. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  24. ^ Kroll, Justin (March 16, 2022). "Euphoria's Sydney Sweeney To Co-Star Opposite Dakota Johnson in Sony's Marvel Pic Madame Web". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 16, 2022. Retrieved March 17, 2022.
  25. ^ Hermanns, Grant (May 26, 2022). "Spider-Man Spinoff Movie Madame Web Story Details Revealed". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on May 26, 2022. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
  26. ^ a b D'Alessandro, Anthony (April 20, 2022). "Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse Heads To Summer 2023; Sony Dates Madame Web, Equalizer 3 Among Other Release Changes". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on April 21, 2022. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  27. ^ a b DeVore, Britta (June 8, 2023). "This Is How Madame Web Will Bring Her Unique Powers to the Big Screen [Exclusive]". Collider. Archived from the original on June 8, 2023. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  28. ^ a b c D'Addario, Daniel; Shafer, Ellise (August 9, 2023). "Sydney Sweeney Takes Control: The Euphoria Star on 'Feeling Beat Up' by Online Rumors and Proving People Wrong in Her Producer Era". Variety. Archived from the original on August 9, 2023. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
  29. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (May 15, 2022). "Sony Chairman Tom Rothman Paddles Upstream To Keep Focus On Traditional Cinema – Deadline Disruptors". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 15, 2022. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  30. ^ a b Grobar, Matt (May 24, 2022). "Madame Web: Celeste O'Connor Joins Sydney Sweeney, Dakota Johnson in Sony's Marvel Pic". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 24, 2022. Retrieved May 24, 2022.
  31. ^ Kroll, Justin (June 1, 2022). "Madame Web: Isabela Merced Latest To Join Dakota Johnson in Sony's Marvel Pic". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on June 1, 2022. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
  32. ^ Kroll, Justin (June 3, 2022). "Madame Web: Tahar Rahim Latest To Join Sony Marvel Pic". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on June 3, 2022. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  33. ^ Kroll, Justin (June 27, 2022). "Madame Web: Emma Roberts Joins Sony Marvel Pic". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on June 27, 2022. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
  34. ^ Graves, Sabina (June 27, 2022). "Sony's Baffling Madame Web Movie Weaves in Emma Roberts". Gizmodo. Archived from the original on June 27, 2022. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
  35. ^ Atad, Corey (June 23, 2022). "Sydney Sweeney Reveals Madame Web With Dakota Johnson Is Shooting Soon: 'I'm Really Excited To Start This Journey'". ET Canada. Archived from the original on June 23, 2022. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  36. ^ a b Hennemuth, Britt (June 28, 2022). "Dakota Johnson on Family, Sexual Agency—And the 'Psychotic' Making of Fifty Shades of Grey". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on June 28, 2022. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
  37. ^ a b c d e Barbuto, Dana (June 23, 2022). "Here comes Hollywood: Madame Web spinning into Boston, South Shore for three-month shoot". The Patriot Ledger. Archived from the original on June 23, 2022. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
  38. ^ Grobar, Matt (July 8, 2022). "Sony's Madame Web Adds Mike Epps". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on July 8, 2022. Retrieved July 8, 2022.
  39. ^ a b Behbakht, Andy (November 15, 2023). "Madame Web Movie Trailer Reveals 5 Spider-Man Characters Joining Sony's Marvel Franchise". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on November 15, 2023. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  40. ^ Davis, Brandon (June 5, 2023). "Madame Web Producer Promises Fresh Origin Story For Spider-Man Fans (Exclusive)". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on June 5, 2023. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  41. ^ a b Davids, Brian (February 13, 2024). "Madame Web Director SJ Clarkson Talks No Post-Credits Scene, That '90s Rumor and Joining the MCU After the Fact". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on February 13, 2024. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
  42. ^ a b Ortiz, Andy (February 13, 2024). "Dakota Johnson Says 'Madame Web' Script Went Through 'Drastic' Changes After She Signed On". TheWrap. Archived from the original on February 13, 2024. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  43. ^ "In Production – Massachusetts Film Office". Massachusetts Film Office. Archived from the original on July 12, 2022. Retrieved July 11, 2022.
