Dakota Johnson starring Sony Pictures’ Madame Web released in theaters on 14th February 2024. Directed by S.J. Clarkson from a screenplay she co-wrote with Claire Parker Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless. Based on the character of the same name from Marvel Comics, Madame Web upon its premiere opened to a negative response from the audience and critics.
The movie also stars Sydney Sweeney, Celeste O’Connor, Isabela Merced, Tahar Rahim, Mike Epps, Emma Roberts and Adam Scott. The story follows Cassie Webb played by Johnson trying to save three women and their future from Ezekiel Sims played by Rahim along with confronting her past. Madame Web is the fourth movie in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe and it was recently known that the movie has a connection with Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man 2.
Dakota Johnson’s Madame Web’s connection with Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man 2
Madame Web is the first superhero movie of 2024 for Sony Pictures starring Dakota Johnson as Cassie Webb a.k.a. Madame Web. The movie is set in 2003 and an X account (@OneTakeNews) noted that the makers of Madame Web decided to re-use a part of Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 2 starring Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker.
According to ComicBook.movie, a leaked sequence also shows a burglar fighting Sydney Sweeney’s Spider-Woman resembling Spider-Man’s Dennis Carradine who was played by Michael Papajohn. Carradine is the one who the audience saw killing Ben Parker. This could have been seen as makers’ attempt to maybe wanting Tobey Maguire‘s Spider-Man to be the Spider-Man in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe.
In January, it was reported that the movie could have featured appearances from Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man but later the plan was changed. According to Jeff Sneider on The Hot Mic, Sony wanted Garfield to be the main Spider-Man in its Spider-Man Universe but those plans were soon scrapped and Tom Holland’s Spider-Man was finalized.
However, he explained that every mention of either Spider-Man was removed during the re-shoot of the movie after the studios realized that the timelines didn’t align. It was rumored that the movie was initially filmed to take place in the ‘90s but the director clarified in an interview with THR that she was sent the script with 2003 in it.
Dakota Johnson admits Madame Web underwent ‘drastic changes’
In a recent interview with The Wrap, Johnson revealed that the on-screen movie underwent dramatic changes compared to the script she signed onto. She said,
“There were drastic changes. And I can’t even tell you what they were.”
Talking about how her character could see the future meaning that multiple versions of one scene were filmed with minor changes, she explained that it added workload for everyone.
“It added so many different camera set-ups, like triple the amount of work. And it was very complex, and there’s only like minor differences between each version of the same scene, so it was like puzzle pieces, and really paying attention to what moment we’re in and what angle we’re in, and continuity and things like that.”
The actress confessed that she did get lost while filming a scene but the director S.J. Clarkson knew exactly the moment they were in and that she said was incredible of her. Surprisingly, Madame Web does not have a post-credit scene and Clarkson shared with THR that according to her it was about telling a great story and her father used to say that if she had something to say, she should stand up, speak up and shut up.
She lastly added that when she got to the end credits, she felt like they’d said everything they needed with the movie.
Madame Web is playing in theatres.
