There’s a not a lot that’s going right for Dakota Johnson at the moment with the monumental failure of Madame Web. The beautiful star who hoped to achieve unprecedented fame with this role, is no stranger to controversy which she faced in plenty with her erotic thriller Fifty Shades of Grey.
Incidentally, Johnson and Jamie Dornan who shared sizzling chemistry in the film, almost did not get to be co-stars. DC alum Stephen Amell who is well-known for playing Oliver Queen aka Green Arrow in the popular television show Arrow, was reportedly in talks to play Christian Grey. The star though, admitted that he declined the offer.
Stephen Amell Almost Romanced Dakota Johnson in Fifty Shades Of Grey
Author E.L. James’ erotic thriller Fifty Shades of Grey got its cinematic adaptation featuring Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan as the two central leads. The film which had many bold scenes of intimacy and BDSM, went through its share of controversies, but also catapulted both actors to stardom. Interestingly, the Madame Web star almost romanced another actor in the film.
DC star Stephen Amell who is synonymous with the series Arrow, revealed in 2013 that he was being considered for the role of Christian Grey and even had a meeting with the producers to potentially take it forward. While this got many of his fans excited at the prospect, Amell later had a change of heart after getting his hands on a copy of the novel. In a Facebook post (via The Daily Star), the actor said,
“Was on a flight yesterday evening back to LA with no movie, so I grabbed 50 Shades of Grey and burned through it. Ummm… I hope they get the movie made, and I’m sure someone will be excellent in it. That person will not be me.”
It is still unclear if Amell was sceptical about the s*x scenes or with any other aspect of the character as he did not elaborate on this further. While the actor went on to gain fame with Arrow, Dakota Johnson is struggling at the moment with Madame Web’s disastrous run at the box office.
Dakota Johnson Wanted To Play This DC Superhero
Dakota Johnson was in the elite list of celebrities who was offered a marquee superhero gig when she was cast as Cassandra Webb in Madame Web. The character who appears in the storylines of the Spider-Man comics, has many interesting traits that Marvel felt Johnson could tap into. Sadly, things haven’t gone as planned and the actor’s reputation is now suffering with the failure of the film.
At this juncture, The Lost Daughter star could possibly be looking back at a time when she expressed her desire to play a superhero who is synonymous with the DC franchise. In a earlier interview with Vanity Fair, Johnson was asked if she was interested in playing a Marvel character. While the celebrity got the franchise mixed up, she named DC’s Catwoman as a character she would love to take on.
Catwoman has been played by A-list stars like Michelle Pfeiffer, Halle Berry, and Anne Hathaway who have all received praise for their performances as the enigmatic DC superhero. Unfortunately, this remained a pipe dream for Johnson who now has to face the aftermath of Madame Web’s failure.
Madame Web released in theaters on February 16th, 2024.
Fifty Shades of Grey is streaming on Netflix.