  44. ^ a b Slane, Kevin (July 13, 2022). "Madame Web movie filming transforms Boston into retro NYC". Boston.com. Archived from the original on July 14, 2022. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  45. ^ a b c d Slane, Kevin (August 18, 2022). "Everything we know so far about Madame Web, the superhero movie filming in Boston". Boston.com. Archived from the original on August 18, 2022. Retrieved August 24, 2022.
  46. ^ a b Bagchi, Soham (August 11, 2023). "Madame Web: Release Date, Cast, Plot, and Everything We Know So Far". Collider. Archived from the original on September 21, 2023. Retrieved November 6, 2023.
  47. ^ Kroll, Justin (July 15, 2022). "Madame Web: Adam Scott Joins Sony's Marvel Pic". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on July 15, 2022. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  48. ^ a b D'Alessandro, Anthony (July 19, 2022). "Sony Moves Madame Web To Fall 2023, Dates Marvel Universe Title For Summer 2024". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on July 19, 2022. Retrieved July 19, 2022.
  49. ^ Grobar, Matt (August 3, 2022). "Madame Web Adds 'The Flight Attendant's Zosia Mamet". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on August 3, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
  50. ^ a b Copeland, Dave (August 8, 2022). "Marvel Movie Filming In Andover". Andover News. Archived from the original on August 8, 2022. Retrieved August 24, 2022.
  51. ^ a b Semon, Craig S. (September 15, 2022). "Latest Spider-Man spinoff, Madame Web shooting in Worcester this week". Telegram & Gazette. Archived from the original on September 17, 2022. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
  52. ^ Lavery, Tréa (September 13, 2022). "Marvel's Madame Web Spider-Man spinoff to film in downtown Worcester this week". MassLive. Archived from the original on September 17, 2022. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
  53. ^ a b c Sharf, Zack (September 16, 2022). "Sony Announces New Karate Kid Movie, Pushes Madame Web and Kraven the Hunter". Variety. Archived from the original on September 16, 2022. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
  54. ^ Slane, Kevin (July 6, 2022). "Sony-Marvel movie Madame Web begins filming in Boston this month, and it needs extras". Boston.com. Archived from the original on July 7, 2022. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  55. ^ Anderson, Jenna (October 11, 2022). "Madame Web Set Photos Reveal First Look at Sydney Sweeney's Character". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on October 12, 2022. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  56. ^ Bonner, Mehera (October 12, 2022). "A Buncha Spoiler-y Pics from the Madame Web Set Just Dropped!". Cosmopolitan. Archived from the original on October 12, 2022. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
  57. ^ "Sydney Sweeney Gives Madame Web Filming Update (Exclusive)". Extra. October 18, 2022. Archived from the original on October 18, 2022. Retrieved October 18, 2022.
  58. ^ Kroll, Justin (January 11, 2023). "Sydney Sweeney And Glen Powell To Star In Sony Rom-Com From Will Gluck". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 11, 2023. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  59. ^ Zogbi, Emily (January 14, 2023). "Madame Web Logo Revealed as Spider-Man Spinoff Wraps Filming". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on January 14, 2023. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  60. ^ Dominguez, Noah (March 2, 2023). "Report: Sydney Sweeney Is Playing Marvel's Second Spider-Woman in Madame Web". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on March 3, 2023. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  61. ^ Mottram, James (May 22, 2023). "Madame Web star Sydney Sweeney teases Sony movie's 'powerhouse of badass females'". Total Film. GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on May 22, 2023. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  62. ^ a b Donnelly, Matt (July 28, 2023). "Beyond the Spider-Verse Taken Off Sony Release Calendar as Strikes Delay Kraven and Ghostbusters Sequel to 2024". Variety. Archived from the original on July 28, 2023. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
  63. ^ a b Anderson, Jenna (November 15, 2023). "Madame Web Trailer Reveals First Look at Surprising Spider-Women Costumes". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on November 15, 2023. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  64. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (November 15, 2023). "Madame Web: First Superhero Movie Of 2024 With Dakota Johnson, Sydney Sweeney Drops Trailer". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 15, 2023. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  65. ^ "Madame Web | Sony Pictures Entertainment". Sony Pictures Digital. Archived from the original on November 20, 2023. Retrieved November 20, 2023.
  66. ^ "Madame Web – WGA Directory". Writers Guild of America West. November 16, 2023. Archived from the original on January 29, 2024. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  67. ^ Taylor-Foster, Kim (January 31, 2024). "Madame Web director on connections to the Marvel universe: 'I would probably say watch this space'". Total Film. GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on January 31, 2024. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
  68. ^ Lussier, Germain (December 6, 2018). "For Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Every Cool Surprise You Can Imagine Was Considered". io9. Gizmodo. Archived from the original on December 7, 2018. Retrieved December 12, 2018. 'Meanwhile in another universe.' Those four words at the end of Venom may have changed everything when it comes to Spider-Man movies. By shifting out of Venom's universe and showing a scene from Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, the filmmakers and studio made it abundantly clear that Venom and Into the Spider-Verse are both happening in the same multiverse.
  69. ^ a b c Sneider, Jeff (January 19, 2024). "Exclusive: It's a Spider-Man-Themed Notebook Dump, Including Those Madame Web Reshoots". TheInSneider. Archived from the original on January 20, 2024. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
  70. ^ Phillipson, Daisy (February 9, 2024). "A huge Madame Web spoiler has been confirmed". Dexerto. Archived from the original on February 9, 2024. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  71. ^ Frei, Vincent (January 22, 2024). "Madame Web". Art of VFX. Archived from the original on January 29, 2024. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  72. ^ a b c d D'Alessandro, Anthony (February 19, 2024). "Bob Marley: One Love Feels Alright With $52M; Madame Web Crawls To $26M, But Will Lose Her Legs – Monday AM Box Office Update". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 18, 2024. Retrieved February 19, 2024. I've gotten phone calls that the budget for this film is much higher at north of $100M. But I'm also told Sony reigned it under net $100M with Massachusetts tax credits and post production London tax credits
  73. ^ "Johan Söderqvist Scoring SJ Clarkson's Madame Web". Film Music Reporter. November 17, 2023. Archived from the original on November 18, 2023. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
  74. ^ Franklin, McKinley (November 15, 2023). "Madame Web Trailer: Dakota Johnson and Sydney Sweeney Get Spidey Powers in Marvel Film". Variety. Archived from the original on November 15, 2023. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  75. ^ Pulliam-Moore, Charles (November 15, 2023). "Madame Web's first trailer will leave you wondering what the hell is going on". The Verge. Archived from the original on November 15, 2023. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  76. ^ Guy, Zoe (November 15, 2023). "Get Caught in the Madame Web". Vulture. Archived from the original on November 15, 2023. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  77. ^ Rivera, Joshua (November 15, 2023). "The wackiest Spider-Man story is now the Madame Web movie". Polygon. Archived from the original on November 15, 2023. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  78. ^ Day, Graham (November 22, 2023). "Sorry, the Madame Web Trailer Actually Has Me Excited". The Escapist. Archived from the original on November 22, 2023. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  79. ^ Garbutt, Emily (November 17, 2023). "Spider-Man comic book writer is confused by his villain's appearance in the Madame Web trailer". Total Film. GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on November 17, 2023. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
  80. ^ Donohoo, Timothy (November 18, 2023). "Madame Web's Trailer Confirms a Controversial Change for a Major Spider-Man Ally". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on January 19, 2024. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
  81. ^ Edwards, Molly (November 17, 2023). "Madame Web is already getting memed for one incredible line in the trailer". Total Film. GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on November 17, 2023. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  82. ^ Heritage, Stuart (November 16, 2023). "Madame Web: is this Spider-Man spinoff trailer deliberately terrible?". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on November 16, 2023. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  83. ^ a b c Travis, Emlyn (July 6, 2024). "Emma Roberts says Madame Web flopped because of 'internet culture'". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on July 8, 2024. Retrieved August 17, 2024.
  84. ^ Blistein, Jon (February 13, 2024). "The Viral Madame Web Line Isn't Even in the Movie". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on February 13, 2024. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
  85. ^ Jackson, Angelique (February 12, 2024). "Madame Web Star Isabela Merced on Filming The Last of Us and Playing Hawkgirl in Superman: Legacy at the Same Time". Variety. Archived from the original on February 13, 2024. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  86. ^ Booth, Kaitlyn (January 29, 2024). "Madame Web: 3 New Posters As Tickets Go On Sale". Bleeding Cool. Archived from the original on January 29, 2024. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  87. ^ Bonomolo, Cameron (November 23, 2023). "Columbia Pictures 100th Anniversary Logo Revealed by Sony". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on November 24, 2023. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
  88. ^ Goldbart, Max (December 8, 2022). "Sony Pictures Entertainment Inks Deal With Canada's Crave For Blockbuster Movies Including Spider-Man, Madame Web, Jumanji". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 8, 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  89. ^ McPherson, Chris (March 15, 2024). "Surprise! Madame Web Is Now on Digital". Collider. Archived from the original on March 15, 2024. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
  90. ^ Brown, Jodee (March 5, 2024). "Madame Web Available to Order on Blu-ray Amid Box Office Struggles, Stunning Cover Art Revealed". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on March 5, 2024. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
  91. ^ Behbakht, Andy (May 1, 2024). "Madame Web Netflix Streaming Release Date Revealed". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on May 2, 2024. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
  92. ^ Porter, Rick (June 13, 2024). "Streaming Ratings: Bridgerton Season 3 Debuts Atop Charts". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on June 13, 2024. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
  93. ^
  94. ^ a b D'Alessandro, Anthony (February 15, 2024). "Bob Marley: One Love Gets Audiences High With 'A' CinemaScore & Midweek Valentine's Day Opening Record Of $14M; Madame Web Spins $6M & C+ – Box Office". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 15, 2024. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  95. ^ McClintock, Pamela (February 16, 2024). "Box Office: Bob Marley's One Love Hits $17.9M on Thursday, Overwhelming Madame Web". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on February 16, 2024. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  96. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (February 25, 2024). "Bob Marley: One Love At $120M+ WW Takes Out Three Little Birds At The Box Office – Sunday Update". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 26, 2024. Retrieved February 25, 2024.
  97. ^ Edwards, Molly (February 13, 2024). "Madame Web reactions say Morbius is better". Total Film. GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on February 13, 2024. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
  98. ^ Welsh, Daniel (February 13, 2024). "The Reviews For Dakota Johnson's Madame Web Are Finally Out And... Ouch". HuffPost. Archived from the original on February 13, 2024. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
  99. ^ Chilton, Louis (February 13, 2024). "Madame Web branded an 'embarrassing mess' as Dakota Johnson film finally surfaces". The Independent. Archived from the original on February 13, 2024. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
  100. ^ Moss, Molly (February 13, 2024). "Madame Web first reactions and reviews call it an 'embarrassing mess'". Radio Times. Archived from the original on February 13, 2024. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
  101. ^ Hibberd, James (February 13, 2024). "Madame Web Critic Reviews Are Brutal: 'Hilariously Bad, Embarrassing Mess'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on February 13, 2024. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
  102. ^ Roeloffs, Mary Whitfill (February 13, 2024). "Madame Web Scores Terrible Reviews: Likely Latest Dud In Sony's Marvel Universe". Forbes. Archived from the original on February 13, 2024. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
  103. ^ Rosenblatt, Kalhan (February 14, 2024). "Marvel's Madame Web is meme fodder but doesn't stick the landing, reviewers say". NBC News. Archived from the original on February 18, 2024. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
  104. ^ Holtermann, Callie (February 22, 2024). "The Internet Is Obsessed With Madame Web. The Box Office? Well …". The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 23, 2024. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
  105. ^ a b Rangel, Felipe (March 11, 2024). "The Madame Web Oscars Jokes Mean It's In Danger Of Becoming A Cult Classic". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on March 11, 2024. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  106. ^ "Madame Web". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved July 16, 2024.  
  107. ^ "Madame Web". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved February 20, 2024.
  108. ^ Travers, Peter (February 16, 2024). "Review: God-awful is too weak a word to describe everything that's wrong with 'Madame Web'". ABC News. Archived from the original on February 16, 2024. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  109. ^ Dargis, Manohla (February 14, 2024). "Madame Web Review: Dakota Johnson Can't Save This Spidey Spinoff". The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 16, 2024. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  110. ^ Lee, Benjamin (February 13, 2024). "Madame Web review – Marvel's junky spin-off is a tangled mess". The Guardian. Archived from the original on February 13, 2024. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  111. ^ Maher, Kevin (February 16, 2024). "Madame Web review — the latest Marvel instalment is a one-star mess". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Archived from the original on February 15, 2024. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  112. ^ Collin, Robbie (February 14, 2024). "Madame Web, review: a perturbing new spin on dullness and stupidity". The Daily Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on February 15, 2024. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  113. ^ Adams, Sam (February 14, 2024). "Madame Web Is One of the Worst Superhero Movies in Years—and One of the Most Enjoyable". Slate. ISSN 1091-2339. Archived from the original on February 16, 2024. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  114. ^ O'Sullivan, Michael (February 14, 2024). "Review | Madame Web: Spider-Verse-adjacent action flick has low-key appeal". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on February 15, 2024. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  115. ^ Pulliam-Moore, Charles (February 14, 2024). "Madame Web is a love letter to the golden age of bad comic book movies". The Verge. Archived from the original on February 23, 2024. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
  116. ^ Jones, Nate (February 13, 2024). "Warning: The Infamous Madame Web Trailer Line Isn't in the Movie". Vulture. Archived from the original on February 18, 2024. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
  117. ^ Butt, Maira (March 11, 2024). "Oscars viewers are 'begging' John Mulaney to present next year". The Independent. Archived from the original on March 11, 2024. Retrieved March 13, 2024. The actor went on to reference a number of iconic film moments including an often mocked line from Madame Web, [...]
  118. ^ Zilko, Christian (March 3, 2024). "Sydney Sweeney Jokes About Madame Web Flopping in SNL Monologue". IndieWire. Archived from the original on March 3, 2024. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  119. ^ Kurp, Josh (February 20, 2024). "Mike Flanagan Had The Most Brutally Accurate Review Of Madame Web". Uproxx. Archived from the original on February 20, 2024. Retrieved March 4, 2024.
  120. ^ a b Owen, Charlotte (March 5, 2024). "Dakota Johnson Can't Fake It". Bustle. Archived from the original on March 5, 2024. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
  121. ^ Cavanaugh, Patrick (August 15, 2024). "Madame Web's Isabela Merced Still 'A Little Bit Proud' of Spider-Man Spinoff". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on August 15, 2024. Retrieved August 17, 2024.
  122. ^ a b Aguilar, Matthew (July 25, 2024). "SDCC 2024: Madame Web Producer Reflects on Box Office Flop, 'Like an Ax in Your Head'". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on July 26, 2024. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
edit